Over the weekend, I headed over to Benicia to explore its historic downtown. I haven't been to Benicia since high school, and even then just went to someone's house and didn't see much else. Benicia is about 45 minutes from San Francisco and actually served as the state capitol for one year (1853-1854). The downtown was quite cute and had a great promenade to walk along the Carnquinez Strait.
First, we visited the visitor center, in an old train station from 1900.
We picked up a handy little historic walking tour guide, which featured the highlights along the main street. Interestingly enough, just about everything was on the left side of the street. Maybe the train tracks used to be along the right side?
We grabbed lunch at Sailor Jack's. The building is from 1870 and was first built by an English sea captain and then was later used as a bordello.
This picture gives a better view of the pretty doorway
The Davis-Merritt house is from about 1869 and was prefabricated in Maine and shipped out to Benicia. Can you spot the doggie in the window?
This salt box style house is from about 1848 and is right on the edge of the Carquinez Strait. It was also premade on the East Coast and shipped over, which was apparently common during the Gold Rush.
The Union Hotel (1880) has beautiful stained glass windows. There are stories that the hotel is haunted.
The City Hotel was built in 1870 and was a rooming house
It's funny that a bath cost more than the room…
The Solano Hotel was a Pony Express stop
Next up was the Fischer-Hanlon house, built in 1850. It's next door to the capitol building and part of the state capitol park. I have to say, this building has seen better times. The paint was seriously peeling and overall didn't look in great condition. The porch was added sometime later, along with a kitchen and servant's quarters. I think it would look better with the porch removed. And a paint job.
On the other hand, I loved that it had the original carriage steps and horse hitching post
This Masonic temple was the first one built in California, in 1850. There is a newer temple next door to this one, but it had signs all over it saying it was not retrofitted and to stay away from it during earthquakes!
Finally, we went into the State Capitol Building. California surprisingly had five state capitols in five years! Benicia was the fourth, in between nearby Vallejo and Sacramento.
The great seal of California
The Senate floor (there was also an assembly floor upstairs)
Each desk had a spitton. They were everywhere throughout the building.
There was a lot that we missed because it was more out of the way, so I'd like to go back and see more. I'd also like to go back and explore more because my great-great-grandmother's brother inexplicably ended in Benicia from Charlestown, NH, somewhere around 1865. I want to figure out where he lived and go see his house.
After Benicia, we went over to Martinez, which I'll post pics of soon. This day trip was my last hurrah before having surgery yesterday. Now I'm luckily past that and recuperating at home and looking forward to the next day trip.