This mural depicts General Mariano Vallejo and his wife, Doña Benicia, standing in front of the Capitol. This mural was installed many years after the rest of the murals and was not part of the original collection, installed in 1987-88. The original collection was funded by sponsors who paid for the tile paintings, designated the installation locations, provided the attributions and any in memoriams. This mural was part of a bequest to the city by Lee Syracuse, a retired city employee.

The ceramic artist, Guillermo Granizo studied Benicia’s history and made tile paintings that highlighted the important role that Benicia played in California’s growth. This collection of public art murals reminds us of elements and events that contributed to Benicia’s development. Granizo executed several variations on recurring themes for this collection. He included three depictions of churches, two of the Capitol, two of the train ferries, two schools, and two of boxers.

Born William Wagner, the artist had an interesting, colorful life. He took the Spanish version of his first name and identified with his mother’s maiden name. Guillermo Granizo was a wonderful artist. His illustrated autobiography gives an in-depth perspective on the influences that made him the man and artist that he was. The tile art that Granizo created for Benicia is priceless. Through his artistry, every person strolling on First Street has an encounter with history and the artist. His murals enrich all our lives. He lived and worked in Benicia and these tiles are his love letters to our town, its citizens and its history.