A Short History of Sonoma

6. The Tourist Trade

107 Chapter Six The Tourist Trade Visitors have made their way to the Sonoma Valley for more than 150 years, intrigued by its natural beauty, its quaint old adobes, and the legendary hospitality of General Vallejo. Early in its history, men (usually) made the arduous trip from San Francisco or other parts of the state to take in the sights, go hunting and fishing, or enjoy some of the occasional festivals held on the Plaza. Many of them published their travels in Bay Area newspapers, some of which sound as though they were written by real estate speculators, such as this one from 1848: “In every direction, can be traced the almost magic progression of enterprise in its might. New lands under cultivation, and continuous building on street and square. Only a few miles distant from Sonoma, a serviceable saw-mill is in constant operation.” A different writer was even more positive about Sonoma’s future, in an article published just two months later: “A more healthy site for a city cannot be found in any territory belonging to the United States.” Others came to Sonoma for the kind of outdoor fun that could only be had outside of San Francisco. A writer known only as PACIFIC published an article about a Sonoma Valley excursion he took in company with a number of friends, also in 1848: “Fishing, talking, eating, drinking , dancing, and games, varied the amusements of the day, with an interlude of killing two skunks, which very audaciously came trotting 108 a s h o r t h i s t o r y o f s o n o m a over the prairie with their striped bushy tails curled over their backs, just where the ladies were sitting; and it required the greatest exertions of the cavalleros to stop these feline perfumers.” Not everyone had a good time in town, however. A few used Sonoma’s popularity to further some less-than-honorable ends. In July 1855 a local man who worked in the Pacific Express office wrote to a friend in Massachusetts about life in town. Most business was conducted in the evenings and on Sundays, he said, and murders were very common. Prudent men went out in the evening armed with either a pistol or a knife. However, he did enjoy the recent Independence Day celebrations, saying that the day passed off beautifully, and only two men were shot. In 1875 the local stagecoach was held up by three masked highwaymen who took off with $6,000 from the Wells Fargo treasure box. The robbers left the letters and papers in the box, gave it back to the stage driver, and sent him on his way. Getting to Sonoma in the early years was not easy. Originally chosen because of its proximity to both potential mission converts and a good water supply, it was isolated for a reason. As gold seekers passed by and through town on their way to the American River, however, word spread about the fine accommodations and the excellent stores and restaurants. If you were already in the area north of San Francisco, it was a relatively easy ride over the hills to the valley. However, if you were in San Francisco or points south, the fastest way to get to Sonoma was by boat, across the bays and inlets that flowed into and out of San Francisco Bay. One of the first men to see the potential for water transportation was William Leidesdorff, a native of the Virgin Islands. His father was a Danish planter and his mother a local woman of African and Spanish descent. In 1841, at the age of thirty-one, Leidesdorff arrived in San Francisco, by this time the captain of an American schooner and a wealthy cotton broker. He decided to stay, and became even wealthier by acquiring real estate and building hotels and warehouses. He also served as city treasurer and school board chair. In 1847 he realized the commercial potential of steamship service on San Francisco Bay, and in August his first ship began to take travelers to points around the bay, including the landing in San Pablo Bay near Sonoma Creek. In December 1847 some prominent local citizens took a ride on the t h e t o u r i s t t r a d e 109 steamer as it puffed up the creek while they enjoyed...