Buckeye, Yolo County, California facts for kids

Buckeye was once a small community in Yolo County, California. It was not a city with its own government. Instead, it was an "unincorporated community." This means it was a group of homes and businesses. Buckeye was located about 6 miles (10 km) northeast of a town called Winters. It sat at a low elevation of 118 feet (36 meters).

How Buckeye Got Its Name

Buckeye got its name from the Buckeye trees. These trees grew naturally along a nearby stream. This stream was then called Buckeye Creek.

Life in Buckeye Village

Buckeye was a community even before 1855. A church was built there on April 11, 1855. A pastor from a nearby town, Woodland, shared this news.

The local post office opened on May 17, 1855. It was named after the town. A man named JO Maxwell was the postmaster. He moved the post office to his store in 1857. His store was called Buckeye Store.

By 1870, Buckeye was a busy place. It had a meeting hall for the Masons. There was also a saloon and a hotel. The community had two stores and a blacksmith shop. A shoemaker's shop and a boarding house were also there. The Buckeye School was located on County Roads 31 and 90A. The post office was still open too.

Why Buckeye Disappeared

Buckeye thrived for many years. But then, a new railroad was built. This was the Vaca Valley and Clear Lake Railroad. It was built about 2 miles (3 km) west of Buckeye.

In 1875, the railroad reached a new townsite called Winters. This new town was established that same year. By 1877, the railroad continued north from Winters. It reached another new townsite called Madison.

Because of the railroad, people started to move. They left Buckeye for the new towns of Winters and Madison. The Buckeye post office eventually closed. Residents even took apart the church building. They divided the materials between the two new towns. By 1879, almost nothing was left of Buckeye. Only the school building remained. Two farmers also stayed behind.