Sonoma Plaza
The Mission San Francisco Solano de Sonoma
was founded on July 4, 1823 under the direction of Padre
José Altimira of Spain. It is the last and northernmost
of the 21 Franciscan missions along the California Coast.
The local native tribes were the Miwok, Wintun and Wappo.
The mission natives were called neophytes, or "mission
indians". Many hailed from tribes outside Sonoma. When
Altimira's neophytes rebelled and burned the new mission's
wooden buildings during an uprising, he became discouraged
and returned to Spain. Fr. Buenaventura Fortuny from Mission
San Jose replaced Altimira and the building of the mission
was completed. By 1832 it had 27 rooms in the priest's quarters,
a great adobe church at the east end, and a wooden storehouse
at the west end. In the courtyard were workshops where the
local natives learned craftsmen's and farming skills. There
were also orchards, gardens, vineyards, fields of grain,
a gristmill, housing for the soldiers, the natives, and
their families, a jail, a cemetery and an infirmary.
In 1834, the Mexican Congress decided
to halt the mission projects and Mission San Francisco Solano
under orders from M. G. Vallejo, became a parish church
serving Sonoma Valley until it was sold in 1881. The church
and padres' quarters were then used as a hay barn, winery
and blacksmith shop. In 1903 the Historic Landmarks League
purchased the mission. Full restoration began in 1911.
Sonoma Plaza
General M. G. Vallejo built the Sonoma Barracks in 1836
to house Mexican soldiers. Actual construction of the adobe
barracks building most likely took place in stages, but
was more or less completed in 1841.
Over one hundred military expeditions were launched from
Sonoma to subdue the Wappos, Cainameros, or Satisyomis natives
who attempted to throw off Mexican domination of the Sonoma
area.
In 1846 the Sonoma Barracks became the
headquarters of the Bear Flag Party, which in June 1846
proclaimed a 'California Republic' and raised the Bear Flag
in revolt.
Today you can visit the Barracks dormitory
which is furnished as it would have been in the 1840's.
It's right across the street from the Mission on the northeast
corner of the plaza.
Sonoma Plaza
On the north side of the Plaza, next to
the Sonoma Barracks, is the Toscano Hotel. Built in the
1850s, it was first home to a retail store and rental library.
Later the building was used as an inexpensive hotel, dubbed
the "Eureka Hotel".
Around 1890, many patrons were Italian immigrants, and the
name of the hotel changed from the "Eureka" to
the "Toscano." Today, the Toscano is furnished
with period furniture and looks much the way it did around
the turn of the century. The kitchen and dining room are
located in a separate building behind the main hotel. Both
are open to the public and hosted by docents in period costume.
Sonoma Plaza
In the middle of the block on First Street West, next to
the Salvador Vallejo Adobe is General Vallejo's first home,
La Casa Grande. Construction began around 1836 and completed
in 1840. Eleven Vallejo children were born in the house.
Over the years, La Casa Grande's constant stream of distinguished
visitors made it the center of social and political life
north of San Francisco Bay.
After the Bear Flag revolt, the ground
floor of La Casa Grande was used as a retail store, city
council chamber, and other purposes until 1854 when the
entire house was turned over to the Reverend John L. Ver
Mehr for use as a girls' school. The main wing of the house
was destroyed by fire on February 12, 1867, leaving only
the low two-story servants' wing which is still standing
today.
Home of the Sonoma Valley Historical Society
Open 1-4:30 PM Wednesday through Sunday
270 1st Street West
Sonoma
(707)-938-1762
depot@vom.com
 Since
1937 the Sonoma Historical Society has preserved and disbursed
local Sonoma and California historical information and heritage
through exhibits, books, pictures, and knowledgeable volunteers
and docents. The museum is located in the old train depot,
a bustling center of Sonoma in times gone by.
DIRECTIONS: Travel time: 3 minutes.
From the north side of the plaza, on the left side of the
Toscano Hotel, walk through the courtyard to the back parking
lot. At the far end of the parking lot is Depot Park.
West Spain Street at 3rd Street West
Sonoma
The last home of General Mariano Guadalupe
Vallejo, Sonoma's founder, is Lachryma Montis. In the midst
of the sixty acre estate was a beautiful spring that the
local Native Americans had called Chiucuyem ("crying
mountain"). Vallejo translated the name into Latin,
"Lachryma Montis" ("mountain tear").
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