Woodland is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Yolo County, California Yolo County (; Wintuan languages, Wintun: ''Yo-loy''), officially the County of Yolo, is a County (United States), county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Yolo County was one of the original counties of Californi ...

, United States. Located approximately northwest of

Sacramento Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in Northern California's Sacramento Valley, Sacramento's 2020 p ...

, it is a part of the

Sacramento metropolitan area The Greater Sacramento area is a metropolitan region in Northern California comprising either the U.S. Census Bureau defined Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade metropolitan statistical area or the larger Sacramento–Roseville combined sta ...

. The population continues to grow every year, with a growth rate o
0.33% annually, and a current population of 61,873.
Woodland's origins date to 1850 when California gained statehood and Yolo County was established. The area was well irrigated due to the efforts of James Moore, which drew people into farming as the soil was very fertile. The city gained a federal post office in 1861 with the help of Missourian Frank S. Freeman. A year after this
in 1862
the county seat was moved from Washington (present day

West Sacramento West Sacramento (also known as West Sac) is a city in Yolo County, California, United States. The city is separated from Sacramento by the Sacramento River, which also separates Sacramento and Yolo counties. The population was 53,915 at the 2 ...

) to Woodland after Washington was flooded. The addition of a railroad line to Sacramento, and the more recent addition of

Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels thro ...

, helped the city to thrive.

History

Indigenous culture

Before its settlement by people of European descent, the Woodland area was inhabited by the

Patwin The Patwin (also Patween and Southern Wintu) are a band of Wintun people in Northern California. The Patwin comprise the southern branch of the Wintun group, native inhabitants of California since approximately 500. Today, Patwin people are en ...

, a subgroup of the

Wintun The Wintun are members of several related Native American peoples of Northern California, including the Wintu (northern), Nomlaki (central), and Patwin (southern).Pritzker, 152Native Americans, further divided into the River and Coastal Patwin. Woodland's indigenous roots stem from the River Patwin, who tended to stay closer to the

Sacramento River The Sacramento River () is the principal river of Northern California in the United States and is the largest river in California. Rising in the Klamath Mountains, the river flows south for before reaching the Sacramento–San Joaquin River D ...

, as opposed to the Coastal Patwin who lived in small valleys in hills and ranges. The Yolotoi, a tribelet of the Patwin, occupied area near Woodland, and settled a village northwest of Woodland, as well as area close to present-day Knights Landing. Although they didn't have a permanent settlement in present-day Woodland, it is believed that the River Patwin occupied the Woodland area in seasonal camps for hunting and seed gathering. The Yolotoi and their neighboring tribelets had a main trading trail which followed Cache Creek. The exchange of goods between the neighboring tribes of the

Nomlaki The Nomlaki (also Noamlakee, Central Wintu, Nomelaki) are a Wintun people native to the area of the Sacramento Valley, extending westward to the Coast Range in Northern California. Today some Nomlaki people are enrolled in the federally recogniz ...

to the north, the

Nisenan The Nisenan are a group of Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans and an Indigenous people of California from the Yuba River and American River watersheds in Northern California and the California Central Valley. According to a ...

to the east, and the

Pomo The Pomo are a Indigenous peoples of California, Native American people of California. Historical Pomo territory in Northern California was large, bordered by the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to ...

to the west also served as a way of cultural and social interchange between all the tribes. The simultaneous enslavement and spread of disease through the Patwin by the Spanish missionaries quickly had dramatic effects; a

malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...

epidemic An epidemic (from Greek ἐπί ''epi'' "upon or above" and δῆμος ''demos'' "people") is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of hosts in a given population within a short period of time. For example, in meningococcal infection ...

in 1830–33 and a

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...

in 1837 killed much of the surviving natives. However, some of the first farm hands in the earliest farms in Woodland were Patwin.

Beginnings

In 1851, the year after

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

became a state and

Yolo County Yolo County (; Wintun: ''Yo-loy''), officially the County of Yolo, is a county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Yolo County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood ...

was formed, "Uncle Johnny" Morris settled at what is now the corner of First and Clover Streets in Woodland. Two years later Henry Wyckoff arrived and built a store he named "Yolo City". The new Yolo City might have stayed a singular store if Frank S. Freeman, the man responsible for the establishment of the post office, had not bought it and acquired of land in 1857. Freeman began to develop a town that he hoped would be a trading center for one of the richest crop-growing areas in America. He gave land to anyone who would clear it and build a home. In 1859, Freeman suggested that the town be called Woodland, which the post office accepted. On July 5, 1861, the Woodland Post Office was established and Freeman became Postmaster. He lost no time in developing the town by leasing or selling commercial buildings. The 1860s were a time of opportunity. The county seat was permanently moved to Woodland after

Washington, California Washington (originally, Indiana Camp) is a census-designated place located in Nevada County, California. Washington is located on the banks of the South Yuba River and has a population of approximately two hundred people. There is a hotel/ bar ...

(now a part of

) flooded. Schools, homes, churches, and a cemetery were built. The town's newspaper, the '' Daily Democrat'' and a

rail line Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters *Railway track or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film *Rails (film), ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini *Rail ( ...

was built. In 1869, the California Pacific Railroad Company constructed a line between Davisville (now Davis) and Marysville with a Woodland station in the area of College Street and Lincoln Avenue. The rail line expanded and was eventually acquired by

Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials) was an American Railroad classes#Class I, Class I Rail transport, railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was oper ...

. The track was then relocated from College Street to East Street, the eastern edge of the city at that point. The addition of the railroad led to the expansion of Woodland. Before the railroad came, people were building primarily from Main Street northward. Later expansion headed west and south. In 1870 the population of Woodland was estimated to be 1,600 people, 647 of whom were registered voters. Signatures were collected to petition for the incorporation of the town. The City of Woodland was incorporated in 1871 and its residents soon had regular train and telegraph operations, telephone services, gas, water, electricity, street lights, and graveled streets. Byron Jackson, inventor of the centrifugal pump, opened a machine shop in Woodland in 1872. The business moved to San Francisco in 1879, supplying highly efficient pumps for ground water irrigation which transformed agriculture and industry in California.

20th century

Woodland's

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to a ...

was founded in 1900. During this time public activism helped Woodland get a library, a city park, and an improved cemetery. In 1910 Woodland was the most populous city in the county, with a population of 3,187. For the next forty years Woodland grew slowly but steadily, based on agriculture-related businesses: three rice mills, a

sugar beet A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and that is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet (''Beta vulgaris''). Together with ...

refinery, and a tomato cannery were built. After President Roosevelt issued

Executive Order 9066 Executive Order 9066 was a President of the United States, United States presidential executive order signed and issued during World War II by United States president Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942. "This order authorized the fo ...

, which authorized military commanders to exclude "any or all persons" from certain areas in the name of national defense, the

Western Defense Command Western Defense Command (WDC) was established on 17 March 1941 as the command formation of the United States Army responsible for coordinating the defense of the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast region of the United States during Wo ...

began ordering Japanese Americans living on the West Coast to "evacuate" from the newly created military zones. This included many Woodland farming families. At Woodland, was a Woodland Civil Control Station, for check-in, with no overnight accommodations. The

post-war era A post-war or postwar period is the interval immediately following the end of a war. The term usually refers to a varying period of time after World War II, which ended in 1945. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum, w ...

spurred growth in Woodland; between 1950 and 1980, Woodland's population tripled. In the 1950s Woodland had the most millionaires per capita of any city in California. Industrial plants and distribution centers grew in the northeast, with new subdivisions and shopping centers around the town. Since the late 1960s, there has been greater interest in preserving the town's historic buildings, and many have been restored as homes, offices, stores and museums. Woodland's "Stroll Through History," an annual event, began in 1989 to showcase many of the Victorian homes and other historical sites throughout the city. In the 1970s

was completed, curving around Woodland, with a business routing along Main Street and Road 98. Over time, I-5 and State Route 113 replaced the railroads as major transportation arteries.

21st century

Within the past decade, Woodland has grown, with many additions to the community. Subdivisions have been built (mainly on the east side of town) and several major chain stores opened. This economic growth has encouraged more people to invest in the community and continue its expansion. In 2023, City Manager Ken Hiatt stated an estimate o
161.5 million
dollars in public and private investments were to be directed to the city for further development. Woodland has even been named as one of the top 100 places to live in America, rankin
at number 55.
Pioneer High School opened for the 2003–04 school year. In 2018, thanks in part to the establishment of the new community near Pioneer High School
Spring Lake Elementary
was created. This make
eleven elementary school in Woodland alone.
Main Street has revived with new restaurants, a new court house, and the expansion of the Old State Theater into a 10-screen multiplex. With rumors spreading about the possible future of
Woodland Research and Technology Park
a hub dedicated to serving research and technology companies from surrounding areas, surely the population will continue to grow. Downtown Second and Main St

Geography and climate

Woodland is located on flat land in the

Central Valley (California) The Central Valley is a broad, elongated, flat valley that dominates the interior of California, United States. It is wide and runs approximately from north-northwest to south-southeast, inland from and parallel to the Pacific coast. It cover ...

, with the

Yolo Bypass The Yolo Bypass is one of the two flood bypasses in California's Sacramento Valley located in Yolo and Solano Counties. Through a system of weirs, the bypass diverts floodwaters from the Sacramento River away from the state's capital city of Sa ...

and the

to the east and the

Capay Valley Capay Valley is a mostly rural valley northwest of Sacramento in Yolo County, California, United States. It lies east of Blue Ridge and west of the Capay Hills. Geography Cache Creek flows through the valley. California State Route 16 crosse ...

and the Coast Range to the west. Woodland is a part of the

Sacramento Metropolitan Area The Greater Sacramento area is a metropolitan region in Northern California comprising either the U.S. Census Bureau defined Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade metropolitan statistical area or the larger Sacramento–Roseville combined sta ...

but it retains a "small town" feeling partly due to the mileage between the city and the neighboring cities. It is located just southeast of the county's geographical center, and is one of the largest cities north of Sacramento along

until Redding. Interstate 5 enters the city from the east and curves northward over the remainder of Woodland, exiting northwest. SR 113 enters the city from the south as a controlled access freeway and merges with the I-5, then diverges leaving the city northward as a standard two-lane road. The city is surrounded by farmland. Woodland calls itself the "City of Trees".

Valley oak ''Quercus lobata'', commonly called the valley oak or roble, is the largest of the California oaks. It is endemic to the state, growing in interior valleys and foothills from Siskiyou to San Diego counties. Deciduous, it requires year-round grou ...

s are the predominant native species planted around the city.

Climate

Woodland has a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

with dry, hot summers and cool, relatively wet winters, as with the rest of California's

Sacramento Valley The Sacramento Valley is the area of the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California that lies north of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and is drained by the Sacramento River. It encompasses all or parts of ten Northern California ...

. The rainy season is generally from October through April. In th
hottest month
July, average high temperatures range from 94 °F 58 °F. Average lows range from 58 °F in July to 38 °F in December and January. January is typically the wettest month with about of rain. All-time extremes for Woodland are 15 °F and 114 °F. It has a zone 9b botanical plant hardiness climate zone, like almost all of the

. Summer brings warm days, with temperatures frequently in the upper 90s, but the "Delta Breeze" that blows into the valley through the

Carquinez Strait The Carquinez Strait (; Spanish: ''Estrecho de Carquinez'') is a narrow tidal strait located in the Bay Area of Northern California, United States. It is part of the tidal estuary of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin rivers as they drain int ...

usually makes for comfortable evenings and nighttime temperatures in the upper 50s. Occasional heat waves raise the temperature above 100 degrees. During late fall and throughout the winter months, Woodland experiences cooler temperatures, rain from storms originating in the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Alaska,

tule fog ''Schoenoplectus acutus'' (synonym (taxonomy), syn. ''Scirpus acutus, Schoenoplectus lacustris, Scirpus lacustris'' subsp. ''acutus''), called tule , common tule, hardstem tule, tule rush, hardstem bulrush, or viscid bulrush, is a giant specie ...

, and a few mornings of frost and freezing conditions. When the chilling fog does not burn off, daytime highs may remain in the 40s or low 50s for several consecutive days. Snow is extremely rare in Woodland; the last measurable snowfall occurred on January 28, 2002. The Sierra Nevada mountains, about 60 miles to the east of Woodland, receive significant amounts of snow each winter, contributing to the cool weather. The cool and wet weather becomes much less frequent in April and May as the days gradually get warmer.

Demographics

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Woodland had a population of 61,032. The population density was . The racial makeup of Woodland was 44.6%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.9%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 2.0% Native American, 8.7% Asian, 0.4%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 23.6% from other races, and 18.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48.5% of the population. The census reported that 98.6% of the population lived in households, 0.5% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.9% were institutionalized. There were 20,971 households, out of which 37.1% included children under the age of 18, 50.2% were married-couple households, 7.0% were

cohabiting Cohabitation is an arrangement where people who are not legally married live together as a couple. They are often involved in a romantic or sexually intimate relationship on a long-term or permanent basis. Such arrangements have become incr ...

couple households, 26.9% had a female householder with no partner present, and 15.9% had a male householder with no partner present. 22.2% of households were one person, and 10.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.87. There were 14,939

families Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...

(71.2% of all households). The age distribution was 24.2% under the age of 18, 9.2% aged 18 to 24, 27.2% aged 25 to 44, 24.4% aged 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 37.0years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. There were 21,647 housing units at an average density of , of which 20,971 (96.9%) were occupied. Of these, 57.2% were owner-occupied, and 42.8% were occupied by renters.

2023 estimates

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 21.7% of the population were foreign-born. Of all people aged 5 or older, 60.0% spoke only English at home, 31.9% spoke

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

, 4.7% spoke other

Indo-European languages The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the northern Indian subcontinent, most of Europe, and the Iranian plateau with additional native branches found in regions such as Sri Lanka, the Maldives, parts of Central Asia (e. ...

, 3.0% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 0.3% spoke other languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 84.4% were high school graduates and 30.2% had a bachelor's degree. The median household income was $87,880, and the

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

was $38,559. About 5.8% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line.

Economy

Woodland and the immediate surrounding area's economy has largely been based on agriculture. To this day, Yolo County is one of the largest crop producers in the state. Ranking in America's top 20 fo
total commodity production
Yolo remains a leader in agricultural production. The transportation industry has played a large part in Woodland's economy, as well. With heavy agricultural production comes the need to transport it. While maintaining the large role that agriculture and transportation still play in the town's activities, over the years Woodland has branched out into other sectors as well. The industrial sector has grown in Woodland as is seen by the numerous manufacturing and warehouse centers.

Modular homes A modular building is a prefabricated building that consists of repeated sections called modules. Modularity involves constructing sections away from the building site, then delivering them to the intended site. Installation of the prefabricate ...

are one of the largest manufactured goods in town. Several major retail stores have warehouses in Woodland or just outside the city limits. When the price of homes rose in California during the first half of the decade, Woodland was near the front of the wave due to many factors including proximity to Sacramento and its maintenance of a small community feeling. Its' convenient location, as well as it
strong sense of community
has made Woodland a desired place to live. As a result, in 2002 Woodland had the highest percentage increase in property value in the nation. Ease of access to the city provided by the close proximity of I-5 and I-80 as well as the Sierra Northern Railway and the

California Northern Railroad The California Northern Railroad is one of several Class III short-line railroad companies owned by Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. It operates over Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) tracks (now Union Pacific Railroad) under a long-term lease. The CFN ...

are most likely why businesses have done so well in Woodland. Woodland's short distance from the

and

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

metro areas also provide businesses another reason to set up shop in town.

Top employers

According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Arts and culture

The First Friday Art Walk is a monthly event which promotes the work of local and international artists.

Annual events

The Yolo County Fair is held in Woodland in the middle of August each year, running Wednesday afternoon through Sunday evening. Started in 1935 (and located at the current site since 1940), it is the largest free-admission fair in the state of California, and as such, people come from all over

Northern California Northern California (commonly shortened to NorCal) is a geocultural region that comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California, spanning the northernmost 48 of the state's List of counties in California, 58 counties. Northern Ca ...

to enjoy this event. There are demolition derbies in the fairground's arena, local FFA and

4-H 4-H is a U.S.-based network of youth organizations whose mission is "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development". Its name is a reference to the occurrence of the initial letter H four times ...

competitions going on, as well as several other agricultural related competitions. One of the newest and most popular attractions of the county fair is the "Yolo Idol Search" based on the TV show ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...

''. There are also several exhibition halls where fair-goers can peruse through stands set up by local businesses and groups. In 2008 The Sacramento Valley Scottish Games & Festival celebrated its 11th year at the Yolo County Fairgrounds. The Games feature a wide variety of activities, drawing up to 20,000 visitors each year. The "Games" are the third oldest in the United States. It is also the second largest event in Yolo County. The Games are held the last Saturday and Sunday of April. The Stroll Through History is a widely celebrated event in Woodland. It is used to increase awareness and appreciation of the history and heritage of Woodland. There are guided walking tours through several historic areas of Woodland, displays of historic equipment, vehicles, and other historical finds, as well as tours inside several of Woodland's historic Victorian homes. Some of the Stroll Through History is free while other parts require tickets purchased in advanced. This event usually takes place on a Saturday within the first two weeks of September. The Woodland Dynamite Chili

Cook-off A cook-off is a cooking competition where the contestants each prepare dishes for judging either by a select group of judges or by the general public. Cook-offs are very popular among competitors (such as restaurants) with very similar dishes, s ...

is a newer addition to Woodland's cultural activities. Beginning in 1998, the cook-off has drawn a lot of people out to try chili cooked from various members of the community. This event also includes other activities such as

bounce house FBC Mortgage Stadium (scheduled to become Acrisure Bounce House) is an American football stadium located near Orlando in Orange County, Florida, United States, on the main campus of the University of Central Florida. It is the home field of the ...

s, pony rides and games for the children; live music as well as other food and drink for the adults. The cook off is held the third Saturday of each September at Rotary Park in the Yolo County Fairgrounds. The City of Woodland and Woodland Chamber of Commerce put on a

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually some variety ...

each year that draws a crowd of around 30,000 people in downtown Woodland. It is one of the largest holiday parades in Northern California. Started in 1964, the Woodland Christmas Parade now has around 150 entries each year, including marching bands, floats, dance groups, military units, and novelty entries from local groups as well as from the surrounding area. The parade runs through Woodland's "Historic Downtown", along Main Street beginning at the intersection of Main Street and California Street and ending at the intersection of Main Street and 6th Street.

Museums and other points of interest

There are several small museums in Woodland. The Heidrick Ag History Center is an agriculture and transportation museum. It showcases rare and unique agricultural machinery and vehicles dating from the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century. It also has a events and exhibition hall which features rotating exhibits. Reiff's Antique Gas Station Automotive Museum has car culture exhibits from the 1950s and 1960s. The antique gas station displays old fashioned gas pumps, gas station signs and logos. Additional exhibits include the old time general store, diner and movie theater. Another local museum is the Yolo County Historical Museum. It is located on in the former home of Woodland pioneers William and Mary Gibson. The construction of the house itself was started in 1857 and is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. The museum acquired the property in 1975 and it houses furnishings and artifacts dating from the 1850s to the 1930s. Locally called The Gibson Mansion, the house and the property depict everyday living from that era as well as changing exhibits regarding

history. Another site of interest is the Woodland Public Library. The original structure was funded by

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie ( , ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the History of the iron and steel industry in the United States, American steel industry in the late ...

and was constructed in 1905. The Woodland Public Library is the oldest library funded by Carnegie in California that is still in operation. The Woodland Opera House is a

California Historical Landmark A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in the U.S. state of California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance. Criteria Historical significance is determined by meetin ...

and a

California State Historic Park List of California State Historic Parks — a division of the California Department of Parks and Recreation, for historic sites in California. List * Anderson Marsh State Historic Park * Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park * Ba ...

that was originally built in 1885 and was rebuilt due to fire in 1895–1896. The opera house was rebuilt on the original site with some of the intact bricks and foundation. It was the first opera house to serve the

. Some notable performers on its stage include

John Philip Sousa John Philip Sousa ( , ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic music, Romantic era known primarily for American military March (music), marches. He is known as "The March King" or th ...

and his band,

Verna Felton Verna Arline Felton (July 20, 1890December 14, 1966) was an American actress known for voicing many Disney animated films, such as the Fairy Godmother, the Queen of Hearts, and Flora. She also provided the voice for Fred Flintstone's mother- ...

, and Madame

Helena Modjeska Helena Modrzejewska (; born Jadwiga Helena Mizel; October 12, 1840 – April 8, 1909), known professionally in the United States as Helena Modjeska, was a Polish-American actress who specialized in Shakespearean and tragic roles. She was success ...

. Closed in part due to the rise of the motion picture industry, and partly due to a lawsuit involving an injury, the opera house was closed from 1913 until recently. Renovations allowed for the historic building to be opened again and it is now an acting venue in town. Several major productions are shown throughout the year, and many bands use the venue.

Government

Municipal

Woodland was incorporated as a general law city, governed by a five-member council, with the mayor serving as presiding officer. The mayor and four council members are elected officials, serving four-year terms. The council selects the vice mayor based on the member who received the greatest number of votes. This council member then serves as mayor during their last two years of office. Day to day, the city is run by a city manager, and has 376 permanent staff positions.

State and federal representation

In the

California State Legislature The California State Legislature is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of California, consisting of the California State Assembly (lower house with 80 members) and the California State Senate (upper house with 40 members). ...

, Woodland is in , and . In the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

, Woodland is in

California's 4th congressional district California's 4th congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, U.S. congressional district in California. The district is located in the northwestern part of the state, and includes all of Lake County, California, La ...

represented by

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

Mike Thompson.

Education

Woodland Joint Unified School District services ten elementary schools, one charter school, two middle schools, two high schools, one continuation high school and the adult education center in the area. In 2015, current Woodland Joint Unified School District Trustees include; Elaine Lytle, President; Tico Zendejas, Vice President; Morgan Childers, Clerk; Sam Blanco III Member; Michael Pyeatt, Member; Dr. Cirenio Rodriguez, Member; and Tania Tafoya, Member. There are several private schools in town. They include Woodland Christian School, a former ministry of the LifePointe Church (formerly known as First Baptist), which offers classes for children from preschool through high school; Holy Rosary Parish School, run by Holy Rosary Parish, offers enrollment from preschool to 8th grade; Montessori Children's House offers enrollment from preschool through 6th grade; Woodland Adventist School gives classes from preschool to 8th grade; a private school entitled Abby's School has enrollment for preschool and kindergarten; and Cornerstone Christian Academy, using A.C.E.'s School of Tomorrow curriculum, offers classes for pre-school through high school aged students. Yuba Community College District oversees Woodland Community College, a now fully accredited college.

Media

The local newspaper of Woodland is the '' Daily Democrat''. It was established in 1857 before the City of Woodland was incorporated. The ''

Sacramento Bee ''The Sacramento Bee'' is a daily newspaper published in Sacramento, California, in the United States. Since its foundation in 1857, ''The Bee'' has become the largest newspaper in Sacramento, the fifth largest newspaper in California, and the 2 ...

'' is also widely read in town. Th
WAVE
(Woodland Access Visual Enterprises) Channel 21 is Woodland's

Public-access television Public-access television (sometimes called community-access television) is traditionally a form of non-commercial mass media where the general public can create content television programming which is Narrowcasting, narrowcast through cable tele ...

cable TV Cable television is a system of delivering television broadcast programming, programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This ...

station which airs footage from a variety of community activities, including local high school football games, the Yolo County Fair, the Woodland Christmas Parade, as well as televised classes from Woodland Community College Educational-access television program. Anyone from the community is able to air approved content. Several movies have also been filmed, at least partially, in Woodland. They include the movies '' Farewell Bender'', ''

Blood Sport A blood sport or bloodsport is a category of sport or entertainment that involves bloodshed. Common examples of the former include combat sports such as cockfighting and dog fighting, and some forms of hunting and fishing. Activities charact ...

'', '' Letters from a Killer'', and selected scenes from ''

Three Men and a Baby ''Three Men and a Baby'' is a 1987 American comedy film directed by Leonard Nimoy. It stars Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson as three bachelors as they attempt to adapt their lives to de facto fatherhood with the arrival of the ...

''. The documentary ''Bigger, Faster, Stronger'' features several scenes in Woodland, and includes interviews with football players from the Woodland Wolves and the Pioneer Patriots. The cast and crew of the HBO series ''

Big Love ''Big Love'' is an American drama (film and television), drama television series created by Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer that aired on HBO from 2006 to 2011. It stars Bill Paxton as the patriarch of a Mormon fundamentalism, fundamentalist Mor ...

'' filmed in Woodland as part of a week-long filming stint that took them all over Yolo and neighboring counties.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Woodland is served by Yolo County Transportation District commonly termed 'YOLOBUS'. There are many routes to and from

Downtown Sacramento Downtown Sacramento is the central business district of the city of Sacramento, California, United States. Downtown is generally defined as the area south of the American River, east of the Sacramento River, north of Broadway, and west of 16th S ...

, Davis, Cache Creek Casino Resort, and other areas of

. Two freeways run through the city, State Route 113 and

. Surface streets in town run north and south or east and west. The roads (especially in the older part of the city) are straight, forming a grid. Woodland has also added a transit service called the Beeline by Yolobus that works almost like a rideshare. Most transportation is by automobile, though it is common to walk or ride bicycles.

Utilities

Woodland receives its natural gas and electricity services from

Pacific Gas & Electric The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is an American investor-owned utility (IOU). The company is headquartered at Kaiser Center, in Oakland, California. PG&E provides natural gas and electricity to 5.2 million households in the norther ...

. The City of Woodland provides water and

Waste Management Waste management or waste disposal includes the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. This includes the collection, transport, treatment, and disposal of waste, together with monitor ...

removes waste.

Healthcare

The largest medical facility in town is Woodland Healthcare, a member of

Dignity Health Dignity Health (formerly Catholic Healthcare West) was a California-based not-for-profit public-benefit corporation that operated hospitals and ancillary care facilities in three states. Dignity Health was the fifth-largest hospital system in t ...

. Other facilities include

Sutter Health Sutter Health is a not-for-profit integrated health delivery system headquartered in Sacramento, California. It operates 24 acute care hospitals and over 200 clinics in Northern California. Sutter Hospital Association was founded in 1921 as a ...

and private practices.

Notable people

José Antonio Bowen José Antonio Bowen (born March 11, 1962) is an American author and academic. He served as the 11th president of Goucher College from 2014 to 2019. Early life and education Bowen was born in Woodland, California, to Wayne Bowen and Celina Anto ...

- president of

Goucher College Goucher College ( ') is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Towson, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1885 as a Nonsectarian, nonsecterian Women's colleges in the United States, ...

* Scott Brant - 2003 U.S. Speedway National Champion * Jillian Camarena - champion

shot put The shot put is a track-and-field event involving "putting" (throwing) a heavy spherical Ball (sports), ball—the ''shot''—as far as possible. For men, the sport has been a part of the Olympic Games, modern Olympics since their 1896 Summer Olym ...

ter, 2008, 2012 Summer Olympics *

Thomas Haden Church Thomas Haden Church (born Thomas Richard McMillen; June 17, 1960) is an American actor. After starring in the 1990s sitcom '' Wings'' and playing the lead for two seasons in ''Ned & Stacey'' (1995–1997)'','' Church became known for his film work ...

- Academy Award-nominated actor, born Thomas Richard McMillen *

Bobbie Cryner Phyllis "Bobbie" Cryner (born September 13, 1961) is an American country singer-songwriter. She released her debut album, the bluesy '' Bobbie Cryner'', in 1993 on Epic Records. The album featured six original Cryner songs, as well as four song ...

- country singer-songwriter * May Dexter Henshall - county superintendent of schools, California Library Hall of Fame *

George Herms George Herms (born 1935) is an American artist best known for creating assemblages out of discarded, often rusty, dirty or broken every-day objects, and juxtaposing those objects so as to infuse them with poetry, humor, and meaning. He is also k ...

(born 1935), American artist * John Didion - professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player * Vicente Escobedo - boxer,

2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece. The Games saw 10,625 athletes ...

Loreto Garza Loreto Garza (born May 23, 1962 in Sacramento, California) is an American former professional boxer and world champion at light welterweight. Career Amateur Garza started boxing amateur at 18 years old and did it for three years. He won the Go ...

- California Boxing Hall of Famer and WBA junior welterweight world champion (1990–1991) *

Eddy Howard Edward Evan Duncan Howard (September 12, 1914 – May 23, 1963) was an American vocalist and bandleader who was popular during the 1940s and 1950s. Early years Eddy Howard was born in Woodland, California, and after attending San Jose State Coll ...

- singer and bandleader *

Sagen Maddalena Sagen Maddalena ( ; born 16 August 1993) is a soldier and an American sport shooter. She represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. She currently lives in Groveland, California. She ...

- 2024 Olympic Silver Medialist *

Steve March Steve March, PhD is an American politician and auditor. Career March entered political life as an appointee to the Oregon Hanford Site Cleanup Board (OHCB) in 2002 by Governor Kitzhaber, ending his term in 2006. He later came back to the board ...

- Oregon politician, born in Woodland *

Hunter Moore Hunter Edward Moore (born March 9, 1986) is an American convicted criminal from Sacramento, California. ''Rolling Stone'' called him "the most hated man on the Internet." In 2010, he created the revenge porn website Is Anyone Up? which allowed u ...

- internet personality * Alyssa Nakken - The first full-time female coach in MLB history *

Dustin Pedroia Any addition of 2018 will be reverted. Only players who were on a winning team's active roster during a World Series are listed as "World Series champions" in this context. Note that this is the same criterion as is used by Baseball-reference.com ...

- professional baseball player * Craig Penrose - former professional football player * Neil C. Roberts- former Petty Officer 1st Class, Navy SEAL * Charles R. Schwab - founder of eponymous stock brokerage firm *

Mungo Thomson Mungo Thomson (born 1969) is a contemporary visual arts, visual artist based in Los Angeles.Packard, Cassie"Half-Analog, Half-Digital: Mungo Thomson by Cassie Packard,"''BOMB Magazine'', February 8, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2024. His wide-ra ...

- visual artist * Tony Torcato - professional baseball player * Frona Eunice Wait - journalist and author * Paul Wulff - college and NFL football coach * Jack Lloyd Yerman - 1960 Olympic champion and football player

Sister cities

Woodland has one

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inte ...

, as designated by

Sister Cities International Sister Cities International (SCI) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with the goal of facilitating partnerships between communities within the United States and other countries by establishing sister cities. Sister cities are agreements of ...

: *

La Piedad La Piedad is a municipality located at in the north-west of the Mexican state of Michoacán, bordering Jalisco and Guanajuato and being the northernmost municipality in Michoacán. The municipal seat is the city of La Piedad de Cabadas. The o ...

Michoacán Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo, is one of the 31 states which, together with Mexico City, compose the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The stat ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

References

External links

*
Woodland Chamber of Commerce

Visit Woodland Website
Visitor information {{authority control Cities in Yolo County, California County seats in California Cities in Sacramento metropolitan area Sacramento Valley Populated places established in 1871 1871 establishments in California Incorporated cities and towns in California