SeeCalifornia.com

Photo: A Pony Express mural in the city of Vacaville, California on the Heritage House Cafe, 303 Merchant Street,
Vacaville, CA 95688. Call: (707) 448-3900.

Vacaville is a great road stop approx. 33 miles southwest of Sacramento along the I-80, and 55 miles northeast of San Francisco.  The Pony Express which ran between St. Joseph, MO, and Sacramento/San Francisco, stopped in Vacaville during its run between 1860 and 1861. A painted mural on Heritage House Cafe in Vacaville commemorates the historic mail delivery system, and a plaque describes the significance of the location. The mural, itself, is a colorful painting which shows townsfolk (women and men) standing out on the dirt street waving to the Express rider. In addition to people, a pet dog and a chicken in the road, you can see some of Vacaville’s early buildings depicted — a saloon, hotel, livery, and E.F. Gillespie building.

Here is what a road marker near the painted mural and cafe says:

“GILLESPIE’S STORE STOOD AT THIS SPOT. THIS WAS ALSO A WELLS FARGO & CO. OFFICE. E.F. GILLESPIE WAS THEIR FIRST AGENT IN VACAVILLE.

THERE WOULD ONLY BE 2 TRIPS OVERLAND BY HORSE TO SAN FRANCISCO FROM SACRAMENTO IN 1860 AND 1861. THIS WOULD BE REPEATED ANOTHER 18 TIMES. ON THE FIRST TRIP THE PONY EXPRESS RIDER SAM HAMILTON TOOK THE YOLO PLANK TURNPIKE ACROSS THE TULE SWAMPLAND, CROSSED PUTAH CREEEK AND MADE HIS FIRST STOP FOR ANOTHER HORSE AT SOLANO HOUSE.

HIS NEXT DESTINATION WAS THE HALFWAY HOUSE WHERE A RED LANTERN WOULD HANG HIGH AS A BEACON OF SILVEYVILLE. THEN WITH ANOTHER REALLY CHANGE HE RODE OFF TO VACAVILLE AND GILLESPIE’S STORE. WHEN HE ARRIVED HERE IT WAS AROUND 4:00 A.M. AND HE LEFT WITHIN A FEW MINUTES ON ANOTHER HORSE. COPYRIGHT 1997 JOE NARDONE.”

When you go: Vacaville features a summer full of fun with festivals, concerts and great home-cooked food served at places such as the Heritage House Cafe, known for its casual, small town atmosphere and hot breakfasts and sandwiches.