Benicia Community Information

Whether you're buying a home, selling your home or relocating to Benicia, the following information, resources and tools will help to guide your decision.

Come Experience Our Wonderful Benicia

My sincere hope is that everyone that visits Benicia will want to come and stay and be part of our wonderful family town. Having only a Main Street here in town makes it impossible not to run into your friends and neighbors all the time.  We have so many fantastic events that take place here that bring people from all over to visit with.   I know you will love this town as much as I do.  I have lived here for more that 30 years and raised both my boys here.  One of them has bought a home and decided to raise their family here.  See you on  First Street !!!

Historical Highlights

Here are some captivating facts from Benicia's annals:

• Almost "Francisca": Benicia was named in honor of the wife of General Mariano Vallejo, Francisca Maria Felipa Benicia Carillo de Vallejo. General Vallejo was Mexico's last Comandante General of the Free State of Alta California. He had intended that the city be named "Francisca," but this name was dropped when the former city of "Yerba Buena" changed its name to "San Francisco."


• One of California's "Wandering Capitals": Benicia served as the state capital for nearly 13 months from 1853 to 1854 (Monterey, San Jose and Vallejo also took turns until the seat of California government finally settled in Sacramento). 


• Ulysses S. Grant's Stay in Jail: At the close of the War with Mexico, Lt. William Tecumseh Sherman was Adjutant to Col. Richard Barnes. Upon Sherman's retirement in 1853, his replacement at the Benicia Arsenal was none other than Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant. A popular myth is that Grant ended up spending 30 days in the Arsenal Guardhouse for being drunk on duty and firing his cannons at the Martinez shoreline.


• Helping Keep the "Express" in Pony Express: From 1860-1861, Benicia was involved in the Pony Express. When riders missed their connection with a steamer in Sacramento, they would continue on to Benicia and cross over to Martinez via the ferry.