Western Sonoma County Historical Society

Preserving the unique heritage of West Sonoma County

History Corner

The History Corner provides a monthly glimpse of the Western Sonoma County 50, 75, and 100 years ago.  They originally appeared in the Sonoma West Times beginning in 2011.  The SWT stopped publishing in April 2022 but we are still preparing the monthly article, currently published at SebastopolTimes.com. You may see prior articles at your local library or via newspapers.com.

  • The interior of Wohler’s Dry Goods store, taken during a “Sidewalk Sale”, circ. 1965. Clothing, shoes, fabric flats, and shoppers are seen. Western Sonoma County Historical Society photo collection.
    History Corner December 2022
    DECEMBER  1922FIRST COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE PROGRAM Sebastopol’s first community Christmas tree program begins at Lincoln Hall with a program put on by the Analy Union High School.  Santa Claus will […]
  • Group photo of Sebastopol Police Department, taken sometime between January 2, 1940 and August 2, 1941. Cars are parked in front of the City Hall and Police Department on Bodega Avenue. Left to right: Jim Morris, Chief Ed Foster and Bill Lawrence. Officers used their own vehicles and mounted red lights on front. L to R: Jim Morris, Chief Ed Foster, Bill Lawrence.
    History Corner November 2022
    november 1922RECORD CROWD AT SEBASTOPOL’S ARMISTICE DAY It was estimated that about ten thousand people gathered in this city to do honor to the boys who served overseas. The festivities […]
  • Boy and girl dressed in costume, possibly for Halloween. Black cat in baby doll stroller. Circ. 1920 William S. Borba Collection from Ed Trigiero.
    History Corner October 2022
    OCTOBER 1922CLOVERDALE’S STATE HIGHWAY CHRISTENED WITH TWO EVENTS Residents of Cloverdale were hosts last Saturday to prominent State officials and members of many civic organizations of this county, when they […]
  • Minor League Baseball Champions 1957 team photo. 1957 was the first year of Little League in Sebastopol and was sponsored by Bill Guanelle. Photo was taken at Ives Park with the old wooden bleachers in the background and chicken wire backstop. All the players are wearing Sebastopol Little League Clubs t-shirts and caps. (Note the misspelling of “Sebastopol” on the t-shirts.) Hand written in red on the photo are all the signed names of the players and the following: “We, The Cubs, are proud and honored to have you, Bill Guanelle, for our sponsor and your interest in the betterment of the youth of Sebastopol.” Pictured are: back row L-R: Coach Roy Camozzi, George Sheridan, Pete Hill, Richard Fye, Duane Kitchens and Charles Symes. Front row: L-R Stevie Fiori, Jerry Breuggmann, Stevie Powell, Donald Graham, Randy Hankins and Jimmy Breuggmann.
    History Corner September 2022
    September 1922FIRE ESCAPES BEING ERECTED AT HIGH SCHOOL Improvements at the Analy Union High School are being made by the board of trustees which lessen the danger to students in […]
  • Folk Singer Kate Wolf, as seen in a 2019 Gaye Lebaron Press Democrat article remembering her. Photo from the Press Democrat 1982 archives.
    History Corner August 2022
    august 1922CITY BOYS VS. GRATON BOYS ON THE BALL FIELD The Graton baseball team management won the toss over the locals in deciding the scene of the third and deciding […]
  • A 1972 Sebastopol Times newspaper photo clipping of a redwood ‘pod’ dwelling, built by Paul and Bruce Paddock of Living Spaces.
    History Corner July 2022
    JULY 1922TEACHERS TO DRIVE BUSSES Bids for furnishing the high school district with three school busses were opened by the board of trustees of the Analy Union High School. The […]
  • The Green Valley Railroad’s passenger car with people riding, being pulled by a 5 ton Plymouth on tracks installed by the Green Valley Railroad Corporation. The building behind the train is a wine storage house located on Packing House Road. Photo courtesy of Connie Graeber circ. 1972.
    History Corner June 2022
    JUNE  1922 VALLEY FORD CATTLE SHOW A GREAT SUCCESS The first Western Sonoma and Marin Dairy Cattle Show was held at Valley Ford over the weekend, and proved a great […]
  • 1951 Sebastopol Apple Blossom Princesses taken at the California State Capitol, Sacramento by McCurry Foto Co. Men from L-R: Earl Warren – Governor of California (VP nominee with Dewey in 1948 and later Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court), Curt Stange (Bank of Sonoma County), Harry Martin (Martin’s Nursery and Ed Herring (Best & Feaks Insurance). Young girls are L-R: Helen Inman, Kathleen Flaming, and Meredith Shelton. Unfortunately Kathleen and Meredith came down with Chicken Pox and were replaced with Peggy Osborn and Linda Miller. Helen Inman became Queen.
    History Corner May 2022
    may 1922 NEW PACKING HOUSE FOR UNION The directors of the Sebastopol Apple Growers’ Union decided to erect a new packing house at Trenton. The size will be 80 x […]
  • Business on North Main Street, Sebastopol circa 1940. Seen are Fleming’s Market, Metcalf Hardware, Stan’s Clothing Store, Appleton Bakery, Real Estate and Insurance office, Starr Furniture, Sprouse Reitz, and Rexall Drug Store.
    History Corner April 2022
    april 1922 STILLINGS TO OPEN NEW GROCERTERIA The new Grocerteria on Main Street is to be called Sebastopol Groceteria and will be the first venture of this nature to open […]
  • Lyons-Magnus Cherry processing plant was located at 6721 Sebastopol Avenue from 1953 to 1971. There were 20 brine tanks each holding 28,000 gallons of locally grown Royal Ann cherries. The cherries were put in a brine solution which takes out sugar and color and hardens the cherries. The cherries then go to the firm’s San Francisco plant for cooking and sweetening into Maraschino Cherries.
    History Corner March 2022
    MARCH 1922 WORLD’S CHAMPION TYPIST VISITS ANALY Mr. Oswald, one of the world’s champion typists, showed the pupils how to gain speed and accuracy.  He typed 136 words a minute.  […]
  • Analy High School Bus No. 1 parked in front of the Analy High School with students on board. Circ. 1920’s
    History Corner February 2022
    FEBRUARY 1922 CONTRACT TO HAUL PUPILS TO HIGH SCHOOL FROM FREESTONE Arthur L. Williams was the successful bidder for the contract to transport high school pupils to and from Freestone […]
  • The Starland Theater, 175 North Main Street, Sebastopol built in 1911, owned by Albert Huntley. In 1930 it converted to Vistaphone sound, becoming the first full-time sound theater. It closed in 1932. The building on the left is the IOOF hall and on the right is (partial) W.F. Fore’s Central Cigar, circ. 1926.
    History Corner January 2022
    JANUARY 1922 PLANT WIZARD BRINGS OUT NEW CREATIONS Luther Burbank has created a giant artichoke, at his experiment farm at Sebastopol, as large as six ordinary ones, containing sufficient nourishment […]
  • History Corner December 2021
    DECEMBER 1921 SEBASTOPOL FILM AT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Sunday night “The Home of the Gravenstein”, will be shown along with other fine pictures at the Congregational church.  This film has been […]
  • History Corner November 2021
    NOVEMBER 1921 RIGHTS OF WAY SECURED TO COMPLETE COTATI ROAD Through the efforts of the local Chamber of Commerce the securing of the right-of-way has been removed and the problem […]