NoeHill Travels in California
National Register of Historic Places in Sonoma County, California
National Register #75000489
Sonoma Plaza
Center of Sonoma
Sonoma
Built 1835 By Mexico
Sonoma Plaza
Center of Sonoma
Sonoma
Built 1835 By Mexico
The Sonoma Plaza Historic District is comprised of 80 acres containing 28 buildings and two objects of historic significance.
The National Register Statement of Significance reads:
Established June 1835 to check possible Russian expansion from Fort Ross and to control the Indians, Sonoma Pueblo was the chief military base of the Mexican Government in Alta California; Mission San Francisco Solano de Sonoma, founded 1823, is the last of the 21 California missions. On June 14, 1846, the raising of the Bear Flag in the Plaza marked the beginning of the American revolt against Mexican rule.
The eight-acre plaza itself was laid out by General Mariano Vallejo in 1835 as a parade ground for the Mexican soldiers stationed at the Sonoma Presidio. It is the largest central plaza in California, and as the site of the Bear Flag Revolt, it can reasonably claim to be the birthplace of modern California.
| Name | Year | Address | Remarks | Sort Address | Sort Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baptist Church | 1850 | First Street East | Originally located on Napa Street between 5th and 6th, the church was moved to its present site in 1868, and the Christopher Wren style steeple was added. | Street 01 E | Baptist Church |
| Batto Building and Masonic Temple | 1909 | 453-465 First Street West | The Batto Building is Classical Revival. The Masonic Temple is late Victorian. | Street 01 W 0453 | Batto Building and Masonic Temple |
| Bear Flat Flag Staff and Monument | 1913 | Plaza, Northeast Corner | The Bear Flag was raised on this spot on June 14, 1846, by the Bear Flag Party in their declaration of the freedom of California from Mexican rule. On July 9, 1846, the Bear Flag was hauled down and the American Flag was raised by Lieutenant Joseph W. Revere, U.S.N. | Plaza 05 | Bear Flat Flag Staff and Monument |
| Blue Wing Inn | 1849 | 133 East Spain Street | Spain E 0133 | Blue Wing Inn | |
| Casa Grande (Site) | Casa Grande (Site) | ||||
| Casa Grande Servants Quarters | Casa Grande Servants Quarters | ||||
| Castagnasso House | 1850 | 256 East Spain Street | This wood frame building was originally a store located on East Spain Street across from the Blue Wing Inn. In 1856, it was moved to the southwest corner of First Street East and Napa Street where it continued to be used as a store. Finally, it was moved to 256 East Spain Street for use as a residence. Later, probably in the 1880's a second story was added. | Spain E 0256 | Castagnasso House |
| Clewe Residence | 1880 | 531 Second Street East | Street 02 E 0561 | Clewe Residence | |
| Country Inn | 1896 | 110 West Spain Street | Spain W 0110 | Country Inn | |
| Duhring Residence | 1860 | 532 Second Street East | Street 02 E 0562 | Duhring Residence | |
| El Dorado Hotel | 1840 | 411-17 First Street West | Constructed as a one-story adobe in the 1840's and in 1848-49, it housed a noted hostelry. In the l860's, the second frame story was added. The building has been considerably altered. | Street 01 W 0411 | El Dorado Hotel |
| Italianate Commercial Building | Napa Street | 70 feet east of First Street East. | Napa | Italianate Commercial Building | |
| Jones Adobe | 143 West Spain Street | One-story adobe house in the Monterey Colonial style which is little altered on the exterior and is in use as a residence. | Spain W 0143 | Jones Adobe | |
| Leese - Fitch Adobe | 1841 | 487 First Street West | Two-story adobe in the Monterey Colonial style with a wooden balcony across its front. From June 1849 to October 1851, the Pacific Division Headquarters of the War Department was located in the structure. Many junior officers, later to achieve fame and advancement, were associated with the adobe during the military period; including Colonel Joseph Hooker, later known as "Fighting Joe" Hooker, Ulysses Grant, Andrew Smith, Lieutenant William T. Sherman, General Gibbs, John C. Fremont, and Kit Carson. | Street 01 W 0487 | Leese - Fitch Adobe |
| Mission Hardware | 1892 | 498 First Street East | Classical Revival brick Victorian. | Street 01 E 0498 | Mission Hardware |
| Mission San Francisco Solano de Sonoma | 1823 | 114 East Spain Street | Spain E 0114 | Mission San Francisco Solano de Sonoma | |
| Nash - Patton Adobe | 1847 | 579 First Street East | Street 01 E 0579 | Nash - Patton Adobe | |
| Poppe House | 1850 | 564 First Street East | Street 01 E 0564 | Poppe House | |
| Ray - Adler Adobe | 1848 | 114 East Spain Street | Spain E 0114 | Ray - Adler Adobe | |
| Ruggles Building | 433 First Street West | Street 01 W 0433 | Ruggles Building | ||
| Sonoma Antique Shop | 1850 | 447 First Street West | Classic revival wood frame building. | Street 01 W 0447 | Sonoma Antique Shop |
| Sonoma Barracks | 1836 | West Spain Street and First Street East | Spain W | Sonoma Barracks | |
| Sonoma City Hall | 1906 | Number 1, The Plaza | Plaza 01 | Sonoma City Hall | |
| Swiss Hotel | 1843 | 18 West Spain Street | Spain W 0018 | Swiss Hotel | |
| Taylor House | 1852 | 114 East Spain Street | Monterey Colonial style. | Spain E 0114 | Taylor House |
| Toscano Hotel | 1857 | 20 Spain Street | Hotel and Annex are behind the hotel. | Spain 0020 | Toscano Hotel |
| Vallejo Adobe | 1843 | 417 First Street West | Built by Indian labor, 1843-45, this structure was an income property of Captain Salvador Vallejo, younger brother of General Mariano G. Vallejo. | Street 01 W 0417 | Vallejo Adobe |
| Vasquez House | 1851 | 541 First Street West | In 1851, Charles Lubeck, a Swedish sea captain, imported 40 pre-fab wooden houses to California, six of which were erected in Sonoma. This house is undoubtedly one of the imported houses and has retained its original appearance. The house is typical of many of the pre-fabs imported to California in the 1848 to 1851 period. | Street 01 W 0541 | Vasquez House |