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| Davis was originally the site of a Southern Pacific Railroad depot and early residents called it "Davisville," named after a prominent local farmer. The University of California decided to make Davis the site of a new campus in 1908 and Davis remains the largest UC school in geographical size. The city was incorporated in 1917.
Davis's roots in agriculture continue today. Agriculture programs at the university are famous, as are the related veterinary medicine and viticulture programs. UC Davis's mascot is the Aggie and a friendly, black and white cow has been a town icon for decades. |
| Davis has a relatively moderate climate; its almost a milder version of a desert climate, moderated by the Sacramento Delta. Spring and summer are warm and dry, with temperatures in the middle of the summer occasionally lingering in the 100s. The fall and winter months are mild and wet. Sometimes it'll frost overnight but that's as cold as it gets. Davis has seen snow two or three times in the last half-century. |
| Davis is in California's "Central Valley" and the land it predictably flat. Although it is in what's called northern California, or "Nor-Cal," it is actually in the middle of the state's north-south axis. Davis lies on Interstate-80, about 64 miles east of San Francisco and 11 miles west of Sacramento. Woodland lies to the north on the 113 freeway. |
| Between students, faculty and staff, Davis's economy is built on the university. Citizens have worked hard to preserve a small, independent downtown full of local businesses and it remains vibrant. The median income is $42,000. |
| Davis is run by a mayor and city council. Davis residents tend to be very involved in local politics and there is almost always some issue firing up the citizenry. Davis is run by an eight-member city council including mayor Ruth Asmundson. |
| As small as it is, Davis has made some serious contributions to art. The sculpture program at UC Davis is world-renowned, thanks to its progenitor, Robert Arneson. His sculpture "California Artist" currently resides in the San Francisco MOMA. Cartoonist R. Crumb also made Davis his home for a while. For music fans, the group Blackalicious and critics' favorite and innovator DJ Shadow both started in Davis. The John Natsoulas Gallery is the place to see local contemporary art. |
| Davis society tends to be young, educated and liberal. Aside from the itinerant students, many residents are long-time locals. People tend to be very friendly but you might get a disapproving look for smoking in crowded community space or littering. |
| Davis is a very tolerant city. There are temples, churches of every denomination, and mosques. |
| English is the primary language. You might be able to distinguish a "Nor-Cal" lexicon amongst the studens, peppered with the ubiquitous "hella." |
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