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88-479: Sonoma Valley Unified School District is a public school district based in Sonoma County, California , United States . As of 2017, there are 11 schools. This California school-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Sonoma County, California Sonoma County ( / s ə ˈ n oʊ m ə / ) is a county located in the U.S. state of California . As of

176-509: A Fisheries Enhancement Program since 1996. Its website says: "The primary focus of the FEP is to enhance habitat for three salmonids : Steelhead , Chinook salmon , and Coho salmon . These three species are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act . The California Department of Fish and Game considers the Coho salmon endangered." [REDACTED] U.S. Route 101 U.S. Route 101

264-521: A bench," sculpted by Jim Callahan, was unveiled at Sonoma Plaza in June 2017, with a plaque describing in English and Spanish the many roles Vallejo played as a Spanish, Mexican, and American leader. Actor George J. Lewis was cast as General Vallejo in the 1956 episode "The Bear Flag," on the syndicated television anthology series Death Valley Days , hosted by Stanley Andrews . The segment focused on

352-548: A bill that resulted in Santa Rosa being confirmed as county seat in 1854. Allegedly, several Santa Rosans, not caring to wait, decided to take action and, one night, rode down the Sonoma Valley to Sonoma, took the county seals and records, and brought them to Santa Rosa. Some of the county's land was annexed from Mendocino County between 1850 and 1860. Early post-1847 settlement and development focused primarily on

440-414: A bustling center of trade, taking advantage of its position on the river near a region of highly productive agricultural land that was being settled. Soon, other inland towns, notably Santa Rosa and Healdsburg began to develop similarly due to their locations along riparian areas in prime agricultural flatland. However, their development initially lagged behind Petaluma which, until the arrival of railroads in

528-455: A captain who served under Hernan Cortés and an admiral, Alonso Vallejo, said to be the commander of the ship which brought Columbus back to Spain as a prisoner in 1500. However, these ancestors were probably only a family mythology. Ignacio himself had been a well considered sergeant ( sargento distinguido ) at the Presidio of Monterey , who eventually served as Alcalde of San José . As

616-505: A fair amount of rain, with much of the county receiving between about 25 in (640 mm), comparable to areas such as Sonoma and Petaluma, and roughly 30 in (760 mm) normal for Santa Rosa. However, certain areas, particularly in the north-west portion of the county around the Russian River, receive significantly more rainfall. The Guerneville area, for example, typically receives about 50 in (1,300 mm) of rain

704-614: A group of soldiers against the Miwoks , under chief Estanislao . After a three-day battle, Vallejo's troops forced the Miwok to flee to Mission San José , seeking refuge with the padres. In 1831 Vallejo participated in the "emergency installation" of Pío Pico as acting Governor. Vallejo became the Commander of the Presidio of San Francisco in 1833, oversaw the secularization of Mission San Francisco Solano . Mission San Francisco Solano

792-631: A permanent return to Sacramento. Vallejo, the city that was named after the General, was once home of the Coast Miwok as well as Suisunes and other Patwin Native American tribes. There are three confirmed Native American sites located in the rock outcrops in the hills above Blue Rock Springs Park. The California Archaeological Inventory has indicated that the three Indian sites are located on Sulphur Springs Mountain. General Vallejo

880-424: A teenager, Mariano, his nephew Juan Bautista Alvarado (1809–1882), and José Castro (1808–1860) received special instruction from Governor Pablo Vicente de Solá . The boys received government documents and newspapers from Mexico City, as well as access to the governor's personal library. Vallejo then worked as a clerk for English merchant William Hartnell , who taught Vallejo English, French, and Latin . Vallejo

968-553: A year, with annual rain occasionally going as high as 70 in (1,800 mm). Nearby Cazadero typically receives about 72 in (1,800 mm) of rain a year, many times has reached over 100 in (2,500 mm) a year, and sometimes over 120 in (3,000 mm) of rain in a year. The Cazadero region is the second wettest place in California after Gasquet . Snow is exceedingly rare in Sonoma County, except in

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1056-459: Is Sonoma County's richest area of wildlife habitat, and the most biologically diverse region of Sonoma County (itself the second-most biologically diverse county in California)... It is a unique ecological system covering more than 30,000 acres (120 km ) and comprisedof a mosaic of creeks, open water, perennial marshes, seasonal wetlands, riparian forests, oak woodlands, and grasslands... As

1144-473: Is a leading producer of hops, grapes, prunes, apples, as well as dairy and poultry products, largely due to the extent of available, fertile agricultural land in addition to the abundance of high-quality water for irrigation. Agriculture is largely divided between two nearly monocultural uses: grapes and pasturage. The Pomo , Coast Miwok and Wappo peoples were the earliest human settlers of Sonoma County, between 8000 and 5000 BC, effectively living within

1232-530: Is being done around Petaluma to finish the widening within Sonoma County; the widening also involves upgrading the highway to full freeway standards . Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo Mariano Vallejo was born in Monterey, California , the eighth of thirteen children and third son of Ignacio Vicente Ferrer Vallejo (1748–1832) and María Antonia Lugo (1776–1855). There is controversy over Vallejo's exact date of birth. According to Vallejo, and his family bible, he

1320-682: Is in the history books as a person who "fought for the rights of the Native Americans", but also one who would "go out on raids into Indian territory to bring back new workers". Although the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo formally protected the legal rights of Mexicans now part of the United States, a long legal challenge to Vallejo's land title cost him thousands of dollars in legal fees and finally deprived him of almost all his land and farm animals. Most Californios could not afford

1408-416: Is in the watershed of the Russian River and its tributaries. The river rises in the coastal mountains of Mendocino County, north of the city of Ukiah , and flows into Lake Mendocino , a major flood control reservoir. The river flows south from the lake through Mendocino to Sonoma County, paralleled by Highway 101. It turns west at Healdsburg, receiving water from Lake Sonoma via Dry Creek , and empties into

1496-769: Is just the southeastern portion of the county, which includes many other valleys and geographic zones, including the Petaluma Valley, the Santa Rosa Plains , the Russian River , the Alexander Valley , and the Dry Creek Valley . Distinct habitat areas within the county include oak woodland , redwood forest , northern coastal scrub , grassland , marshland , oak savanna and riparian woodland . The California oak woodland in

1584-557: Is partly a result of the presence of high and low pressures in inland California, with persistent high summer temperatures in the Central Valley , in particular, leading to low pressures, drawing in moist air from the Pacific, cooling into damp cool breezes and fog over the cold coastal water. Those places further inland and particularly in the lee of significant elevations tend to receive less rain and less, in some cases no, fog in

1672-401: Is the largest producer. It has nineteen approved American Viticultural Areas and more than 350 wineries. The voters have twice approved open space initiatives that have provided funding for public acquisition of natural areas, preserving forested areas, coastal habitat , and other open space. More than 8.4 million tourists visit each year, spending more than $ 1 billion in 2016. Sonoma County

1760-463: Is the westernmost Federal highway in the U.S.A. Running north/south through the states of California, Oregon , and Washington, it generally parallels the coastline from Downtown Los Angeles to the Canada–US border . Highway 101 links seven of the county's nine incorporated cities: Cloverdale, Healdsburg, Windsor, Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, and Petaluma. It is a freeway for its entire length within

1848-681: Is water. The county lies in the North Coast Ranges of northwestern California. Its ranges include the Mayacamas and the Sonoma Mountains , the southern peak of the latter being the prominent landform Sears Point . The highest peak in the Mayacamas within the county and the highest peak in the county is Mt. Saint Helena . It has uncommon occurrences of pygmy forest , dominated by Mendocino cypress . The highest peak of

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1936-519: The 1st Battalion of Native Cavalry, California Volunteers , and he served as far east as Arizona, but did not have a battlefield role in the Civil War . He resigned in 1865 after the war and returned to his ranch in Napa. Encarnacion Vallejo (1809–1902), the General's sister, married John B.R. Cooper , who was the grantee of Rancho Nicasio and other properties. María Paula Rosalia Vallejo (1811–1889),

2024-654: The 2020 United States Census , its population was 488,863. Its seat of government and largest city is Santa Rosa . Sonoma County comprises the Santa Rosa-Petaluma Metropolitan Statistical Area , which is part of the San Jose - San Francisco - Oakland , CA Combined Statistical Area . It is the northernmost county in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area region. In California's Wine Country region, which also includes Napa, Mendocino, and Lake counties, Sonoma County

2112-581: The California clapper rail ( Rallus longirostris obsoletus ), salt marsh harvest mouse ( Reithrodontomys raviventris ), northern red-legged frog ( Rana aurora ), Sacramento splittail ( Pogonichthys macrolepidotus ), California freshwater shrimp ( Syncaris pacifica ), showy Indian clover ( Trifolium amoenum ), Hickman's potentilla ( Potentilla hickmanii ), northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina), and marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus). Species of special local concern include

2200-544: The California tiger salamander ( Ambystoma californiense ), coho salmon , and some endangered plants, including Burke's goldfields ( Lasthenia burkei ), Sebastopol meadowfoam ( Limnanthes vinculans ), and Sonoma sunshine or Baker's stickyseed ( Blennosperma bakeri ). Endangered species that are endemic to Sonoma County include Sebastopol meadowfoam, Sonoma sunshine, and Pitkin Marsh lily ( Lilium pardalinum subsp. pitkinense ). The Sonoma County Water Agency has had

2288-627: The Presidio of Sonoma to counter the Russian presence at Fort Ross . Vallejo transferred most of the soldiers from San Francisco to Sonoma, and began construction of his two-story Casa Grande adobe on the town plaza. He formed an alliance with Sem-Yeto, also known as Chief Solano of the Suisunes tribe, providing Vallejo with over a thousand Suisunes allies during his conflicts with other tribes. Governor Figueroa died in September 1835, and

2376-687: The U.S. Navy submarine USS  Mariano G. Vallejo  (SSBN-658) were named in his honor. Vallejo's Rancho Petaluma Adobe is now preserved in the Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park as a National Historic Landmark . His home in Sonoma, California , where he and his wife lived for more than 35 years, now serves as a museum and cultural center as part of the Sonoma State Historic Park . A "life-size bronze likeness of" General Vallejo "sitting on

2464-539: The "Free State of Alta California", while Alvarado was named Governor. The Federal Government in Mexico City would later endorse Vallejo and Alvarado's actions and confirm their new positions. In 1840, Isaac Graham allegedly began agitating for a Texas-style revolution in California, in March issuing a notice for a planned horse race that was loosely construed into being a plot for revolt. Alvarado notified Vallejo of

2552-570: The 'Bear Flag,' they thought that they were dealing with robbers and took the steps they thought most effective for the protection of their lives and property. Vallejo, his French secretary Victor Prudon, his brother Salvador Vallejo , and their brother-in-law Jacob P. Leese were taken as prisoners to John C. Frémont 's camp in the Central Valley . Vallejo was confident that the insurgents were acting under Fremont's orders and had no reason to doubt that as soon as he met Fremont (whom he regarded as his friend), he and his companions would be released, so

2640-517: The 1860s, remained the primary commercial, transit, and break-of-bulk point for people and goods in the region. After the arrival of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad in 1870, Santa Rosa began to boom, soon equalling and then surpassing Petaluma as the region's population and commercial center. The railroad bypassed Petaluma for southern connections to ferries of San Francisco Bay . Six nations have claimed Sonoma County from 1542 to

2728-693: The Chapel of the Presidio of San Diego . Francisca, born August 23, 1815, in San Diego, was one of twelve children of Joaquin Carrillo and María Ygnacia López . The Carrillo family of California was one of the leading families in San Diego. When Vallejo settled in Sonoma, his widowed mother-in-law, María Ygnacia López de Carrillo, was granted the nearby Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa in what is now Santa Rosa, California , and settled there with her children. By

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2816-501: The General's sister, married Jacob P. Leese grantee of Rancho Huichica and other properties. José de Jesús Vallejo (1798–1882), the General's elder brother, was the grantee of Rancho Arroyo de la Alameda . María Isidora Vallejo (1792–1830), the General's sister, married Mariano de Jesús Soberanes. Their daughter María Ygnacia Soberanes married Dr. Edward Turner Bale grantee of Rancho Carne Humana . On March 6, 1832, Mariano Vallejo married Francisca Benicia Carrillo (1815–1891) in

2904-574: The General's younger brother, received his commission in the Mexican army in 1835, and was appointed Captain of militia at Sonoma in 1836. In 1838 he was grantee of Rancho Napa ; in 1839 of Salvador's Ranch, and in 1844 he and his brother Antonio Juan Vallejo (1816–1857) were grantees of Rancho Lupyomi . Salvador Vallejo also claimed Rancho Yajome . In 1863 he was commissioned a Major in the Union Army by Governor Stanford . Major Vallejo organized

2992-563: The Marin County border at the Petaluma River and the border with Solano County at Sonoma Creek . Sonoma County has no incorporated communities directly on the shore of San Pablo Bay. The Petaluma River, Tolay Creek , and Sonoma Creek enter the bay at the county's southernmost tip. The intertidal zone where they join the bay is the vast Napa Sonoma Marsh . Americano Creek , the Petaluma River, Tolay Creek, and Sonoma Creek are

3080-507: The Mexican authorities and Governor Alvarado (who feared his uncle was plotting to overthrow him), John Sutter purchased the fort. This economic and military setback confirmed Vallejo's belief that it would be better if California was no longer ruled from Mexico City . Although both France and the United Kingdom expressed interest in acquiring Alta California, Vallejo believed the best hope for economic and cultural development lay with

3168-520: The Native Americans of the entire region, and doling out the lands for large estates and ranches. The City of Sonoma was the site of the Bear Flag Revolt in 1846. Sonoma was one of the original counties when California became a state in 1850, with its county seat originally the town (now city) of Sonoma. However, by the early 1850s, Sonoma had declined in importance in both commerce and population, its county buildings were crumbling, and it

3256-556: The Pacific Ocean at Jenner . The Laguna de Santa Rosa is the largest tributary of the Russian River. It is 14 miles (23 km) long, running north from Cotati to the Russian River near Forestville. Its flood plain is more than 7,500 acres (30 km ). It drains a 254-square-mile (660 km ) watershed, including most of the Santa Rosa Plain. The Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation says: The Laguna de Santa Rosa

3344-463: The Presidio, Governor Gutiérrez surrendered on November 5, 1836. On November 7, Alvarado wrote to his uncle Mariano, informing Vallejo he had claimed to be acting under Vallejo's orders and asking him to come to Monterey to take part in the government. Vallejo came to Monterey as a hero, and on November 29, the diputación promoted Vallejo from alférez to colonel and named him Comandante General of

3432-749: The Sonoma County Historical Society counts 380 landmarks recognized by several agencies. According to the book California Place Names , "The name of the Indian tribe is mentioned in baptismal records of 1815 as Chucuines or Sonomas , by Chamisso in 1816 as Sonomi , and repeatedly in Mission records of the following years." According to the Coast Miwok and the Pomo tribes that lived in the region, Sonoma translates as "valley of

3520-586: The Sonoma Mountains is Sonoma Mountain itself, which boasts two significant public access properties: Jack London State Historic Park and Fairfield Osborn Preserve . The county includes the City of Sonoma and the Sonoma Valley , in which the City of Sonoma is located. However, these are not synonymous. The City of Sonoma is merely one of nine incorporated cities in the county. The Sonoma Valley

3608-455: The Sonoma Valley, east of Petaluma, are similar, with highs typically in the very high 70s F to 80 °F (27 °C). This is in part due to the presence of the Sonoma Mountains between Petaluma and Sonoma. Cloverdale , far to the north and outside of the Santa Rosa Plain, is significantly hotter than any other city in the county, with rare evening-morning fog and highs often in the 90s, reaching 100 °F (38 °C) much more frequently than

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3696-441: The United States. In November 1841, Vallejo was meeting with José Castro at Mission San José when he was informed of the arrival in California of an immigrant party led by John Bidwell and John Bartleson. Half of the group was staying with Dr. John Marsh north of Mount Diablo , while the rest had continued on to San José . They were arrested before reaching the pueblo for illegally entering Mexico and brought to Vallejo at

3784-666: The Walbridge Fire burned 55,209 acres (22,342 ha) in the western part of the county; then in September–October the Glass fire affected the city of Santa Rosa and ultimately destroying 1,000+ buildings The county also had a wildfire in the 1870s that is compared to the Hanley fire and Tubbs fire because they burned in the same path. The Sonoma County Landmarks Commission recognizes nearly 200 formal historical landmarks and

3872-501: The city of Sonoma, then the region's sole town and a common transit and resting point in overland travel between the region and Sacramento and the gold fields to the east. However, after 1850, a settlement that soon became the city of Petaluma began to grow naturally near the farthest navigable point inland up the Petaluma River . Originally a hunting camp used to obtain game to sell in other markets, by 1854 Petaluma had grown into

3960-427: The coast, with strong marine influence, tends to have low diurnal temperature fluctuation, with summer highs much cooler than the inland towns, typically 65–75 °F, yet lows in the high 40s to low 50s F, fairly comparable to most inland towns. These microclimates are evident during the rainy seasons as well, with great variation in the amount of rainfall throughout the county. Generally, all of Sonoma County receives

4048-462: The county's beaches were listed as among the cleanest in the state in 2010. Six of the county's nine cities, from Healdsburg south through Santa Rosa to Rohnert Park and Cotati, are in the Santa Rosa Plain. The northern Plain drains directly to the Russian River, or to a tributary; the southern Plain drains to the Russian River via the Laguna de Santa Rosa . Much of central and northern Sonoma County

4136-497: The county. The four-lane sections of the highway have been heavily congested during peak commute hours for many years and work is being done to widen part of the highway to six lanes. The segment from north of Petaluma (at Old Redwood Highway/Petaluma Boulevard North exit) to Windsor has been fully widened, as has the segment from the Petaluma River bridge to the Marin County border. The two new inner lanes are designated for vehicles with two or more occupants during commute hours. Work

4224-404: The county. In summer, daily lows and highs are typically 30–40 °F apart inland, with highs for Petaluma, Cotati, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Windsor, and Sebastopol typically being in the very low 80s F and lows at or near 50 °F (10 °C). Healdsburg and the City of Sonoma, with similar lows, have even greater diurnal fluctuations due to their significantly warmer highs. On the other hand,

4312-536: The early morning of June 14, 1846, Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was taken prisoner by a ragtag band of Americans, led by William B. Ide , who had decided to emulate the Texans by revolting against California's Mexican government. They later made and raised an improvised flag featuring a grizzly bear that some viewers mistook for a pig. Instead of resisting, Vallejo, who favored the American takeover of California, invited

4400-554: The earth; and noma , village; hence tsonoma , "earth village." Other sources say Sonoma comes from the Patwin tribes west of the Sacramento River , and their Wintu word for "nose". Per California Place Names , "the name is doubtless derived from a Patwin word for 'nose', which Padre Arroyo (Vocabularies, p. 22) gives as sonom ( Suisun )." Spaniards may have found an Indian chief with a prominent protuberance and applied

4488-710: The first newcomers to establish a permanent foothold in Sonoma County, with the Russian-American Company establishing Fort Ross on the Sonoma Coast in 1812. This settlement and its outlying Russian settlements came to include a population of several hundred Russian and Aleut settlers and a stockaded fort with artillery. However, the Russians abandoned it in 1841 and sold the fort to John Sutter , settler and Mexican land grantee of Sacramento . The Mission San Francisco Solano , founded in 1823 as

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4576-416: The fog later in the evening, the fog tends to be more short-lived, and mid-day temperatures are significantly higher than they are on the coast, typically in the low 80s F. This is particularly true for Petaluma, Cotati , and Rohnert Park , and, only slightly less so, Santa Rosa, Windsor , and Sebastopol . In large part, this results from lower elevations and the prominent Petaluma Gap in the hills between

4664-437: The fort. After agreeing to remain neutral during the remainder of the war with Mexico, Mariano was released on August 2, 1846, after "John Murphy had arrived at Sutter's Fort with Stockton's new orders on August 1," and arrived at Casa Grande a day or two later, weighing only 96 pounds. Salvador Vallejo and Jacob P. Leese were released about a week later. By the time of his release, Mariano was still uncertain about his stance in

4752-621: The higher elevations on and around the Mayacamas Mountains , particularly Mount Saint Helena , and Cobb Mountain , whose peak is in Lake County. Sonoma County is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, and has 76 miles (122 km) of coastline. The major coastal hydrographic features are Bodega Bay , the mouth of the Russian River, and the mouth of the Gualala River , at the border with Mendocino County . All of

4840-485: The immigrants detained in the mission and to give Marsh passports for those camped on his rancho. In 1842, the Federal Government replaced Vallejo and his nephew Alvarado with Manuel Micheltorena as both civil and military Governor of Alta California. Micheltorena arrived with the batallón fijo , a force of 300 pardoned criminals, who out of desperation at not being paid began to loot the population. In

4928-480: The last and northernmost of 21 California missions , is in the present City of Sonoma , at the northern end of El Camino Real . El Presidio de Sonoma , or Sonoma Barracks (part of Spain's Fourth Military District ), was established in 1836 by Comandante General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo . His duties included keeping an eye on the Russian traders at Fort Ross, secularizing the Mission, maintaining cooperation with

5016-593: The legal expenses to claim their lands, which were thus lost to wealthy Americans and the flood of immigrants, beginning with the Gold Rush , which left the Californios outnumbered and unable to protect their political power. At some time prior to 1869, Vallejo gave the Mexican land grant Rancho Suscol to his daughter, Epifania Guadalupe Vallejo, April 3, 1851, as a wedding present, when she married General John B. Frisbie . Jose Manuel Salvador Vallejo (1813–1876),

5104-690: The mission church later was torn down. In need of a church for the town he made, in 1840 Vallejo had a small chapel built where the original parish church was. He founded the town of Sonoma , and was granted Rancho Petaluma by Governor José Figueroa in 1834. In 1835 he was appointed Comandante of the Fourth Military District and Director of Colonization of the Northern Frontier, the highest military command in Northern California . Vallejo began construction of

5192-487: The mission. Vallejo's orders from Mexico City were clear. Americans entering Mexico without valid passports were to be sent back to the United States. However, after the Graham affair, Vallejo was reluctant to deport another group of Americans , especially those with skills useful for colonizing the northern frontier. These reasons, coupled with his disillusionment with the Mexican government , led Vallejo to grant passports to

5280-569: The moon" or "many moons". Their legends detail this as a land where the moon nestled, hence the names Sonoma Valley and the "Valley of the Moon." This translation was first recorded in an 1850 report by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo to the California Legislature. Jack London popularized it in his 1913 novel The Valley of the Moon . In the native languages there is also a constantly recurring ending tso-noma , from tso ,

5368-433: The natural carrying capacity of the land. Archaeological evidence of these First people includes a number of occurrences of rock carvings , especially in southern Sonoma County; these carvings often take the form of pecked curvilinear nucleated design. Spaniards , Russians , and other Europeans claimed and settled in the county from the late 16th to mid-19th century, seeking timber, fur, and farmland. The Russians were

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5456-421: The nickname of Chief Nose to the village and the territory. The name may have applied originally to a nose-shaped geographic feature. Jesse Sawyer argues that it is from Wappo tso-noma , meaning "redwood place." According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has an area of 1,768 square miles (4,580 km ), of which 1,576 square miles (4,080 km ) is land and 192 square miles (500 km ) (10.9%)

5544-444: The oak woodland habitat include Pacific madrone , Douglas fir , coast live oak , Garry oak , and California laurel . Common understory plants are toyon , poison oak , and, at the fringes, coast silk-tassel . Sonoma County, as is often the case with coastal counties in California, has a great degree of climatic variation and numerous, often very different, microclimates. Key determining factors for local climate are proximity to

5632-404: The ocean to the west and the Petaluma Valley and Santa Rosa Plain to the east. Areas north of Santa Rosa and Windsor, with larger elevations to the west and further from the fog path, tend to receive less fog and less summer marine influence. Healdsburg, to the north of Windsor, is less foggy and much warmer, with summer highs typically in the higher 80s to about 90 °F (32 °C). Sonoma and

5720-460: The ocean, elevation, and the presence and elevation of hills or mountains to the east and west. This is in large part due to the fact that, as throughout California, the prevailing weather systems and wind come normally from the Pacific Ocean, blowing in from the west and southwest, so that places closer to the ocean and on the windward side of higher elevations tend to receive more rain from autumn through spring and more summer wind and fog. This itself

5808-458: The other cities. Notably, however, the temperature differences among the different areas of the county are greatest for the highs during mid-day, with the diurnal lows much more even throughout the entire county. The lows are closely tied to the evening-morning cooling marine influence, in addition to elevation, bringing similarly cool temperatures to much of region. These weather patterns contribute to high diurnal temperature fluctuations in much of

5896-581: The present: Sonoma County was severely shaken by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake . The displacements along the fault averaged 15 feet (4.6 m). In October 2017, the county was greatly affected by the Tubbs Fire and the Nuns Fire . In late October and early November 2019, the Kincade Fire burned 77,758 acres (31,468 ha), almost all in Sonoma County. In August and September 2020,

5984-674: The principal streams draining the southern portion of the county. The Sonoma Valley is drained by Sonoma Creek, whose major tributaries are Yulupa Creek , Graham Creek , Calabazas Creek , Schell Creek, and Carriger Creek ; Arroyo Seco Creek is a tributary to Schell Creek. Other creeks include Foss, Felta, and Mill. Lakes and reservoirs in the county include Lake Sonoma, Tolay Lake , Lake Ilsanjo , Santa Rosa Creek Reservoir , Lake Ralphine , and Fountaingrove Lake . Like underwater parks, these marine protected areas help conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems. A number of endangered plants and animals are found in Sonoma County, including

6072-484: The prospect of being sent to Sutter's Fort did not worry him much. However, Frémont ordered they be kept prisoners in Sutter's Fort . Conditions for the prisoners were good, until Frémont discovered they were well fed and allowed to walk around the fort several times a day. He replaced the jailer, instructing the replacement to treat them "no better than any other prisoner". Mariano contracted malaria while being held at

6160-474: The rebels inside his quarters in the Casa Grande for a meal and drinks. The Americans proceeded to get drunk while negotiating with Vallejo a letter of capitulation that guaranteed that neither Vallejo nor his family would be taken prisoner, which he unopposedly signed. However, when the agreement was presented to those outside they refused to endorse it. Rather than releasing the Mexican officers under parole they insisted they be held as hostages. Although Vallejo

6248-415: The receiving water of a watershed where most of the county's human population lives, it is a landscape feature of critical importance to Sonoma County's water quality, flood control, and biodiversity. The Laguna's largest tributary is Santa Rosa Creek , which runs through Santa Rosa. Its major tributaries are Brush Creek , Mark West Creek, Matanzas Creek , Spring Creek , and Piner Creek . Santa Rosa Creek

6336-638: The remaining prisoners and began a court martial against Castro. Also assisting in the release of those caught up in the Graham Affair was American traveler Thomas J. Farnham . In 1841, Graham and 18 of his associates returned to Monterey, with new passports issued by the Mexican Federal Government. Also in 1841, the Russians at Fort Ross offered to sell the post to Vallejo. After several months of negotiations and delays by

6424-592: The situation, and in April the Californian military began arresting American and English immigrants, eventually detaining about 100 in the Presidio of Monterey. At the time, there were fewer than 400 foreigners from all nations in the department. Vallejo returned to Monterey and ordered Castro to take 47 of the prisoners to San Blas by ship, to be deported to their home countries. Under pressure from British and American diplomats, President Anastasio Bustamante released

6512-591: The sons of the Great Republic, whose enterprising spirit had filled us with admiration. Ill-advisedly, however, as some say, or dominated by a desire to rule without let or hindrance, as others say, they placed themselves under the shelter of a flag that pictured a bear, an animal that we took as the emblem of rapine and force. This mistake was the cause of all the trouble, for when the Californians saw parties of men running over their plains and forests under

6600-483: The state's Constitutional Convention , he was elected as a member of the first session of the State Senate in 1850. In 1843, he had been deeded title to Rancho Suscol . In 1850, he offered to donate 156 acres (0.6 km ) of that land to the new state government on which to build a capitol away from its cramped quarters in San Jose and also offered to pay for a considerable amount of the construction. The offer

6688-554: The summer. The coast itself is typically cool and moist throughout summer, often foggy, with fog generally blowing in during the late afternoon and evening until it clears in the later morning becoming sunny, before repeating. Coastal summer highs are typically in the mid to high 60s, warming to the low 70s further from the ocean. Certain inland areas, including the Petaluma area and the Santa Rosa Plain, are also prone to this normal fog pattern in general. However, they tend to receive

6776-497: The time of his death on January 18, 1890, Vallejo led a modest lifestyle on the last vestige of his once vast landholdings at his Lachryma Montis home in Sonoma, California . A few days after the first anniversary of her husband's death, Francisca Benicia Carrillo de Vallejo died on January 30, 1891. He is interred at the Mountain Cemetery in Sonoma . The city of Vallejo, California , founded by his son-in-law, and

6864-512: The upper Yulupa Creek and Spring Creek watersheds in Annadel State Park is a relatively undisturbed ecosystem with considerable biodiversity . These forested areas have been characterized as some of the best examples of such woodlands. An unusual characteristic of these forests is the high content of undisturbed prehistoric bunchgrass understory , testifying to the absence of historic grazing or other agriculture . Trees of

6952-555: The war. Because of his belief that California would thrive better with the United States, and that at this time, the Americans were in complete control of the northern area of California, he eventually sided with them. At his home, he showed his allegiance by burning his Mexican uniform in a dignified manner . Once the United States defeated Mexico in the war, Vallejo proved his allegiance to his new country by persuading wealthy Californios to accept American rule. An influential member of

7040-529: Was accepted by the new state legislature and signed into law by Governor John McDougall , convening in Vallejo , as the new city was named, for the first time in 1851. However, construction lagged, and state bureaucrats were confronted with inadequate, leaky buildings and a soggy location. Within three years, the state legislature and newly elected Governor John Bigler had authorized the capital's relocation three more times, to Sacramento , Benicia and finally

7128-517: Was born on 7 July 1807. His baptismal certificate, however, signed by Fr. Baltasar Carnicer states that he was baptized on 5 July 1807, and born the previous night (4 July 1807). Other sources state a birthdate of 7 July 1808. Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo's parents were at Santa Barbara Mission February 18, 1791. His paternal grandparents were Gerónimo Vallejo and Antonia Gómez, and his maternal grandparents were Francisco Lugo and Juana María Rita Martínez. His father's great grandfather, Pedro Vallejo,

7216-489: Was relatively remote. As a result, elements in the newer, rapidly growing towns of Petaluma , Santa Rosa, and Healdsburg began vying to move the county seat to their towns. The dispute ultimately was between the bigger, richer commercial town of Petaluma and the more centrally located, growing agricultural center of Santa Rosa. The fate was decided following an election for the state legislature in which James Bennett of Santa Rosa defeated Joseph Hooker of Sonoma and introduced

7304-470: Was replaced by Nicolás Gutiérrez , who was unpopular with the Californio population, resulting in an uprising headed by Juan Alvarado the next year. Alvarado tried to persuade Vallejo to join the uprising, but he declined to become involved. One hundred-seventy Californios led by José Castro and fifty Americans led by Isaac Graham marched on Monterey. After the rebels fired a single cannon shot into

7392-468: Was said to have served as viceroy of New Spain, although his name does not appear on the list of viceroys . Other documents show his paternal great grandfather to be Jose Inocencio Vallejo y Olvera Gordivar instead. Born 1656 in Tapatitlan de Morelos and died in 1770, father of Juan Lucas Vallejo de Cornejo y Ramirez (1688-1713), father of Geronimo Vallejo. Earlier Vallejo ancestors were said to include

7480-429: Was serving as the personal secretary to the new Governor of California, Luis Argüello , when news of Mexico's independence reached Monterey. Argüello enrolled Vallejo as a cadet in the Presidio company in 1824. After being promoted to corporal , Argüello appointed Vallejo to the diputación , the territorial legislature . He was promoted to alférez (equal to a modern army second lieutenant), and in 1829, Vallejo led

7568-546: Was shown to be polluted in Sonoma county first flush results. The boundary with Marin County runs from the mouth of the Estero Americano at Bodega Bay , up Americano Creek, then overland to San Antonio Creek and down the Petaluma River to its mouth at the northwest corner of San Pablo Bay , which adjoins San Francisco Bay . The southern edge of Sonoma County comprises the northern shore of San Pablo Bay between

7656-410: Was sympathetic to the advent of American rule, he deemed the perpetrators of the Bear Flag Revolt to be mere lowlife rabble. As he wrote in his five-volume history, if the men who hoisted the ' Bear Flag ' had raised the flag that Washington sanctified by his abnegation and patriotism, there would have been no war on the Sonoma frontier, for all our minds were prepared to give a brotherly embrace to

7744-446: Was taken over by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo. At first he gave some of the land to the native mission workers as ordered. But later he transferred all the land and building to own Rancho Petaluma Adobe of 44,000 acres in the Petaluma Valley. Vallejo laid out the town of Sonoma in 1835. He had a large plaza made in front of the old mission chapel. But then he took tiles from the church roof and put them on his own house. In poor shape

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