Vella Cheese Factory
AKA Sonoma Brewing Company
315 2nd Street East
Sonoma
Built 1904

Vella Cheese Factory

This stone building, having withstood a fire and numerous earthquakes, was originally constructed in 1904 to house a brewery.

During “Prohibition”, in 1931, Gaetano “Tom” Vella and his wife, Zolita, Clerici Vella converted the building’s use to the making of cheese.

Still under the Vella family ownership, not much has changed since 1931, the cultures, the care, and the personal hands-on-techniques, are still a part of their making quality cheese. Award-winning cheeses have been produced here since 1969.

Dedicated June 9, 2002 By Native Sons of the Golden West Robert M. Rogers, Grand President.

Sonoma Brewing Company

The Sonoma Brewing Co., established under the leadership of John Steiner was promoted in the pages of the Sonoma Index-Tribune by its publisher Harry N. Granice, a major stock holder in the brewery. The brewery, which had one of the best equipped brewing and ice plants in this section of the state, manufactured steam beer and ice in addition to having cold storage and creamery operations. It flourished for several years until outside competition (Grace Bros. Brewing Co.), legal battles, and the specter of Prohibition plunged the ambitious venture into financial ruin.

Dedicated August 15 1981
Sam Brannan Chapter No. 1004
E Clampus Vitus

Wine Country Stonemasons

Italian stonemasons immigrated to Sonoma and Napa counties at the beginning of the 20th century to escape political unrest. Peter Maroni, Natale Forni, Massimo Galeazzi, Angelo Sodini, and others had acquired the skill of cutting hard stone in the quarries of Northern Italy. Stone was quarried in Santa Rosa and Kenwood, dropped from bunkers into horse-driven wagons, and conveyed to building sites where stone was finish cut and set in place. (Source: NRHP nomination form for Railroad Square Historic District in Santa Rosa.)

Many of their structures survived earthquakes, floods and urban renewal and are here today: