Sunny and a little breezy as I head off to the laundry. Ken went to check out the trail down by the creek and I took a chair and sat in the sun and read. Ken got back just in time to canvas the neighbors to buy some quaeters from. You can't believe how important quarters are on the road! They were more than happy to help out... that's how RVers are.
We spent some more time just relaxing and I finally finished the book I've been reading since last summer! Now we're restless so we hopped in the car and took a ride up to the Monticello Dam which sits above the RV park. The lake is beautiful but it has an unusual history.
Monticello was a town erected within Rancho Las Putas, a Mexican land grant of 35,516 acres in 1843 given to the Berreyesa family. The grant was enclosed in a river valley with Putah Creek running through it. By 1853, the Berreyesa’s had sold minor parcels of Rancho Las Putas, to pay gambling debts. Soon sections of the family’s holdings were auctioned off.
In 1866, the developers holding the majority of land in the valley divided Rancho Las Putas into smaller parcels to sell to farmers, and a town called Monticello was born. Within a year, the valley was filled with farmers who enjoyed mild winters and bountiful harvests, especially of wheat.
Four years later Monticello contained a cemetery, a general store, blacksmith shops, hotels and various other businesses. A former toll road through the valley was opened to become a public road. The town continued to grow after a large oil strike was found.
In 1906, proposals were made to dam Putah Creek to form a reservoir, but no proposal was acted upon until 1947. The Solano County and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation together formed the Solano Project, a combination of water plans which included the Monticello Dam. Residents of Monticello protested, but the California Governor and Solano County promoted the dam as necessary for the economic and agricultural growth of the surrounding area. Residents started leaving the valley to find homes elsewhere.
Construction of the dam began in 1953. Vegetation in the valley was chopped down, fences torn down and buildings demolished down to their foundations. Monticello Dam was completed in 1957, Lake Berryessa was formed, and the site of the settlement of Monticello lies beneath it.
Back at camp we got ready for the St Paddy's Day Dinner. We sat with Joe and Lela, who we met at Bingo the night before. Dinner was great with Corned Beef and all the fixins. At 7pm the Rubber Band Band played. They had a good mix of music and did some really nice Blues.
It was a fun night and we really enjoyed our stay at Canyon Creek.
Pictures: Lake Berryessa, View of campground from dam
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