RIO VISTA , incorporated in 1893, is located 48 miles southwest of Sacramento, 65 miles northeast of San Francisco, and 400 miles north of Los Angeles. Rio Vista is in Solano County, the fastest growing of the nine Bay Area Counties and the fifth fastest growing city in the State of California.

History - In 1844 General John Bidwell, a citizen of Mexico, petitioned for a land grant on the Sacramento River from Governor Micheltorena. The subsequent Los Ulpinos Land Grant included 17,724 acres. The 1848 gold discovery made a wharf necessary to handle the amount of supplies brought in by river-steamer.

The Mexican government had signed California over to the United States in 1848, and Colonel N.H. Davis bought land from Bidwell for $2,000 on December 3, 1855. By 1857 Davis had chosen a site for a town one mile below the mouth of Cache Slough. He named the town Los Brazos Del Rio or “The Arms of the River,” because the Sacramento River forms at the town’s location.

In 1858 Colonel Davis was the first to build his home in the new town. Many structures were built - the storehouse, butcher shop, hotel, blacksmith shop, general store, drug store and livery stable. In 1860 the name of the town was changed to Rio Vista or “Riverview.” In the winter of 1861 a rainstorm lasting forty days washed the town completely away. The town’s people escaped with their lives but lost all they owned. It was decided to rebuild on high ground. This became possible with the generous donations of land from two ranchers, Mr. Joseph Bruning and Mr. T. J. McWorthy. The town was moved to its present location and rebuilding took place in 1862.