The Nut Tree

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The Nut Tree was a roadside stop that operated from 1921 to 1996 in Vacaville, California on old U.S. Highway 40, between the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento. It was created by Helen and Ed "Bunny" Power as a small roadside fruit stand, and built near the site of Helen's childhood home (dating from 1907), which she and her husband purchased from her parents not long after their 1921 marriage.

The Nut Tree grew as Highway 40 became Interstate 80. At its peak, it contained a restaurant, an outdoor eatery, a bakery, a gift shop, a toy shop, a small gas-powered train which offered rides, and an airport (still in operation [1]). It was a welcome rest stop on the road between Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. It welcomed several celebrities, including Ronald Reagan when he became California governor in 1967, Queen Elizabeth II, Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby, among others. [2]

For several years during October the Nut Tree was home to the Pumpkin Patch. Pumpkin Patch attractions included a scarecrow contest, a display of giant pumpkins and pumpkin carving contests. Throughout the year, kids also enjoyed giant cookies, the "Hobby Horse" rocking horses and riding the train.

The Nut Tree Restaurant was an early pioneer of California cuisine, with fresh fruits and vegetables featured in the recipes. By 1978, it was identified as "the region's most characteristic and influential restaurant."^[1] It also featured small loaves of wheat and rye bread, cooked fresh each day on the premises. A notable feature of the restaurant was its large indoor birdcage, which had glass walls extending from floor to ceiling. Nut Tree knives and cutting boards, as well as books on aviation, were sold in the gift shop. A recipe book was printed by the Vacaville Museum in 1997.

The Nut Tree ceased operations in 1996 due to financial issues brought about by increased competition and changing tastes. [3] The main Nut Tree buildings were torn down in the fall of 2003. The Coffee Tree restaurant across the I-80 freeway, another part of the original Nut Tree holdings, was demolished late 2005. The old original Harbison house was donated to the Vacaville Museum in 1998 and is now being restored in a new location 1000 feet from the original site [4].

A new Nut Tree has recently opened as a mixed use development on the original site. New shops and perhaps even condominiums and a hotel are among the things being considered. The July-August 2006 issue of AAA magazine, as well as the Vacaville Conference & Visitors Bureau website, state that it will reopen late in the summer of 2006 (around Labor Day) and the "Hobby Horses" and railroad will return. Some retailers are already open for business as of September 2006, such as Best Buy, Sport Chalet and BevMo!. The restored Harbison house (which the Nut Tree had open for public tours during its final years of operation) will be a major centerpiece of the development.