Scandia, Solano County, California
Encyclopedia
Scandia is an area of Solano County, California
. It means “Little Norway,” and refers to the Scandinavia
n pioneers who settled the area southeast of present-day Fairfield, California
.
. Apparently their destination was the gold fields of the Mother Lode region; however, they missed the main channel of the river and found themselves in Montezuma Slough (see Suisun Marsh
) which is located a few miles south of present-day Travis Air Force Base
. They abandoned their boat there and walked inland to Calaveras County .
After two years of work, and finding little gold, the three Norwegians returned to Montezuma Slough, built a small house, and raised sheep and cattle . “Gradually other Scandinavians took up farming in the area, and ‘Little Norway’ [Scandia] became the accepted name of the area east and south of Denverton” . Today, the Western Railway Museum
is located near Denverton, California (Highway 12 southeast of Travis AFB).
When construction began on the Army airfield that would become Travis AFB, and area was still referred to as Scandia as can be seen in an article in the Solano Republican. The first article on construction was on July 2, 1942, four days before bulldozers broke ground for the new airstrip. The following week, the Republican reported that “the great 1,600 acre area six miles east of Fairfield in the Scandia Section is today teaming with activity as men and machines move in to prepare the foundations for a great flying field” .
. The name of the school "was selected in commemoration of those gallant pioneers who envisioned this local site as a possible creation of the American dream".
The school was officially dedicated April 21, 1970, and was open for a short time at the end of that school year. Its first full school year was 1970-1971. The 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) site originally housed first- through third-graders in 12 classrooms.
family by the name of Vanden settled in this area in the mid 1880's. They started a store and made plans for the town and a railroad station. These plans never materialized, although a post office operated from 1897 to 1899 .
The school board wished to pay tribute to this early pioneer family by selecting its name as one of historical importance for the high school.
The Class of 1965 was Vanden's first graduating class.
Solano County, California
Solano County is a county located in Bay-Delta region of the U.S. state of California, about halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento and is one of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. The county's population was reported by the U.S. Census to be 413,344 in 2010...
. It means “Little Norway,” and refers to the Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n pioneers who settled the area southeast of present-day Fairfield, California
Fairfield, California
Fairfield is a city located in Solano County in Northern California, USA. It is generally considered the midpoint between the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento, approximately from the city center of both cities, approximately from the city center of Oakland, less than from Napa Valley, 18...
.
History
In 1852, three Norwegian seafarers – Carl H. Thompson and his brother Dan, and Steve Larsen – purchased a small sailboat in San Francisco and headed up the Sacramento RiverSacramento River
The Sacramento River is an important watercourse of Northern and Central California in the United States. The largest river in California, it rises on the eastern slopes of the Klamath Mountains, and after a journey south of over , empties into Suisun Bay, an arm of the San Francisco Bay, and...
. Apparently their destination was the gold fields of the Mother Lode region; however, they missed the main channel of the river and found themselves in Montezuma Slough (see Suisun Marsh
Suisun Marsh
Located in northern California the Suisun Marsh is the largest brackish marsh on west coast of the United States of America. The marsh land is part of the San Francisco Bay tidal estuary, and subject to tidal ebb and flood...
) which is located a few miles south of present-day Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force air base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command , located three miles east of the central business district of Fairfield, in Solano County, California, United States. The base is named for Brigadier General Robert F...
. They abandoned their boat there and walked inland to Calaveras County .
After two years of work, and finding little gold, the three Norwegians returned to Montezuma Slough, built a small house, and raised sheep and cattle . “Gradually other Scandinavians took up farming in the area, and ‘Little Norway’ [Scandia] became the accepted name of the area east and south of Denverton” . Today, the Western Railway Museum
Western Railway Museum
The Western Railway Museum, in Solano County, California is located on Highway 12 between Rio Vista and Suisun. The museum is built along the former mainline of theSacramento Northern Railway...
is located near Denverton, California (Highway 12 southeast of Travis AFB).
When construction began on the Army airfield that would become Travis AFB, and area was still referred to as Scandia as can be seen in an article in the Solano Republican. The first article on construction was on July 2, 1942, four days before bulldozers broke ground for the new airstrip. The following week, the Republican reported that “the great 1,600 acre area six miles east of Fairfield in the Scandia Section is today teaming with activity as men and machines move in to prepare the foundations for a great flying field” .
Scandia Elementary School
Scandia Elementary School is located on Travis Air Force BaseTravis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force air base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command , located three miles east of the central business district of Fairfield, in Solano County, California, United States. The base is named for Brigadier General Robert F...
. The name of the school "was selected in commemoration of those gallant pioneers who envisioned this local site as a possible creation of the American dream".
The school was officially dedicated April 21, 1970, and was open for a short time at the end of that school year. Its first full school year was 1970-1971. The 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) site originally housed first- through third-graders in 12 classrooms.
Vanden High School
Vanden High School is located next to Travis AFB and was built to accommodate children from the base. It was named because the location of the school is in the same vicinity in which a town called Vanden was to be built. A ScandinavianScandinavian
Scandinavian refers to a resident of or something associated with Scandinavia, including:* Scandinavians, a Nordic ethnic group* Scandinavian Airlines , an aviation corporation* Scandinavian Defense, a chess opening...
family by the name of Vanden settled in this area in the mid 1880's. They started a store and made plans for the town and a railroad station. These plans never materialized, although a post office operated from 1897 to 1899 .
The school board wished to pay tribute to this early pioneer family by selecting its name as one of historical importance for the high school.
The Class of 1965 was Vanden's first graduating class.