Fremont Landing, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fremont Landing
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Former settlement
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 Fremont Landing
Location in California
Fremont Landing
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Yolo County |
| Elevation | 26 ft (8 m) |
Fremont Landing was once a small town in Yolo County, California, United States. It was also known as Fremont or Fremonts. This former settlement was located right on the Sacramento River. It was about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) east-southeast of Knights Landing. The town sat at an elevation of 26 feet (8 meters) above sea level.
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History of Fremont Landing
Fremont Landing was an important place for a short time during California's early days. It was founded because of its good location on the river.
Founding the Town
A man named Jonas Spect started the settlement on March 22, 1849. He chose a spot about half a mile below where the Feather River joins the Sacramento River. Spect wanted to start a ferry service there. Mexican law at the time allowed people to claim a large area of land if they started a ferry.
Soon after, Spect hired John I. McCaughn to survey his land. The town was named after John C. Frémont. He was a famous explorer and military officer. In October 1849, about 300 people lived in the area and could vote.
A Growing Community
On April 5, 1850, Fremont Landing got its own post office. It was called the Fremont Post Office. The town also became the official county seat for Yolo County. This meant it was the main government center for the county.
Lieutenant George H. Derby wrote about Fremont in 1849. He said it had about twenty houses and one or two hundred people. He noted that it was directly across the river from another town called Vernon.
The End of Fremont Landing
However, Fremont Landing faced big challenges. Severe floods hit the area during the winters before 1850. These floods made it possible for boats to travel further upriver. This led to new towns like Marysville being founded closer to the gold mines.
Also, there were disagreements over land rights in Fremont Landing. This made people worried about the town's future. In 1851, the town of Fremonts Landing was mostly abandoned. People started moving away and even took their buildings with them!
On June 30, 1851, the town of Washington became the new county seat. Very few people stayed in Fremont Landing. By September 1855, only three voters remained. The post office closed, then reopened briefly, but finally closed for good in November 1864. By 1870, only one house was left in what used to be Fremont Landing.
