The Rancho Petaluma Adobe is an impressive place. At two-stories and measuring about 200 feet by 145 feet, it was, at the time it was built (1836) the grandest house in Northern California.
The structure, made of adobe bricks and hand-cut redwood timbers and planks, was the largest privately-owned adobe building in California and remains the largest example of the Monterey Colonial-style of architecture popular during the Californios era (roughly 1769 to 1846), when the area now known as California was under Spanish and Mexican rule.
Even today, despite being only about half its original size (portions of the complex disintegrated over the years), the adobe, located on Adobe Road on the east side of the city of Petaluma, is worth a visit.
Visitors can wander the cool adobe buildings, with their large overhanging roofs, and imagine a time when it bustled with activity as one of the largest agricultural enterprises on the West Coast.
The adobe traces its origins to 1834, when Alta California Governor José Figueroa granted then-Lieutenant Mariano Vallejo a large tract of land that became known as Rancho Petaluma (the name, Petaluma, is taken from the native Miwok language for the places, which roughly translates as “flat back” or “backside of the hill.”).
Figueroa wanted Vallejo to occupy and develop the land in order to keep it from being claimed by the Russians, who had established a fort (Fort Ross) on the coast.
Vallejo soon began construction of the large adobe house, which boasted walls that were three-feet thick. It was designed to serve not only as a home but as Vallejo’s offices and as a fort, if necessary. With the latter in mind, the structure had iron grills and shutters on the windows.
Over time, Vallejo enlarged the compound (it was never fully completed) and added a tannery and a blacksmith shop. At its peak, the rancho was more than 66,000 acres, with some 50,000 head of cattle, 24,000 sheep, and acres of fields of wheat, grains, and grapes. In addition to being supported by cowboys (known as vaqueros) and field workers, the rancho employed more than two-thousand Native American workers, who were generally paid with food, clothing, and other goods.
In June 1846, a group of American settlers began what became known as the Bear Flag Revolt, a movement to create an independent republic in Northern California. The ragtag rebels succeeded in capturing Sonoma and imprisoning Vallejo. The revolt lasted only 25 days, after which the rebels were absorbed by U.S. government forces. The U.S. had declared war against Mexico in May 1846.
When the conflict ended, in 1848, the U.S. had won control of California. The old Mexican ranchos, including Vallejo’s vast holdings, were eventually broken up as the former owners were forced to provide proof of title, which was often difficult (and expensive to prove) because of the imprecise maps of the time. Additionally, the California Gold Rush brought thousands of new residents, who homesteaded or simply squatted on land. Owners often lacked the financial resources to legally evict squatters.
In 1857, Vallejo sold the adobe complex and surrounding 1,600 acres to William Whiteside for $25,000, who became the first of several owners over the next few decades. In 1910, the Native Sons of the Golden West Petaluma chapter purchased the decaying adobe compound with the intention of restoring what it could and, eventually, making it a public park.
During the next three decades, the Native Sons raised funds to restore the buildings. In 1951, the site was turned over to the State of California, which made it the centerpiece of the Petaluma Adobe State Park.
In addition to housing a small museum that describes the adobe’s history, the park hosts living history demonstrations and other events throughout the year. Located at 3325 Adobe Road in Petaluma, the park is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission to the park, which allows you to visit the structures, is $3 for adults (18 and older), $2 for children 6-17, and free for children 5 and under.
For more information, go to: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=474.