One hundred years after it was settled by the Vaca and Peña families in 1842, Vacaville"s population still numbered only 1,608 people. The population was booming by the 1960s, doubled in each of the next two decades, and was home to 96,395 people by 2006. While experiencing some growing pains, the city enjoys small-town pleasures, festivals, parades, and concerts in the park.