Tour History & Plaque Donors

The first Historic Walking Tour of Downtown Dixon was in 1997, prepared for the City of Dixon by the Community Design & Planning Services at UC Davis with assistance from local historian, Ardeth Riedel, as part of Dixon's revitalization of its downtown. The project included a booklet with sketches of the buildings, a map and very brief write-ups of the historical sites. Another tour was created in 2007, by the Dixon Historical Society on a tri-fold paper, with printed photos of the historic buildings, a map and brief write-ups of each historic location. 15 bronze plaques were originally purchased by one, or both, of these projects and possibly by other donations of citizens in the community. However, only 2 of the original plaques were ever installed. One at Women’s Improvement Club Park and one at 100 S. 1st Street. Both projects stalled and the remaining 13 plaques were stored in various locations in town through the years, until December of 2021, when Councilman Don Hendershot, reignited the project.

He, along with Jill Orr, Angela Meisenheimer, Wendi Hendershot, Shauna Manina, and Denise McBride reconfigured the original walking tour route to follow Dixon’s historical timeline more accurately. The Dixon Public Works team removed plaque #1 from N. 1st Street, and reinstalled it at the new starting point on N. Jefferson Street. Research on current site owners and contact was made for permission to include historic properties in the tour and to affix a plaque on their property. This new volunteer committee investigated and located where the original plaques were made. Lastly, these volunteers raised the funds to cover the cost of manufacturing 19 new plaques added to the now 34 site Historic Walking Tour.

We would like to thank those responsible for the original 15 plaques, whomever they may be, as well as the following community members and businesses listed below in order of funds generously donated, to purchase the additional plaques.

BENEFACTORS:

Angela Meisenheimer

Taylor Builders

Don & Wendi Hendershot

Recology

SPONSORS:

Joseph & Vicki Azevedo

Michel Liu & Patti Sousa Liu

Dixon Firefighters' Association

Tully Consulting Group

Jill Orr

Dixon Police Officers' Association

Kay Cayler

PARTNERS:

Gary & Kathy Archer

DONORS:

Johnson Group Powered by RE/MAX Gold

Ted Jorgensen, Dixon Tire & Auto Pro

Shauna Manina

Herb & Lois Cross

Barrett-Leber Realty

Ramtown Karate

Kim Schroeder-Evans

Martha Dukes

FRIENDS:

Raffi Boloyan

Debra Dingman

Sarah Villec

Weathered Plaque #1 was removed from Women's Improvement Club Park, on N. 1st Street, cleaned up and reinstalled at the Dixon United Methodist Church on N. Jefferson Street (originally named Fitch Street)

All 34 gorgeous, bronze plaques were manufactured in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and Dixon's Public Works Department did an amazing job of installing all 34 downtown.