Reading Historic Landscapes: Processes Appropriate to Read the Landscapes of the First Euro-American Settlers of Yolo County, California, 1840-1880

William Cronon, a professor of history, geography, and environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin, once spoke about his belief that history is not the past; but it is the stories we tell about the past. Many historic items and elements disappear with time. One of the ways people perpetuate history is through stories. However, facts can be elusive in stories; so the more that is known about the history, the more accurate the story. As well, stories told over time tend to lose details. Recording the pieces of history helps to maintain the credibility of the subject and prevent memories from altering the information. To record accurately, there are certain processes involved. This dissertation seeks to understand those important steps and put some of the pieces together for Yolo County's historic landscapes of 1840-1880. There are many questions, which spawn other questions; but there are not as many answers, and never will be. Not everything can be read or told of these historic landscapes. Knowing what questions to ask and practices to take will help in reading and understanding what is there and what it was like long before this time.;In reading the landscapes of the first Euro-American Settlers of Yolo County there are several areas of study that are important to include. This research focuses on four of those: geography, architecture, landscapes and plants, and historic preservation. At the center of these areas is landscape; without it, there is no geography. Architecture depends on the land for structure. Landscapes are looked at in the cultural sense where they have been touched by human hands. All plants have a connection to the land. This research is not intended to be conclusive, but informative. The research does not include areas such as archaeology, nor are personal accountings of the time examined. Since certain questions can only be answered by those who settled the land, reliance on some collected stories was necessary. Yolo County was chosen as the research site because of the remarkable number of existing historic places and the great effort by many within the County to tell their history. These stories were found to be fairly credible since many descendents are still living on the family landscapes.;On completion of this study it was found that research can only take one so far into the past. The element of human experience and life within this time period cannot be experienced, nor even fully understood. The geography and the landscape have changed little in some respects and remarkably in others, particularly in the cultural sense. That so much of the architecture still survives and is used is amazing; and the fact that the communities within the County continue to embrace this part of their history is promising for future preservation. The importance of archaeology in reading the landscapes cannot be understated. It is a tool that can open the landscapes to much more vivid understanding. But there is still that human element that ultimately controls what is accessible, what is accomplished, and what is understood.