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DAVIS HISTORY

Why Davis was once called Davisville

The railroad settlement that grew here in 1868 was known as Davisville, a name tied to rancher Jerome C. Davis and the Davis ranch.

The name came from the Davis ranch. Jerome and Mary Davis owned a large ranch covering land that later became much of the city. After the California Pacific Railroad established Davis Junction in 1868, the growing settlement became known as Davisville. The shorter name Davis was in use by 1907.

1860sThe California Pacific Railroad acquires a large portion of the Davis ranch.
1868Davis Junction begins operating and the settlement grows around the railroad.
1907The town name is shortened from Davisville to Davis.
Period1860s–1907
EvidenceDocumented
Last checked2026-08-18
SourceCity of Davis — History & Symbols
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Jerome and Mary Davis and the ranch behind the city nameJerome and Mary Davis owned a ranch that once covered roughly 12,000 acres; the city’s name derives from that ranch.When Davis was founded — and when it became a cityDavis traces its town origins to the railroad junction established in 1868, but it did not incorporate as a city until 1917.Why the Davis train depot matters to the town’s historyThe railroad created the conditions for Davisville to grow; today’s Mission Revival depot replaced an earlier station in 1913.Davis before Davis: Patwin homelandFor thousands of years before the town of Davis existed, this land was and remains part of the traditional homeland of Patwin people.How the University Farm became UC DavisThe Davis campus began as the University Farm, created by state legislation in 1905, with land acquired near Davisville in 1906 and instruction beginning in 1908.Why the City of Davis uses a highwheel bicycleThe highwheel grew from a 1968 centennial-book image into a civic symbol; the City adopted a new bicycle-based logo in 1981.