Picturesque Rio Vista was first named Los Brazos del Rio (The Arms of the River) for its proximity to the confluence of the Sacramento River, Steamboat Slough, and Cache Slough. The river was once its reason for being, and the town's huge wharf welcomed steamers like the New World and Eclipse that moved mail, freight, and passengers between Sacramento and San Francisco. The same river
rose up to destroy the town after a massive flood in 1862. Although...