Sonoma Plaza
About this property
Sonoma Plaza (Spanish: Plaza de Sonoma) is the central plaza of Sonoma, California. The plaza, the largest in California, was laid out in 1835 by Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, founder of Sonoma. This plaza is surrounded by many historical buildings, including the Mission San Francisco Solano, Captain Salvador Vallejo's Casa Grande, the Presidio of Sonoma, the Blue Wing Inn, and the Toscano Hotel. In the middle of the plaza, Sonoma's early 20th-century city hall, at the plaza's center and still in use, was designed and built with four identical sides in order not to offend the merchants on any one side of the plaza. The plaza is a National Historic Landmark and still serves as the town's focal point, hosting many community festivals and drawing tourists all year round. It provides a central tourist attraction. "The Plaza", as it is known, is the site of a huge Fourth of July celebration, with thousands of the town's inhabitants attending the festivities. It is also the location of the Farmer's Market, held every Tuesday in the summer. This location was where the Bear Flag Revolt took place in 1846, which led to the founding of the short lived Republic of California. "For many years, the site in Sonoma Plaza where the bear flag originally had been raised went unmarked. Largely through the efforts of the Native Sons of the Golden West, the legislature appropriated $5,000 for a monument to be placed there. The Native Sons of the Golden West raised $500 to prepare the site, put on dedication ceremonies, and to move the huge rock that serves as the pedestal from a mile away."
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Sonoma Plaza
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Questions about this property
When was Sonoma Plaza listed on the National Register?
Sonoma Plaza was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 2, 1975.
What type of historic resource is Sonoma Plaza?
Sonoma Plaza is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Sonoma Plaza a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Sonoma Plaza has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Sonoma Plaza?
The period of significance for Sonoma Plaza is recorded as the listed era.
Can I research the history near Sonoma Plaza?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Sonoma Plaza will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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An Aubrey US report for an address near Sonoma Plaza will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.