Winters: Agricultural History and Culinary Delights

Winters lies on Putah Creek in the western Sacramento Valley near the California Coastal Range. The history of agricultural settlement, historic Main Street, and today’s garden, market, and wine offerings provide different ways to get to know the area. You can plan your stay around the topics that interest you rather than reducing Winters to a single type of excursion.

Agricultural History and Founding

Settlement in the Winters area began in 1842, when John R. Wolfskill took possession of the Mexican land grant Rancho Rio de los Putos, comprising 17,754 acres along Putah Creek. He raised livestock there and planted vegetables, fruit trees, and grapevines. These early uses bring the area’s agricultural beginnings to life. Winters was founded after the Vaca Valley Railroad agreed to designate the town as the northern terminus of its line. Agricultural settlement and the decision about this terminus are two distinct aspects of the town’s history.

Main Street, Architecture, and Museum

The Winters Main Street Historic District reflects the development and evolution of commerce, particularly in connection with agriculture, from the late 19th century until shortly after World War II. At the same time, the district preserves the scale and architectural character of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These periods have different emphases: the history of commerce extends into the postwar era, while the preserved built character mainly reflects the earlier decades. First Christian Church is an example of the Mission Revival style, which was widespread in California in the early 20th century.

The Winters Museum preserves the history of Winters and shares it through educational programs, research, oral histories, and photo and artifact exhibits. Its subject matter therefore extends beyond architecture to include personal memories and historical objects. If you’re interested in the town’s development, the museum’s different areas of focus can complement a visit to the Historic District.

Market, Garden, and Wine

The Winters Farmers Market is located in Downtown Winters at the intersection of E Main Street and Railroad Avenue. Offerings include local produce, fresh flowers, and food vendors’ stalls. The intersection is a specific landmark to help you plan a visit to the market.

Park Winters’ garden tours include a kitchen garden where organically grown produce and flowers are cultivated for farm-to-table experiences. Tour details may change, so check the latest information before making plans. Turkovich Winery offers private wine tastings and winery tours by reservation. Since reservation requirements may change, confirm the conditions in advance.

The offerings differ in focus: the Farmers Market brings together local produce and flowers with food vendors’ stalls, the garden tours focus on the kitchen garden and its products, and Turkovich centers on wine tastings and winery tours. When planning, you can choose whether to include market offerings, the garden, or a wine tasting that requires a reservation.

Bike Route, Highway, and Seasonal Events

The Davis Bike Club’s Backroads of Winters Bike Trail runs through farmland and orchards. This offers a distinct way to explore the area’s agricultural themes: the route passes through fields and orchards, while the market and kitchen garden highlight local produce and its cultivation, respectively.

Highway 128 begins in the historic agricultural town of Winters and heads west toward the coast. If you’re planning to use Winters as a starting point for a westbound coastal trip, check route conditions before setting out, as access conditions may change. The 4th Friday Kickback & Classic Car Show takes place every fourth Friday from March through October in Downtown Winters. As the seasonal schedule may change, check the event date for your travel dates.

Explore more destinations: Woodland, West Sacramento, Esparto, Rumsey, Davis.

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