National Register of Historic Places in Sonoma County
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1 October 2004
(Click Photo to Zoom)
Running Fence
September 10, 1976
On September 11, 2001, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Sonoma selected this site to commemorate the contributions of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Their vision, dedication and perseverance made the Running Fence possible. This art project consisted of: 42 months of collaborative efforts with ranch property owner participation, 18 public hearings, 3 sessions of Superior Court, an environmental impact report and the temporary use of the hills, sky, and ocean.
Rising from the Pacific Ocean south of Bodega Bay the 18 foot high 24.5 mile long Running Fence ran west to east following the rolling hills of Marin and Sonoma counties to the Cotati ridge.
Watson School
5000 Bodega Highway
Bodega
Built 1856
Watson School was built in 1856 and was used as a schoolhouse for over a century.
The Greek Revival building is typical of early California one-room schoolhouses: bell tower, double doors, balloon framing finished with shiplap redwood siding. The interior floor slopes down to a teacher's platform in front of the original slate blackboard.
Altaville (Calaveras County)
Bridgeport (Mono County)
Cañon (Yolo County)
Centerville (Butte County)
Con Creek (Mendocino County)
Dixie (Marin County)
Douglas Flat (Calaveras County)
Goodyears Bar Schoolhouse (Sierra County)
Grizzly Bluff (Humboldt County)
Jess Valley (Modoc County)
King City (Monterey County)
La Grange (Stanislaus County)
Lagunita (Salinas)
Lee Vining (Mono County)
Manchester (Mendocino County)
Murphys (Calaveras County)
North Bloomfield (Nevada County)
Old Jacoby Creek (Humboldt County)
Old North San Juan (Nevada County)
Old Webster (Alpine County)
Oleta (Amador County)
Sutter Creek (Amador County)
Washington (Nevada County)
Watson (Sonoma County)
Yount School (Napa County)
An interpretive marker in Watson School Historic Park commemorates Running Fence, an installation art work by the French artists, Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
The fence was completed on September 10, 1976, and removed fouteen days later, leaving no visible trace. It was 24.5 miles in length and eighteen feet in height. It contained 2,050 panels of white nylon fabric hung from steel cables by means of 350,000 hooks. The cables were supported by 2,050 steel poles stuck into the ground and braced by steel guy wires anchored to the earth.
The fence crossed fourteen roads and fifty-nine private ranches.
Adapted from Wikipedia.