The original owner of Park Winters was George Washington Scott, born in New York on October 19, 1828 to Daniel and Sarah (Dunlap) Scott. The 14th of 15 children, George had seven children of his own after he and his new bride, Emma, crossed the plains in 1854—a six month trip! He was one of the first American settlers in the cottonwood area (now Yolo County). He started a large grain farming and stock-raising operation and built the elegant Park Winters Mansion in 1865. George spent $18,000 of his own money to help build the train line roadbed for the Vaca Valley-Clear Lake Railroad through his area. By 1879, he owned almost 2,000 acres and half interest in another 8,000 acres. At the time of his death in 1912, he and his wife Emma were the owners of 14,000 acres. One daughter would marry into the Rice family of Dixon, and his son Clarence would continue ranching on the large family estate for many years—both have descendants who live and farm the area to this day.
