California note
Winters began when the railroad crossed Putah Creek
Winters grew after the Vaca Valley Railroad crossed Putah Creek, shifting settlement from Buckeye into a busy farm and rail town by 1876.
Winters has a tidy downtown today, but the town began with a practical railroad shift. The earlier rural settlement was Buckeye, northeast of present-day Winters. In 1875, the Vaca Valley Railroad extended into Yolo County, with a bridge over Putah Creek and land committed for a new depot and townsite.
That new town was named for Theodore Winters, one of its founders. Buckeye was bypassed by about two miles, and some people and buildings moved into the new settlement.
The change worked quickly. By 1876, Winters had become a busy farm and commercial center, with three trains a day, new homes and businesses, and a long list of local produce: apricots, peaches, almonds, plums, pears, cherries, figs, oranges, olives, barley, wheat, and vegetables.
That history still gives Winters its feel. It is a creek town, a railroad town, a farm town, and a small downtown all at once. The Winters History Museum and the Putah Creek area help make that older pattern easier to see.
Where to see it
Downtown Winters, Putah Creek, the Winters trestle area, and the Winters History Museum.
Sources
Sources for this story
Reviewed July 2, 2026
Public sources for the places, events, and details above.
Connected places
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