Benicia

About Benicia, CA

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 is named “Francisca,” but this name was dropped when the former city of “Yerba Buena” changed its name to “San Francisco.”

Population

28,192 (2019)

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A Town that Can’t Keep a Secret

In 1848, Charles Bennett, a carpenter who worked at Sutter’s Mill, and a companion, stopped at a hotel on their way to Monterey. They entered the store in the midst of a discussion about how lucky the man who discovered coal in California would be. Bennett boasted: “Coal! I’ve got something here that will beat coal and make this the greatest country in the world!” He then spilled out on the counter approximately four ounces of gold nuggets. With the secret out, Benicia quickly emptied of all able-bodied men.

"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).

Benicia’s beautiful waterfront creates an air of mystery and romance as you walk along the First Street Promenade and imagine a time when robust maritime commerce filled the shoreline with bustling activity and a bit of intrigue.

As the former site of shipyards, tanneries, canneries and a ferry terminal, Benicia has seen its share of salty, nautical characters living and working along its waterfront. Jack London, who once fished the Strait near Benicia, used some of the lore surrounding the waterfront in Benicia as literary fodder. A marker at the foot of First Street recognizes Jack London as “The author who immortalized this locality in John Barleycorn and Tales of the Fish Patrol.”

Today, Benicia’s waterfront location remains one of the city’s greatest attractions. The shoreline of the Carquinez Strait is the exclamation point to the beautiful, quaint downtown. Stroll the Promenade to the pier for bridge to bridge views and see fishermen, watercraft from sailboats to large ships, kite surfers, paddle boarders, kayakers, outriggers, and abundant wildlife. There’s even a dog-friendly beach! And their human friends can get their feet wet, too! Aside from its spectacular vistas, the waterfront area is full of fun things to do, from the Benicia State Recreation Area to the Benicia Marina. Of Benicia’s more than 20 parks, three are along the waterfront so you can enjoy picnicking and fishing. The Alvarez West Ninth Street Park (at West K Street) is a favorite for families and boaters. The park includes a public boat launch, playground, small beach and three kayak/canoe put-ins. The area is also part of the San Francisco Bay Trail System and the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail.

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If you live here already, you know how blessed we are. If you’re considering living or investing here, you’ve probably experienced some of the area’s extraordinary possibilities: country settings and small-town communities; enthralling agricultural beauty, and true farm to fork lifestyle, If Northern California is your real estate destination, you’ve arrived at the right spot. Whether you’re looking to buy your first home – or to sell an estate – expect nothing less from us than a Meritage blend of real estate expertise, professional service, creativity, and a passion for achieving your goals.

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Ms. Duggan is an enthusiastic, self starter in the real estate business. She reached out to us at the right time and, after spending several hours in our home educating us on the current market and to what lengths she would go to get us the best sale price, we decided to list with her and sell our house. We received multiple offers as soon as the house hit the market, all over asking price. We selected the best one. Ms. Duggan kept us informed through the entire process up to and including closing and followed up afterwards to makes sure everything was satisfactory. Mr. Duggan was patient, courteous and professional with us from start to finish. She responded quickly to telephone calls and texts, often after hours and on weekends. We always felt secure knowing she was there, overseeing the process and looking out for our best interests. I highly recommend Ms. Duggan and would look forward to working with her again in the future.

I can't say enough good things about Sherri. I knew I was going to be buying a house well before I actually started actively looking. Sherri kept in touch with me for months being a resource to my many curious questions. She was very patient, kind, and helpful during this time. When GO time came to buy the house, she started sending me house information and we started looking at houses right away. It wasn't long before I found one I liked and we made an offer, with her guidance, and it was accepted. The process went very smoothly which also required her to drive all the way down to Hayward a few times which she did without complaint and was kind and gracious when she arrived. The closing was very fast and I moved in to my dream home. It went so well that I recommended her to my sister who started looking for her house a few months later. She had the same experience as I did. We are all very happy and would use Sherri again as well as recommend Sherri to others. Thank you Sherri for making our life-changing purchase a reality!

My wife met Sherri before making the decision to sell our home. She kept in touch with nuggets of information about the market and responded to any questions we had; always ensuring satisfaction with complete, accurate, and comprehensive answers. Once we gave the go ahead, she turned on the afterburners. Professionally, the top dog "WHO GETS THINGS DONE", and personally going "WAY ABOVE AND BEYOND". You would be hard pressed finding a realtor that keeps the needs, wants, and whims of the client ahead of the demands of the real estate business. This transition of our life goals and dreams were made worry free and very enjoyable. We highly recommend Sherri when its time for you to head down your path.

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Benicia