Solvang, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Solvang, California
City
Top: Tivoli Square, Petersen Village Inn; middle: Mission Santa Inés; bottom: Solvang windmill, Bethania Church
Flag
Nickname(s):  Danish Capital of America
Location in Santa Barbara County and the state of California
Solvang, California Location in southern California Show map of southern California Solvang, California Location in California Show map of California Solvang, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Santa Barbara
Incorporated	May 1, 1985
Area
• Total	2.43 sq mi (6.28 km2)
• Land	2.42 sq mi (6.28 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0.05%
Elevation	505 ft (154 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,126
• Density	2,521/sq mi (975.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−08:00 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−07:00 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	93463-93464
Area code	805
FIPS code	06-72576
GNIS feature IDs	1661468, 2411925

Solvang is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Its name means "sunny field" in Danish. The city is located in the Santa Ynez Valley. In 2020, about 6,126 people lived there.

Solvang was started in 1911 and became an official city on May 1, 1985. It is often called "The Danish Capital of America" because of its unique history and architecture.

In 1804, the Spanish founded Mission Santa Inés in the area. Later, in 1911, a group of Danish Americans bought land here. They wanted to create a Danish community far from the cold winters of the Midwest. Starting in 1947, buildings in Solvang began to look like traditional Danish architecture. This made the city a popular place for tourists to visit. Even Danish royalty, like Prince Henrik, have visited Solvang.

History of Solvang

Early Beginnings in the Santa Ynez Valley

Mission Santa Inés in Solvang

The Santa Ynez Valley, where Solvang is located, was first home to the Chumash people. They were known for being clever and hardworking. They were good at fishing and hunting.

Spanish missionaries expanded their mission system in California. Father Estévan Tapís founded Mission Santa Inés in 1804. This mission helped reduce crowding at other missions. It also served as a way to connect with the Chumash people living east of the mountains.

After Mexico gained independence from Spain, new laws were passed. These laws took away mission lands and gave them to local ranchers. Solvang was later founded on one of these lands, called Rancho San Carlos de Jonata. The mission and the Chumash population in the area began to decline. The mission was later repaired and renovated.

Danish Settlers Arrive

In 1910, a group of Danish-Americans formed a company in San Francisco. They were looking for a good place to start a Danish community. In 1911, they found suitable land in the Santa Ynez Valley. They bought almost 9,000 acres (3,600 hectares) of the Rancho San Carlos de Jonata land. They paid about $40 for each acre.

A hotel was built near the Mission to house new arrivals. A school also opened in 1911 with 21 students.

Growing the Community

Tivoli Square, Solvang

Main Street, Solvang. Alisal Road

In 1912, it became harder to sell land plots in Solvang. So, developers traveled to Iowa and Nebraska. They encouraged Danish immigrants there to buy land in the new town. This brought many new settlers to Solvang. The early settlement soon had a store, a bank, a lumber yard, a barbershop, and a post office.

Atterdag College: A Danish School

In 1914, Atterdag College opened. It was named after Valdemar IV of Denmark, a Danish king. The school taught Danish-speaking students, mostly teenagers. Their lessons included lectures, singing, gymnastics, folk dancing, and building community.

During World War I, fewer Danish immigrants came to the U.S. This caused the school's enrollment to drop. The school was sold to the Solvang Lutheran church in 1921. Atterdag College continued to be used for community events. It was a folk school, meeting hall, and even a summer school. The building was taken down in 1970 and replaced by the Solvang Lutheran Home.

Bethania Lutheran Church

Bethania Lutheran Church

The Bethania Evangelical Lutheran Church opened in 1928. It was designed to look like a Gothic-style Danish church from the 14th century. At first, most services were in Danish. Today, they are mainly in English.

Danish-Style Buildings in Solvang

At first, Solvang's buildings looked like other buildings in the area. The Lutheran church was one of the first to use Danish architecture. After World War II, people became more interested in creating a "Danish Village."

Ferdinand Sorensen, who was from Nebraska, helped start the Danish Provincial style. After visiting Denmark in the 1940s, he built his Danish-style home, Møllebakken. He then built the first of the town's four windmills. Later, a local architect named Earl Petersen updated older buildings. He added facades (fronts) in the "Danish Provincial" style. Many buildings started to look like Danish rural houses with half-timbered designs. This made the town a new tourist attraction.

Some people from Scandinavia have pointed out that some features, like fake thatched roofs, are not truly Danish. They were added to make the town look more "Danish" for tourists. Older buildings were simply restyled, even if they weren't Danish originally.

Solvang's Growth and Tourism

In the 1920s, more non-Danish people moved to Solvang. Businesses and churches began to offer services in English. By the 1930s, Solvang became the biggest town in the Santa Ynez Valley. It was a center for local businesses.

By the late 1940s, Solvang's growth slowed down. The town mainly focused on farming. Younger people started leaving to find other jobs. In 1947, an article called "Little Denmark" appeared in The Saturday Evening Post. It praised Solvang's charming, rural feel. This article led to a big increase in tourism. People from Los Angeles and San Francisco started taking weekend trips to Solvang.

Solvang then developed a tourism industry that highlighted its Danish heritage. The 2004 movie Sideways also brought attention to the vineyards in the surrounding Santa Ynez Valley. This led to more wine-tasting rooms opening in Solvang. Restaurants also began to focus on local foods, making Solvang a popular food destination.

Geography and Climate

Where is Solvang Located?

Solvang is in the Santa Ynez Valley. It is about 46 miles (74 km) northwest of Santa Barbara. It is also about 15 miles (24 km) north of the Pacific coast. The city covers about 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) of land.

Solvang's Weather

Solvang has sunny weather all year. Days are usually clear and warm, and nights are cool. Temperatures usually range between 52°F (11°C) and 72°F (22°C). Highs can reach the lower 90s°F (lower 30s°C). Winter lows can drop to the upper 30s°F (below 5°C).

Solvang also has big temperature changes between day and night. Especially in summer, the daily temperature can change by almost 40°F (22°C). The average yearly rainfall for Solvang is about 19.31 inches (490 mm).

Solvang is about 140 miles (225 km) northwest of Los Angeles.

Population and People

How Many People Live in Solvang?

The 2010 United States Census counted 5,245 people living in Solvang. Most residents, about 82.5%, were White. About 29.2% of residents were Hispanic or Latino.

In 2010, about 20.9% of the population was under 18 years old. About 20.9% of residents were 65 years or older. The average age in Solvang was 45 years.

In 2000, there were 5,332 people living in the city. The average household had 2.37 people. About 21.9% of the population was under 18. About 22.9% were 65 or older. The average age was 43 years.

Economy

Top Employers in Solvang

Here are the top employers in Solvang, based on a 2020 report:

Arts and Culture

Tourism in Solvang

Solvang is a popular place for tourists, with over a million visitors each year. People first started coming to Solvang after Denmark's Prince Frederik visited in 1939. Even more tourists arrived after a 1947 article in The Saturday Evening Post.

Visitors enjoy seeing the Danish windmills and statues. There are statues of Hans Christian Andersen and a copy of The Little Mermaid. You can also see half-timbered houses and a Danish rural church. The Round Tower is another famous sight.

Many restaurants and bakeries serve Danish foods. A horse-drawn streetcar, called Hønen ("the hen"), offers tours of downtown Solvang. The 2004 movie Sideways, which was filmed nearby, also made Solvang's wine businesses more popular.

Museums to Explore

• The Elverhøj Museum helps keep Solvang's Danish heritage alive. It is in the former home of artist Viggo Brandt-Erichsen. The building looks like an 18th-century farmhouse from northern Jutland, Denmark. The museum opened in 1988. It has a small model village showing Solvang in the 1920s.
• The Hans Christian Andersen Museum is above The Book Loft. It teaches about the life and stories of the famous author. You can see models of Andersen's childhood home and scenes from his fairy tales. The museum also has many of his books, including old first editions.
• The Vintage Motorcycle Museum shows off motorcycles from Virgil Elings' private collection. He was a motocross and road racer. The museum has many different bikes, from 1910 to today.

Danish Days Celebration

Imitation Danish costumes on sale in Solvang

Since 1936, Solvang has celebrated its Danish roots with "Danish Days." This yearly event features a "Danish Maid" who leads the fun. There are æbleskiver (Danish pancake balls) eating contests, music, dancing, and parades. The parades include floats, marching groups, bands, and folk dancers. A Danish Days breakfast on Sunday morning serves medisterpølser (a Danish sausage) and æbleskiver.

Festival Theater

The Festival Theater is an outdoor theater with 700 seats. It was built in 1974 after a successful play of Hamlet in the town park. Local businesses and architects helped build it quickly. Recent shows have included West Side Story and Les Misérables. The theater's outside design looks like both Danish and Elizabethan buildings.

Royal Visits to Solvang

On April 7, 1939, Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Ingrid of Denmark visited Solvang. At that time, many of the town's 400 residents were Danish immigrants. They visited Atterdag College and attended a church service. The Crown Prince said he loved finding Danish traditions in California.

On June 5, 1960, Princess Margrethe of Denmark also visited. She returned on May 23, 1976, as Queen of Denmark, with her husband, Prince Henrik. They visited the church and greeted residents. After her visit, the Queen honored Solvang developer Ferdinand Sorensen.

In 2011, during Solvang's 100th birthday celebrations, the city was visited by Friis Arne Petersen, the Danish ambassador to the United States, and by Prince Henrik of Denmark.

Parks and Recreation

Bicycling in Solvang

Solvang is a popular place for people who love to bicycle. The area has been a race location for the Tour of California. The countryside around Solvang has different types of terrain, which is great for training. Two yearly amateur bicycling events happen in Solvang: the Solvang Century in March and the Solvang Prelude in November.

The Tour of California bike race has held time trial stages in Solvang four times: in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011.

Media and Filming

Movies Filmed in Solvang

Several movies have been filmed in Solvang:

• The William Castle film Homicidal (1961) used Solvang as one of its locations.
• Parts of the horror movie The Unseen (1980) were filmed in Solvang.
• Much of the Oscar-winning film Sideways (2004) was filmed in Solvang and nearby Buellton.
• The Netflix film Paddleton (2019) mostly takes place in Solvang.
• The Lifetime movie A Very Charming Christmas Town (2020) was filmed almost entirely in Solvang.

Transportation

Getting Around Solvang

State Route 246 runs through Solvang as Mission Drive. It connects to Buellton and U.S. Route 101 to the west. To the east, it connects to Santa Ynez and Highway 154.

Most visitors come to Solvang by car. However, there are also bus connections for those arriving by train in Santa Barbara. The Santa Ynez Valley Transit bus connects Solvang with Buellton, Santa Ynez, and Los Olivos. The Clean Air Express also connects Solvang and Buellton to Goleta and Santa Barbara.

The nearby Santa Ynez Airport is for smaller, private planes.

Notable People

• Greta Andersen, a Danish-American swimmer, lived in Solvang.
• Kenny Baker, a singer and actor, lived and passed away in Solvang.
• Al Gionfriddo, a baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, lived and passed away in Solvang.
• Patricia Hitchcock, an actress and daughter of film director Alfred Hitchcock, lived in Solvang.
• The ska-punk band Mad Caddies is from Solvang.
• Beach volleyball Olympic gold medalist Todd Rogers lives in Solvang.
• Professional cyclist Alison Tetrick was born in Solvang.
• Stephanie Zimbalist, an actress, lives part-time in the valley.

Sister City

Solvang has a sister city in Denmark:

•  Denmark, Aalborg, since 1971.

See also

In Spanish: Solvang para niños