Sonoma, Sonoma County California

Sonoma, Sonoma County, PO 23 miles south east of Santa Rosa, lies in the beautiful valley of the same name, at the head of navigation on Sonoma Creek, eighteen miles from its entrance into San Pablo Bay. Light draft vessels and steamers built expressly for the trade, ply regularly between this and San Francisco. Stages also connect it with Vallejo, Napa, Petaluma and Santa Rosa, The valley is the most lovely of the many of which our state can boast, and furnishes attractive homes to a happy and prosperous people, who literally "dwell beneath their own vines and fig trees." The soil is as fertile as the climate is balmy and salubrious, and the scenery is rural and romantic. Schools, churches, and a college are maintained, and all business houses and private residences indicate high taste, refinement and comfort.

The growing of grapes and making wine is the predominating interest, and the product of the vineyards of the valley in 1874, is estimated at 1,500,000 gallons, and Sonoma wine is well known throughout the State. The Buena Vista Vinicultural Society has in the valley a vineyard of 150 acres, and manufactures large quantities of wine and brandy.

Sonoma occupies an important place in California's history, as it was here that the American residents of the Pacific Coast first assumed their rights as citizens. Having been threatened by Governor Don José Castro with expulsion from the Territory, a party numbering thirty-three men was raised in the Sacramento Valley, and, under command of Captain Merritt, marched upon Sonoma, then the most important town north of Monterey. On the 14th of June 1846, they took possession of the place and raised the "Bear Flag," which they had adopted as their emblem. A few slight engagements, in which a score or less of men were slain, and "The Bear Flag Revolution" was over in the northern section of California, This was anterior to the knowledge of the declaration of war against Mexico, and preceded by twenty-two days the hoisting of the American flag, by Commodore Sloat, at Monterey. Thus Sonoma was the first town of California in possession of the Americans.

Aguillero Camille, wine manufacturer
Alden Fruit Preserving Company, B C Brown, manager
Clark G W, shoe maker
Crosswell Rev, clergyman (Cong)
Dohrman W, liquor saloon
Duhring F & Company, general merchandise, and agents
Wells, Fargo & Company
Faure Victor, physician
Fisher & Treub, wine manufactures
Gaffney John, liquor saloon
Gibson H G, liquor saloon
Glynn M, livery stable
Goethe A, cooper
Greathouse F, liquor saloon
Green & Gaffney, hotel
Hester Martin, shoe maker
Holman Arnold, druggist
Killer Fred liquor saloon and bowling alley
Kitz Adam, wine manufacturer
Knackstadt F, barber
Lawlor James, hotel
Lind John, liquor saloon
Linehan Jeremiah, livery stable
Ludemann & Erzgraber, liquor saloon and restaurant
Lyon Robert, blacksmith
Martin James, blacksmith, and wagon maker
Maushardt & Hoelschor, wine manufacturers
McDonald A, liquor saloon
McHarvey & Hope, blacksmiths, and wagon maker
Oettl Franz, hotel
Pauli Brothers, general merchandise
Poppe J A, general merchandise
Ruffner ____, Fruits
Schmidt Robert, harness and saddlery
Schocken ____, general merchandise
Schuster Casper, carpenter
Teroni B, liquor saloon
Tivnen John, bakery and confectionery
VanGoldern Charles, physician
Waters James M, tinsmith
Webb R M, wagon maker
Wegner _____, carpenter
Weil & Leiding, wine manufacturers
Wesel John, shoe maker
Whalen Murray, attorney at law
Wilson & Cornelius, butchers
Wilson John, liquor saloon
Wiseman Dennis, livery stable
Wooster Martha E Miss, postmistress

California Gazetteer | AHGP California

Source: Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1876-78, Compiled by Henry G. Langley, San Francisco, 1875