Instructions for the "Vallejo Historical Landmarks GeoTrail"
1. Obtain a VHLGT Passport. You can pick one up in person at either the Vallejo Visitors Bureau, 289 Mare Island Way or the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum, 734 Marin Street. Current hours of operation are listed on GC65Y05: VHLGT Trailhead.
2. When you find a VHLGT geocache, sign the log and record the code word specific for that Landmark(s) on your passport.
3. Share your experiences online when you get home. Log into your geocaching.com account and track all of the caches you’ve found. Let us know in your log if you’re a first time visitor to Vallejo.
Limited Edition Geocoin
• Find at least 16 Vallejo Historical Landmarks GeoTrail geocaches (passport with code word recorded) and receive a free Visit Vallejo geocoin. (Only one geocoin per household or team.)
To Obtain Geocoin
• After finding the caches, each team will be required to stop by either the Vallejo Visitors Bureau or the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum to have their code words verified. Coins will not be mailed. Please consider hours of operation when planning your visit.
* Geocoins are available while supplies last.
About This Architectural Historical Landmark
Founded by German immigrants Charles Widenmann and Peter Rothen- busch, the Solano Brewery was renowned for its Solano Steam Beer. By 1891 the Marin Street facility had a brewing capacity of 6,000 barrels a year and boasted its own malting house. Charles Widenmann later bought out his partner and continued operating the brewery until 1918. Among these the early breweries in Vallejo were the Solano Brewery on Marin Street, the Pioneer Brewery at the corner of Marin and Carolina Streets, and the Philadelphia Brewery in South Vallejo.
The Windemann House was built in 1868 and was owned by Charles Widenmann. This photo shows the house before the streets of Vallejo were widened and regraded to accommodate the increased use of automobiles. Notice that the fence and gate are built at the street level.
This photo shows the Widenmann home in the 1920s. In order for cars to navigate Vallejo’s steep hills the streets had to be cut down. As seen in this photograph, the entire length of Virginia Street was lowered as much as 10 feet. Widenmann, then a Vallejo city trustee, was able to negotiate the installation of the beautiful Craftsman-styled, river-rock retaining walls that you see today along the perimeter of the property. The house is still clad in horizontal siding before the installation of the shingle siding that you see today. The House to the right of the Widenmann’s Victorian-era farm house is a Classic Revival house built for their daughter, Elsa in 1912. The third house on that side of the street in the photo is the Frisbie Mansion. General John C. Frisbie was the city of Vallejo’s primary developer. Notice the line of street trees in front of his mansion. The mansion burned to the ground in 1933 but the Frisbie carriage house still stands behind the Elsa Widenmann house.
