Fairfield – History

Fairfield was founded by clipper-ship captain Robert Waterman, and named for his hometown of Fairfield, Connecticut.

In 1858, voters ratified a proposal to move the county seat from Benicia to Fairfield. As promised, Waterman donated 16 acres for new county buildings and in 1860 a brick county courthouse and jail were constructed. The city of Fairfield was formally incorporated in 1903 and celebrated their Centennial in 2003.

In 1942, Travis Air Force Base was built east of Fairfield providing a tremendous boost to the local economy, which continues today. Travis Air Force Base became one of the major departure points for military units heading for combat in Vietnam. The base was annexed to Fairfield on March 30, 1966.

Fairfield is the home to a diverse industrial and commercial sector, employing workers in a variety of professional fields such as manufacturing, health care, hospitality, agriculture, active military duty, and retail. Major employers include Travis Air Force Base, County of Solano, Solano Town Center, Anheuser-Busch Brewery, and Jelly Belly Candy Company.