It was located on the Sacramento River 5.5 miles (8.9 km) east-southeast of Knights Landing,[2] at an elevation of 26 feet (8 m).

Mexican law entitled people to a three league town if they would start a ferry service, which Spect then began.

He hired John I. McCaughn to survey his three league town soon after he started his ferry business.

These floods allowed for travel upriver and led to the founding of Marysville, closer to the mines.

A legal battle for land rights between Spect and James Madison Harbin didn't help assuage fears of the townspeople.