Sonoma County
History
CLOVERDALE.
Far up the valley, where the hills draw together, with Russian river flowing between, is snugly nestled the town of Cloverdale. It is a few miles south of the northern boundary of the county. North of Cloverdale for one hundred miles on the waters of Russian river and its tributaries, there are a series of small, beautiful and fertile valleys, separated by spurs from the main range, which extend as bluffs to the river, and link the valleys as a chain. The hills back of the river are in the main bare of trees, and produce an abundant grass crop, upon which thousands of sheep are kept. These hills and valleys form a portion of the back-country of Cloverdale. The Indians remained long about the mouth of Sulphur creek, and up that stream as far as the Geysers, receding only when the ever-increasing pressure of the white race forced them back.
In 1856 R. Markle and a man named Miller purchased eight hundred and fifty acres of land, which included the present site of the town of Cloverdale. The first merchant north of Geyserville was a man named Levi Rosenburg. He had a store on the east side of the river, near the mouth of Sulphur creek. In 1857 J. H. Hartman and F. G. Hahman, pioneer merchants of Santa Rosa, conceived the idea of opening a trading-post at Markle's place, which was on the main highway to Ukiah and Humboldt, if a pack-trail can be properly termed a "highway." The store was opened under the firm-name of Hartman & Hahman, and about the same time Markle opened a tavern for the accommodation of travelers and pack-trains. Thus originated the town of Cloverdale. It was situated in a beautiful semi-circular valley, covered with clover, and Mr. Hartman gave it the appropriate name of Cloverdale, which it fortunately yet retains. Mrs. Markle was the first woman who settled in the new town, or rather, who settled there before there was a town. She is said, by those who knew her, to have been remarkably pretty--a peculiarity for which her successors of the fairer sex in Cloverdale are still noted.
In 1859 J. A. Kleiser purchased the interest of R. B. Markle in the land, and the town was laid off. Hartman & Hahman sold out to Levi & Co. Others came in, but the town grew slowly. It slept, as it were, in its cradle for a decade, when one day it was awakened by the scream of the iron-horse, which halted on its threshold. Lots went up, and expectations (not to be gratified in the near future) led to over-speculation in town lots and land; a re-action set in, from which the place has recently recovered, and it has commenced a steady and healthy growth. Cloverdale is a center from which stage-roads branch out in many directions: first, the principal (and easiest) route to the Geyser springs starts from Cloverdale; these springs are but sixteen miles distant from the town. There is also a daily stage line to Lakeport, and from there to the celebrated Bartlett springs, and a daily line of stages to Ukiah--and, through Anderson valley, to the Navarra ridge, in Mendocino county--both of which lead through a rich and soon to be thickly-settled country. From Cloverdale to San Francisco the distance is about eighty-five miles. Trains of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad leave Cloverdale twice every day for the city, and return there at 12 M. and 8 P.M. every day.
Russian River valley, in the neighborhood of Cloverdale, can nowhere be surpassed for beauty and salubrity of climate. Its soil is fertile, and the river bottom lands are well adapted to the growth of hops. The hill land in this section of the county is well suited to grape-culture. Here is combined that geniality of soil and climate essential for the production of a light and highly-flavored wine.
In the town there are about a dozen stores, two good hotels, and the usual number of other business places. The public-school building is well constructed, and presents, with its shade of native oaks, a very attractive appearance. There is a Congregational church, of which J. W. Atherton is pastor, and a Methodist Church South, W. P. Andrews, pastor. There is an I.O.O.F. and a Masonic lodge, and a Grange, which hold regular meetings.
The Cloverdale water works supply the town with water for all demands, with sufficient head to be effective in case of fire. There are a number of very neat residences in the town, more in proportion than in most places of no greater population. Among the best are the houses of I. E. Shaw, H. Kier, J. F. Hoadley, and the pioneer, J. A. Kleiser. The town has a thrifty and healthy look. It boasts of one newspaper, an excellent local journal. The population is about seven hundred.
The town was incorporated by special act of the legislature of 1875-6. Following is a list of the city and township officers: J. A. Kleiser, G. V. Davis, John Fields, M. W. King, John Dixon, trustees; D. B. Morgan, clerk and recorder; W. J. McCracken, marshall; D. C. Brush and D. B. Morgan, justices of the peace, and J. Shores, constable.
In the spring of 1872 W. J. Bowman started the Cloverdale Review, the first paper in that town. After a few issues he abandoned the enterprise. Soon after, J. B. Baccus commenced the publication of the Cloverdale Bee, which he continued for about six months, and then removed the material of the paper to Lakeport, and commenced the publication of the Lakeport Bee, an excellent journal, which still continues.
In November, 1876, the Cloverdale News was started by W. S. Walker; after issuing several numbers Mr. Walker sold his interest to J. F. Hoadley, and the paper is now under the editorial control of J. F. Hoadley, Jr. Mr. H. is young in the business, but makes a very readable paper, which will bear its full share in the future development of the interests of the city of Cloverdale and the surrounding country.
SHIPMENTS OF PRODUCE FROM CLOVERDALE IN 1876.
Pounds.
Dry hides ................................ 1,437
Green " .................................... 874 64,954
Wool, bales .............................. 4,218
" 1/2 " .................................. 1,200 1,510,631
Hops, bales .............................. 1,630 327,201
Quicksilver .................................... 101,636
Tallow, packages ........................... 353 20,080
Poultry, dozen ........................... 3,920 296,000
Eggs, dozen ............................. 47,000 94,000
SEBASTOPOL.
In 1855 J. H. P. Morris took up a claim of one hundred and twenty acres, where the town of Sebastopol now stands; he was the first settler. Mr. Morris came to Sonoma in 1853; he was in business for a while at Miller & Walker's store on the road just south of the present town, then known as the Bodega post-office. Miller & Walker's store was quite a noted place from 1849 up to 1854, as it was the post-office for all the coast and Russian River country, as far north as population extended; J. N. Miller was the postmaster. Mr. Morris moved a building from Miller & Walker's to his claim, and put it where Ben Dougherty's house stands. The same year he deeded John Dougherty a lot to move his store, which stood on the Levi Johnson place, to his claim. So the town took a start. Mr. Morris called it Pine Grove,--a more appropriate name than that which it now bears. The formidable name of Sebastopol originated in this way: a man named Jeff Stevens and a man named Hibbs had a fight; Hibbs made a quick retreat to Dougherty's store; Stevens in pursuit. Dougherty stopped Stevens, and forbid him to come to his (Dougherty's) premises. The Crimean war was raging at that time, and the allies were beseiging Sebastopol, which it was thought they would not take. The Pine Grove boys, who were always keen to see a fight,--chagrined at the result,--cried out that Dougherty's store was Hibbs' Sebastopol. The affair was much talked about, and from this incident the town took its name.
Captain Auser started the first hotel where Wilson's exchange now is; John Bowman bought out Auser, and the late Henry Wilson succeeded him in 1859. Sepastopol is eight miles west of Santa Rosa, on the west edge of Santa Rosa valley,--at the foot of the low divide, between Santa Rosa and Green valley. It has a delightful climate, and the view of the valley and Mayacmas range, from the hills back of the town, is beautiful. Some day it will become a popular place for villa residences.
The Layfayette Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons was installed January 8, 1855,--B. F. Branscom is worshipful master, and G. W. Sanborn is secretary. The lodge owns a commodious hall over the Presbyterian church. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church, known as the Sebastopol congregation, was organized in 1851, and was first known as the Bodega congregation; the pastor in charge is R. P. Lemon. The Methodist Church was organized in 1866. The pastor of the Green Valley Church holds service twice a month in the church at Sebastopol.
The merchants of Sebastopol are J. Dougherty, Wilson & Andrews, H. Altmark and G. H. Stowell. There is also a livery stable, kept by B. B. Berry; a hotel, butcher-shop, blacksmith-shop and two physicians. There is a literary society, a temperance society, and a Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, with thirty members, which was instituted in 1873. The present population of the town is two hundred and fifty.
FORRESTVILLE.
Forrestville is situated twelve miles northwest of Santa Rosa, on the border of the timber country, in what is known as Green Valley. The Guernville branch of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad passes within one and a half miles of the town. It was first settled by A. J. Forrester, now in San Louis Obispo county, from whom it takes its doubly-appropriate name. A great many persons who live in Forrestville find employment cutting cord-wood and tan-bark for the San Francisco market; besides there is a good market in the surrounding country for posts, pickets, fence-rails, &c. There is a graded public-school in the town of ninety-two scholars, taught by John Scott; a Methodist Episcopal church of sixty members; and near the town the Adventists have a comfortable house of worship. There is a general store kept by J. C. Bonsall one blacksmith-shop kept by Oliver & Harbine, one hotel, one saloon, one butcher-shop, and one wagon-maker.
RUSTIC-CHAIR MANUFACTORY
The chief industry in Forrestville is the Rustic-Chair Factory now owned and run by John Hamlett. There is quite a little history connected with this enterprise, which will not be out of place here. Over twenty-five years ago Major Isaac Sullivan, in Green valley, made the first rustic chairs, and sold them at five dollars apiece; they are still in use, and are doing good service. The factory for the manufacture of these chairs as a specialty, was started by S. Faudre on Russian river, three miles form Forrestville. He continued the business for five or six years, selling chairs from two to three dollars apiece. He then moved the factory to Forrestville, where it has been for the past ten years. Faudre made at Forrestville about thirty thousand chairs, and sold out to S. P. Nowlin, who ran it at a lively rate for six years, making and selling during that time over sixty-five thousand chairs. He then sold to the present proprietor, Mr. Hamlett, who is making and selling about twelve thousand chairs a year.
The material used in the manufacture of these chairs is the chestnut or tan-bark oak, which we have elsewhere described, and ash. Out of these woods the posts and rounds are made; the backs are made of alder and fir; the bottoms of raw-hide cut into narrow stripes, and interlaced when wet and pliable. In drying, the hide draws taut, making an indestructible bottom. The rounds are turned green, and kiln-dried until seasoned. The posts are turned green, are steamed bent, and worked before they dry out, so that when mortised, bored and drawn together with the seasoned rounds and backs, the post seasons on the rounds, and it is not possible to take them apart without splitting the posts from the back or round. The raw-hide bottom is put on last, and binds the whole frame still more firmly.
These chairs are disposed of in a manner peculiar to this factory. They are loaded in four-horse wagons, from two to four hundred chairs to the load, and are hauled all over the State of California and Nevada. They have been hauled to Yreka, Honey Lake, Surprise Valley, in fact, to every town in the State where a wagon can get. South they have been sent, on wagons, to San Bernardino, up Owen's river to White Pine and Elko; a great many were sold at Gold Hill and in Virginia City. Some of these seasoned chairs were shipped to Colorado and to Tucson, in New Mexico, where they sold as high as eight dollars apiece. The price was generally regulated by the distance hauled, the scarcity of lumber and the amount of coin in sight. The object was to make the chairs net the manufacturer eighteen dollars per dozen. As an exemplification of the benefits of manufactures, we will state that this chair factory alone has brought into the county not less than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
GUERNEVILLE.
Guerneville is a lumber manufacturing village in the Russian River redwoods, and situated about sixteen miles northwest of Santa Rosa. It was first settled on the 1st of May, 1860, by R. B. Lunsford. It is located on the bank of Russian river, on what is known as Big Bottom. Here stood the finest body of timber in the State; the bottom is about four miles long, and was covered by a dense growth of mammoth redwood trees, which, in the best localities, would yield at least eight hundred thousand feet of lumber to the acre. The largest tree in the bottom measured eighteen feet in diameter, and made one hundred and eighty thousand feet of lumber. The tallest tree was three hundred and forty-four feet nine inches in height. There was a hollow stump which stood just above the town, in which twenty horses could readily stand. An estimate of the timber in the Big Bottom appears elsewhere.
Heald & Guern’s saw and planing-mill is located in the town. It employs about sixty men, and cuts between three and four million feet of lumber a year, making mouldings, brackets, scroll work, &c. Murphy Bros.’ saw and planing- mill is located half a mile from the town; it cuts from twenty to twenty-five thousand feet a day, and employs about forty men. R. B. Lunsford’s shingle- mill, near by, cuts from fifteen to twenty-five thousand shingles a day.
There is one general merchandise store in the town, one grocery store, one market, one boot and shoemaker, two hotels and one restaurant, one livery stable, one blacksmith shop and one wagon shop, one church, one public-school, one lodge, (Enterprise, No. 356 of Independent Good Templars), and one chair-factory, run by S. W. Faudre. J. W. Bagley is postmaster. A branch of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad runs from Fulton on the main trunk to Guernville. This road has just been completed, and connects the great Central valley of Sonoma county with the timber section. This affords a fine opportunity for tourists to see the redwood trees of Sonoma, second only in size to the mammoths of Calaveras. Four miles from Guernville, Mount Jackson and the Great Eastern quicksilver mines are located. A wagon-road is proposed, and will be built from Guerneville to the coast, which will turn a large portion of the coast-travel via Guerneville to San Francisco. It is said that the narrow-gauge road will be extended from Moscow, its terminus on Russian river, to Guerneville.
FREESTONE.
General Vallejo says he was ordered by his government to extend the settlements of the frontier colony on the northwest, in the direction of the Russians, in 1835, and he invited the settlement of James McIntosh, James Dawson and James Black,--three James’. They settled on land afterwards granted to Black, called the Canada de Jonive, near the town of Freestone. They were the very first settlers, except the Russians, in all the Bodega country. They formed a partnership to build a saw-mill on Salmon creek. Black got from the Mexican government a grant of the Jonive ranch for this purpose. McIntosh and Dawson agreed to make application jointly to the Mexican government, for the grant known as the Estero Americano. Dawson furnished the money for McIntosh to go to Monterey to get the necessary papers. He accomplished his purpose and returned to Bodega from the capitol. Dawson, on examining the papers, found that they were made out in the name of McIntosh, and that he was left out in the cold. Well authenticated tradition says that when Dawson made this discovery, he first gave his partner a thrashing, and then with a cross-cut saw he sawed the house, in which they had been living, in two parts and removed his half to the place where F. G. Blume's house now stands, in Freestone. In fact, we have been told that portion of this, the only original severed house on record, stands to this day. Dawson afterwards applied or and received the Canada de Pogolimi grant, and his widow, who afterwards married F. G. Blume, of Freestone, received a patent for the same.
The mill on the Jonive was completed, and run until 1849, by McIntosh, James Black, Thomas Butters, William Leighton, Thomas Wood, and a pioneer, who went by the euphonious soubriquet of "Blinking Tom". That year they sold all the lumber they had to F. G. Blume, and left for the gold mines.
In 1849 Jasper O'Farrell bought the Estero Americano ranch, of two leagues, one thousand five hundred head of cattle, and one hundred and fifty head of horses, in consideration of a promise to pay McIntosh an annuity of eight hundred dollars, or, should he elect in lieu of the annuity, the sum of five thousand dollars in cash. The latter sum was afterwards paid by Mr. O'Farrell, who acquired title to the property. Mr. Blume and his wife still reside within the limits of the town of Freestone, and are the oldest settlers. The Hon. Jasper O'Farrell exchanged a ranch, which he owned in Marin, with Black for the Jonive, on part of which Freestone stands. He resided there until his death, which occurred a few years ago.
Freestone is on the line of the narrow-gauge road just now completed, and has a very flattering prospect for the future. It is rapidly improving, and houses are in demand. It is within a few hours' travel of San Francisco, and trains pass the place every morning for that city, returning every afternoon. F. G. Blume is postmaster. There is one store, a blacksmith shop, two hotels, a livery stable, and a number of residences. And so the wheel of time has brought it round that in less than forty years after the settlement of the pioneers, Black, Dawson, and McIntosh, on the frontier of Bodega, to check-mate the Russians, the shrill whistle of the locomotive is echoed by the hills back of Ross as the trains speed by; but three hours from a city of three hundred thousand inhabitants--and the then defenceless colony, a dependent of a distracted government, has now become a great and powerful State in the American Union. Such a change would have seemed to the pioneer wilder and more improbable than the enchantment wrought by the Genii of Aladin's wonderful lamp.
MOSCOW.
This place is situated on Russian River, opposite the terminus of the coast narrow-gauge road at Duncan's mills. One of the principal mills of the Russian River Land and Lumber Company is located here. Just below here the railroad crosses the river, on a splendid Howe truss bridge, to Duncan's mill. It will doubtless grow to be a place of importance.
OCCIDENTAL POST-OFFICE.
This place is on the narrow-gauge road where it crosses the divide, between the waters flowing into O'Farrell valley on the south side, and through Howard cañon into Russian river on the north side. The station is called Howard's station, after William Howard, who settled there in 1849, and is still a resident of the place. The town-site belongs partly to Mr. Howard and partly to the Meeker Bros. It is a place of recent growth, but already boasts of a post, express, and telegraph office, a good hotel, general store, blacksmith shop, church &c. Unlike most towns in Sonoma, it is surrounded by forests, and the stump of a tree stands in the main street, out of which one hundred and twenty thousand shingles were made. The Rev. M. George has charge of the church. The first store was started by McCaughey & Co., on the 4th of April, 1877. J.W. Noble opened a hotel in January, 1877, which is called the Summit House. The population of the place is about fifty souls.
DUNCAN'S MILL.
This village is situated on the south bank of Russian river, one and one-half miles from the sea. The mill was built in 1860 by S. M. & A. Duncan; it has been in successful operation for the past sixteen years; during that time a thriving village has grown up around it. In the town there is a hotel, a post and express office, store, and telegraph office, and a population of about one hundred. S. M. Duncan and his former partner, Hendy, were members of the first company organized to cut timber in Sonoma county. The company was formed of mechanics at work on the Benicia barracks, in 1849. Charles McDermott was president, and John Bailiff, secretary. The price of timber was then three hundred dollars a thousand. The company organized under the name of the Blumedale Lumber Company, in honor of F. G. Blume, on whose land, near the present town of Freestone, they built a mill. The price of lumber tumbled by the time the company got at work, and it soon after went into liquidation. Its effects were purchased, and it was revised under the firm name of Hendy & Duncan. General George Stoneman was a partner in the firm. They did not make it go, and the machinery was taken to the mines, where it was run awhile, and was brought back to the county in 1852 by Hendy & Duncan, who built at Salt Point the first steam saw-mill on the coast. From Salt Point the mill was removed to Russian river by S. M. & A. Duncan, and took the name of Duncan's mill. The boiler purchased by the Blumedale Company in 1849 is still used by A. Duncan, the successor of Hendy & Duncan, and S. M. & A. Duncan.
At this time, 1877, a joint stock company, known as the Duncan's Mill Land and Lumber Company, has been inaugurated, and the mill was moved to its present location, on the north side of Russian river, at a point where the North Pacific Railroad crosses the river, the present terminus of the road. It will retain its original name of Duncan's mill.
FORT ROSS.
We have elsewhere given a sketch of the early history of this place, the first settled by Europeans north of San Francisco. Bodega bay was occupied by the Russians in 1812; the stockade at Ross was build shortly after, with the double purpose of repelling the attacks of Indians or of the Californians, should either attempt to dispossess the fur hunters. It was admirably chosen for the purpose of defense. The Russians might have defied all the forces that could possibly have been brought against them, and did hold possession of the country around Ross until they were ready to leave, in 1840. The place is now owned by an enterprising citizen, Mr. G. W. Call, who uses it as a farm and dairy ranch.
There is an excellent shipping point at Ross, from which farm products, wood, posts, lumber and tan-bark, are shipped by coasters directly to the city.
TIMBER COVE.
This is the next shipping point north of Ross. It was first used as such in 1856. It consists of a hotel, store, post, and express office, and several dwellings. W. R. Miller formerly had a saw-mill here, and an immense amount of lumber, posts, ties, cord-wood, and tan-bark have been shipped from this point.
SALT POINT
is a shipping place, four miles north of Timber Cove. It was first settled, as we have elsewhere stated, by Hendy & Duncan, and was once a place of considerable business importance. The chutes, and a large tract of land around it, are owned by a San Francisco firm.
FISK'S MILL
is situated three miles north of Salt Point. It was first occupied and used as a shipping point by J. C. Fisk, from whom the post-office takes its name. The place is now owned by F. M. Helmke, who has a beautiful home there by the sea. Mr. Helmke keeps the place in excellent order. His mill, which formerly stood here, has been moved higher up the coast. From this point a large amount of cord-wood, tan-bark, etc., is shipped. There is a post and express office at this place.
FISHERMAN'S BAY
is situated twenty-eight miles north of Russian river, and twelve miles south of Valhalla river. It was first settled in 1858, and contains a hotel, store and saloon, all owned by J. C. Fisk, who also has the shutes for shipping cord-wood, lumber, tan-bark, post, fencing and railroad ties. There is annually shipped from this point one thousand cords of tan-bark, five hundred cords of oak wood, sixty thousand posts, and eight million feet of lumber. The tan- bark is worth ten dollars per cord at the chute, wood six dollars per cord, posts six dollars per hundred, and lumber sixteen dollars per thousand. Population of the place about one hundred.
BODEGA.
This thriving village derives its name from the port of Bodega, near which it is situated, and the port from its discoverer, Juan Francisco de la Bodega. Bodega is on a portion of the tract farmed by the Russians, and had a number of excellent houses upon it, built by them. After the departure of the Russians the land was granted to Captain Stephen Smith, who was the first American settler in that part of the county. Captain Smith owned a small vessel called the Fayaway, which he run between the Port of Bodega and San Francisco; in '49, fare was the moderate sum of fourteen dollars from Bodega to San Francisco, on the Fayaway.
The town of Bodega, near the Smith homestead, took its start in 1853. A man named Robinson started a saloon; Hughes, a blacksmith shop. Hughes and a man named Bowman built the first hotel, which was afterwards burned. Donald McDonald and Rositer Bros. were the first merchants in the town of Bodega. The oldest settlers in the neighborhood were James Watson, ex-Sheriff Potter, Mr. Higler and J. L. Springer. The town is now quite a prosperous place. It is situated in the center of a rich dairy country. It has three churches and a school-house built at a cost of five thousand dollars. There are one hundred and twenty-five children in the district, and two teachers are employed. There is also in the town a Masonic, Odd Fellows and Good Templars' Lodge. There are three stores, one shoemaker, one blacksmith and wagon shop, one hotel and two private boarding-houses, one livery stable, two physicians, and one butcher-shop. J. L. Springer is justice of the peace and postmaster. The population of the town is about two hundred and fifty.
TWO ROCK POST-OFFICE.
This post-office takes its name from two rather peculiar rocks, which were called by the Californians Dos Piedros. These rocks stood on a point where the Blucher and Balsa de Tomales ranchos cornered. They were also a landmark on the northwestern boundary of the Laguna de San Antonio, or Bojorques Ranch. The old Mexican trail, from San Rafael to Bodega and Ross, passed between these two rocks, which were referred to, far and near, in speaking of that section. The first settlers, in the neighborhood of Two Rocks, were Samuel Tustin, J. R. Lewis, Charles Purvine, S. M. Martin, James and E. Denman. The post-office is at the junction of the Bloomfield and Tomales roads, about a mile and a-half from the two rocks from which it takes its name.
The farm where the post-office is located was first settled by John Schwobeda. He sold it to Charles Weigand, who now owns it and is postmaster. There is at the cross-roads, a Grange hall, a Presbyterian church and a blacksmith-shop. Two Rock is eight miles from Petaluma. It is surrounded by a rich and fertile country. Of the farms thereabouts that of S. M. Martin, containing three hundred and twenty acres, is one of the very best.
VALLEY FORD.
The town of Valley Ford is situated on the Estero Americano, four miles from its mouth.
Here the old Spanish and Indian trail leading from the interior ranchos to Tomales bay and the coast, crossed the Estero, hence the name which was given to the farm adjoining and subsequently to the town. At this point the trail forked, and the one which led up the valley was the route traveled from Bodega rancho to Saucelito.
It was the custom among the Indians in the back country to take two or three journeys each year to the coast for the purpose of feasting on shell-fish, and gathering shells for the manufacture of Indian money. Tomales bay and the coast to the east of the Estero, was the most frequented sea-side resort of the Indians. The trail which crossed the Estero where Valley Ford stands, was on the main route. After 1857 they ceased their annual pilgrimages. Often previous to that time their bands might be seen filing along the way, embracing all sorts and conditions of Digger Indian life, from "El Capitan," who usually rode a lean, half-tamed mustang, to old crones with hugh baskets hung to their backs by a band across their foreheads, loaded with a promiscuous assortment of rags, old blankets, attole, pinole, papooses, cooking utensils, etc. The fording of the Estero was their usual halting place.
S. L. Fowler and J. E. Fowler arrived in San Francisco in May, 1849. After many hardships, chance brought them to Big valley, better known as the valley of the Estero Americano, then an unfenced wilderness. Not a furrow had been plowed, and a wealth of grass clothed the hills. They settled where the trail crossed the Estero, and purchased of F. G. Blume six hundred and forty acres of land lying between the Ebabias creek and the Estero. In July following they built a house two hundred yards from the ford.
Thomas Smith, who had been engaged running a saw-mill with Messrs. Hendy & Duncan, near where John Vanderleith now lives, built a cabin on the point between Ebabias creek and the Estero, which tract they had purchased of F. G. Blume, and, with his partner, R. Gahen, prepared to put in a crop of potatoes.
Sanford & Stone located across the creek on the place now owned by Roach & Webber. They received a portable grist-mill from the east, and in the winter of 1852 and 1853 they ground the grain raised in the neighborhood. The mill was small and the flour coarse and unbolted, but they were kept busy by the settlers, who waited their turn at the mill.
Whitehead Fowler came to the country in 1852. The same year E. Thurber settled upon the tract east of town, now owned by A. P. Garver. These were the first settlers at Valley Ford and the adjoining ranches.
In May, 1854, Stephen C. Fowler and his wife, the parents of S. L., James E., and W. Fowler, with their three sons, John H., Benjamin, and Nathaniel, arrived at Valley Ford. Mrs. Fowler was the first female resident of the town, and both she and her husband have resided continuously in the latter place from that day to this, having now attained the ripe age of eighty years--recently celebrating the fifty-fifth anniversary of their marriage in their residence on the Estero.
What had been formerly but an Indian trail had now become a well traveled road. Several other persons took up claims, among them were some having families, but by far the greater number "bached it." A crop of oats yielding one hundred bushels to the acre was raised in the summer of 1854 upon what is now the town site.
In 1856 Thomas Smith run his grist-mill with twelve horses and two runs of stone. Two years later a steam engine took the place of horses, and the mill soon became famous for the excellent quality of flour made there.
In the fall of 1861 Daniel Hall opened a blacksmith shop. In the spring of 1861 John H. Fowler opened a general merchandise business. A bridge was built across the creek about the same time. James E. Fowler opened a lumber-yard, and E. B. & J. W. Palmer built a carpenter shop. In 1863 the Methodist church was built. J. N. Rien built the Valley Ford hotel in 1864. An express and post-office was established. There is a lodge of Good Temp- lars and a Templar hall. A Methodist society, and a Presbyterian society, with a Sunday-school. A district-school is kept in the village.
In the summer of 1876 the North Pacific Coast Railroad Company extended their road through the town, and built a neat depot. The people can now reach San Francisco in about four hours’ time. Previous to the building of this road the people received their goods and hauled their produce to and from Petaluma, a distance of eighteen miles, and traveled the same route to San Francisco; hence they welcomed the railroad which brought an end to those tedious journeys.
In 1876 P. E. Merritt opened a new grocery store in the place. J. Parry opened a tin shop, and John Hunter opened a meat market. With her railroad facilities, fine climate, and rich and productive surrounding country, why should not Valley Ford continue to grow and prosper?
BLOOMFIELD.
This town is situated at the head of Big valley, or the valley of the Estero Americano. It was first settled by Judge Cockrill and Bill Zilhardt. A man named Lamb started the first store. Among the earliest settlers in the neighborhood were W. P. Hinshaw, W. H. White, L. D. Cockrill, Henry Hall, John Linebaugh, Alonzo Walker, the late John Peters, Hugh Stockton, Wm. Jones, Hon. E. C. Hinshaw, and O. P. Hoag. There is a post, express and telegraph office in the town; two stores, one hotel, three churches, (Presbyterian, Methodist, and Advent), one Masonic hall, and a lodge of Odd Fellows; one harness and three blacksmith shops, one cooper shop, and a flouring mill. The population is about two hundred and fifty. There is an excellent public school with over a hundred scholars. The place is surrounded by as rich a farming and dairy country as there is in the State of California.
STONY POINT.
This was formerly a post-office on the road from Macedonia church to Bloomfield. The Stony Point House was on the farm of P. N. Woodworth, who settled there as early as 1851. There is nothing there now, the hotel having been discontinued. The post-office has been moved to the Washoe House, about two miles off, but is still called Stony Point. At the Washoe House, (which is on one of the roads from Bloomfield to Petaluma), also on the west road from Petaluma to Santa Rosa, there is a hotel, blacksmith shop, butcher shop, and farm-implement manufactory and sale depot.
CONCLUSION.
It is the proud boast of the residents of Sonoma that they have the finest county in the State. To prove that claim, they point to the fact that they have never had a failure of crops; to their climate; to the superiority of their vineyards, producing annually two and a half million gallons of wine; their table grapes, stone and seed fruit, vegetables, potatoes, corn, cereals, and blooded livestock; their lumber, their mines, their railroads which bear these varied products of the soil to a ready market; to their bay and seacoast front; which renders a monopoly to transportation impossible; schools, and churches, and thriving towns; their mineral springs, their unrivaled scenery, their redwood forests, their fertile valleys and lofty hills.
We have outlined the county of Sonoma from the Valhalla to the Huichica, and from the Estero Americano to its northeast corner in the Mayacmas range, and reluctantly bid the reader good-bye.
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