Located in the City of Petaluma on the banks of Adobe Creek sits the remains of the largest privately owned rancho in Northern California, Rancho Petaluma. The Petaluma River Valley had long been home of the Coast Miwok. The valley had a mild climate, abundant fresh water and wildlife, fertile soil and it’s proximity to the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean made the valley an ideal place for the Coast Miwok to settle. For centuries before European contact, the Coast Miwok lived in this resource rich area.
The establishment of Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma in 1823, forever changed the lives of the Coast Miwok in the area. Villages were emptied and the indigenous people became part of the mission system. Yet, the area north of San Francisco was sparsely populated for some time. That began to change with the establishment of Fort Ross, the Russian outpost on the coast in 1812. When Mexico became independent of Spain in 1821, foreign trade was tolerated and, in some cases, encouraged. However the new Mexican Republic became very wary of “foreign influence”. The passage of the Decree for the Secularization off the Missions of California by the Congress of the First Mexican Republic in 1833 was an attempt to lessen the Spanish influence of the mission system.
In 1834, Governor Jose Figueroa ordered Mariano G. Vallejo, the Commandant of the Presidio of San Francisco, to move north, secularize the mission of San Francisco de Solano in Sonoma, and establish a military presence north of San Francisco in order to counter Russian expansion from Fort Ross. Figueroa also granted Vallejo the initial 44,000 acres of what would become Rancho de Petaluma; partially as a reward for his service and partially to provide a means of support for the military presence north of San Francisco Bay.
Vallejo began construction on what would become his Petaluma Adobe in 1836. Rather than have numerous small building scattered over the rancho lands, Vallejo decided to build one large building to house workshops and living quarters. Construction, expansion and improvement continued over the next ten years and the Petaluma Adobe became the largest privately owned adobe building in California. At its height, Rancho Petaluma employed 600-2000 laborers including Californios, local Miwok, Hawaiians, and others. The primary economic activity was cattle ranching, but there was also sheep ranching, grain farming, a grist mill, a blacksmith’s shop, harvesting and weaving of wool, and candle making.
With the Bear Flag Revolt and the Mexican American War, the Rancho Petaluma became less and less profitable. General Vallejo sold and subdivided much of the land and in 1857 sold the remaining land and the building to William Whiteside. In 1859, Whiteside deeded the property to local attorney, William D. Bliss. In 1910, the Bliss family wanted to donate the adobe and seven acres of property to the City of Petaluma to be used as a public park. Petaluma Parlor #27 acquired the property in March of 1910 and maintained it until 1951 when it was deeded to the state.
The Adobe currently is in need of more restoration and it is open to the public. Various rooms hold authentic artifacts to illustrate what life was like during the Ranch Era. The Park hosts various school and living history groups during the year.
Getting there: From San Francisco: Take US 101N to Exit 472B to CA-116 East. Follow CA-116 East to the entrance to the park.
For further information please contact: Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park
3325 Adobe Road Petaluma, California 94954
(707) 762-4871
