SUISUN CITY — Suisun City has come a long way.
This year the town, whose population is pushing 30,000, welcomed a new Walmart off Highway 12. City staff is wrapping up a deal with a local group to run the Harbor Theatre on Main Street and the historic train station opened a one-stop shop in late 2014.
Suisun City is also home to the Lawler House Gallery, a Kroc Center operated by The Salvation Army, a history museum and a bevy of live outdoor entertainment in the summer.
The city dates back to 1850 when Josiah Wing, a schooner captain, found an island in the Suisun Marsh and built a wharf and warehouse there. It soon became the major agriculture shipping point for the farms and orchards in the Suisun Valley and Green Valley areas.
A train depot was built. Suisun City was bustling with several hotels along Main Street.
Fairfield was the smaller of the two towns. That changed with World War II, the construction of what’s now Travis Air Force Base and Interstate 80. Suisun City’s growth tapered off.
Tough years followed. In the early 1980s, a survey of San Francisco Bay Area communities determined that it was the least attractive place to live in the area.
The city got a facelift. Waterfront properties were redeveloped. Apartment complexes were razed in favor of Victorian-style homes. The changes continued with the addition of a senior center, community center and library.
Suisun City had a new face. A few years ago, Sactown magazine called it “a hidden getaway.”
The Suisun City Community Services Foundation was formed to develop and fund service projects. The organization raises money in a variety of ways, including selling an annual Christmas ornament with Suisun City scenes.
The Kroc Center, which recently celebrated its third anniversary, is home to community events as well as offering a place for worship and workouts.
The Blue Devils Bingo Center moved into the Marina Center with games available every day expect Tuesday.
The city hosts many events, including Christmas on the Waterfront and Fourth of July fireworks. During the summer, there are free movies on Saturday nights and jazz concerts Sunday afternoons.
Suisun City has also become a recreation destination. Fishermen launch their boats to explore the Suisun Marsh. Paddle boarders and kayakers can be found on the water.
One of its best-kept secrets may be the Suisun Wildlife Center, which is home to a variety of wildlife. Some residents will call it home forever. Others are there with hopes of being released back into their native habitat.
The city is divided by Highway 12. The east half is largely residential and commercial. The west half is old town and the waterfront area.
The 2012 census estimated Suisun City’s population at 28,560. About 39 percent of its residents are white, 24 percent Latino, 20 percent black and 19 percent Asian. Its median household income is about $72,500.
Reach Amy Maginnis-Honey at 427-6957 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amaginnisdr.
Suisun City at a glance
- City Hall: 701 Civic Center Blvd.
- Website: www.suisun.com.
- City manager: Suzanne Bragdon. Reach at 421-7300. [email protected].
- Mayor: Pete Sanchez. Elected 2006, term expires 2018. Reach at [email protected].
- Councilwoman: Jane Day. Elected 1986, term expires 2018. Reach at [email protected].
- Councilman: Mike Hudson. Elected 2006, term expires 2018. Reach at [email protected].
- Councilman: Mike Segala. Elected 1992, term expires 2016. Reach at [email protected].
- Mayor Pro Tem: Lori Wilson. Elected 2012, term expires 2016. Reach at [email protected].
