The area was well irrigated due to the efforts of James Moore, which drew people into farming as the soil was very fertile.

[12] In 1851, the year after California became a state and Yolo County was formed, "Uncle Johnny" Morris settled at what is now the corner of First and Clover Streets in Woodland.

[13] The new Yolo City might have stayed a singular store if Frank S. Freeman, the man responsible for the establishment of the post office, had not bought it and acquired 160 acres (0.65 km2) of land in 1857.

Freeman began to develop a town that he hoped would be a trading center for one of the richest crop-growing areas in America.

The county seat was permanently moved to Woodland after Washington, California (now a part of West Sacramento) flooded.

In 1869, the California Pacific Railroad Company constructed a line between Davisville (now Davis) and Marysville with a Woodland station in the area of College Street and Lincoln Avenue.

The business moved to San Francisco in 1879, supplying highly efficient pumps for ground water irrigation which transformed agriculture and industry in California.

During this time public activism helped Woodland get a library, a city park, and an improved cemetery.

For the next forty years Woodland grew slowly but steadily, based on agriculture-related businesses: three rice mills, a sugar beet refinery, and a tomato cannery were built.

[13] After President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which authorized military commanders to exclude "any or all persons" from certain areas in the name of national defense, the Western Defense Command began ordering Japanese Americans living on the West Coast to "evacuate" from the newly created military zones.

Since the late 1960s, there has been greater interest in preserving the town's historic buildings, and many have been restored as homes, offices, stores and museums.

[13] Woodland's "Stroll Through History," an annual event, began in 1989 to showcase many of the Victorian homes and other historical sites throughout the city.

[19] In 2018, thanks in part to the establishment of the new community near Pioneer High School, Spring Lake Elementary was created.

It is located just southeast of the county's geographical center, and is one of the largest cities north of Sacramento along Interstate 5 until Redding.

Interstate 5 enters the city from the east and curves northward over the remainder of Woodland, exiting northwest.

[21][22] Woodland has a Mediterranean climate with dry, hot summers and cool, relatively wet winters, as with the rest of California's Sacramento Valley.

During late fall and throughout the winter months, Woodland experiences cooler temperatures, rain from storms originating in the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Alaska, tule fog, and a few mornings of frost and freezing conditions.

The Sierra Nevada mountains, about 60 miles to the east of Woodland, receive significant amounts of snow each winter, contributing to the cool weather.

While maintaining the large role that agriculture and transportation still play in the town's activities, over the years Woodland has branched out into other sectors as well.

When the price of homes rose in California during the first half of the decade, Woodland was near the front of the wave due to many factors including proximity to Sacramento and its maintenance of a small community feeling.

Its' convenient location, as well as its strong sense of community has made Woodland a desired place to live.

Woodland's short distance from the Sacramento and San Francisco metro areas also provide businesses another reason to set up shop in town.

The Yolo County Fair is held in Woodland in the middle of August each year, running Wednesday afternoon through Sunday evening.

This event also includes other activities such as bounce houses, pony rides and games for the children; live music as well as other food and drink for the adults.

Locally called The Gibson Mansion, the house and the property depict everyday living from that era as well as changing exhibits regarding Yolo County history.

Some notable performers on its stage include John Philip Sousa and his band, Verna Felton, and Madame Helena Modjeska.

Woodland was incorporated as a general law city, governed by a five-member council, with the mayor serving as presiding officer.

They include the movies Farewell Bender, Blood Sport, Letters from a Killer,[43] and selected scenes from Three Men and a Baby.

[citation needed] Woodland is served by Yolo County Transportation District commonly termed 'YOLOBUS'.

There are many routes to and from Downtown Sacramento, Davis, Cache Creek Casino Resort, and other areas of Yolo County.