The Montezuma Hills

By: Gallagher, Jolie Anderson

Sheltered between marsh and flatlands, the Montezuma Hills of Solano County are home to generations of farmers, fishermen, and folks seeking respite from cities. The community began in 1846 with a lone adobe house, built on a hillside for a future Mormon colony. The Mormons never arrived; however, many others did. Homesteaders, tradesmen, and innovators found a river of bountiful salmon, fields lush with wild oats, and opportunities to build new lives. Thriving villages sprouted along the sloughs--Collinsville, Birds Landing, and Denverton. Although these towns are nearly forgotten, the pioneers' legacy has left an enduring imprint on the land. This book honors the community, the people who settled the area, and their descendants, whose generous contribution of time, memories, and photographs has made this book possible.

Jolie Anderson Gallagher, a fourth-generation descendant of Danish immigrants, was born and raised in the Montezuma Hills. After earning a degree in English/creative writing at the University of California, Davis, she worked as a reporter for the Dixon Tribune before launching a 35-year career in technical writing. Although now retired in the Colorado mountains, Gallagher will forever be that farm girl who ran barefoot through fields of wheat.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1467163503
• ISBN13: 9781467163507
• Release Date: September 2026
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (SC)
• Length: 128 Pages