A tour of the historic towns and roads of Sonoma Valley
The 1,670 acres that are now Eldridge were purchased in 1889 from U.S. Senator William McPherson Hill.
Ryan Lely/ Sonoma Valley Sun
Even long term residents of Sonoma Valley are often unaware of the history of the areas they traverse daily. A few reminders of the past, such as the grand buildings of the Sonoma Developmental Center, the Sonoma Mission Inn or the lively tavern, Little Switzerland make us wonder what it was like when the railroads, and then horseless carriages, brought huge numbers of visitors to the Valley to experience all the delights here.
The Sonoma Valley has long enjoyed agricultural prosperity and an enviable climate. In the 1900s, resorts, inns and holiday getaways sprang up to service the flood of vacationers pouring into Sonoma for its natural healing waters and sunny weather. When Prohibition was passed, the 1920s and ‘30s became wilder and crowds changed from families to thrill-seekers. After the unruly heyday passed, the Valley once again became a tranquil area popular with residents and visitors for its scenery and the bounty of its fields and vineyards.
El Verano
The 19th-century railroad conglomerates did more than carry freight and passengers; they bought and developed land adjacent to their tracks, seeding new towns. El Verano was to be one of those endeavors: it was established in 1888. But by 1890, the grand plan had collapsed and investors pulled out. However, a steady stream of new residents discovered the area, starting businesses and farms, and El Verano began to flourish.
The nascent town did not escape the wildness of the post-Prohibition era, and many scandalous and hair-raising tales are told of those cyclone days. Characters such as Baby Face Nelson sought refuge there and the notorious madam Soledad Martinez Smith, known as “Spanish Kitty,” owned a house that became the scene of nightly trysts and gambling. The residence has since regained its respectability and is now a luxury vacation rental called Sonoma Rose Villa.
Arnold Drive
Grand Avenue was renamed for World War II Air Force General Henry Harley “Hap” (for his happy smile) Arnold after his death in 1950. Arnold, who first trained with the Wright Brothers, is considered the father of the modern U.S. Air Force, and was the leader of the Army Air Forces during World War II. He was a strong supporter of the formation of the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). His dream was to farm and after he retired, he planted fruits and vegetables and raised cattle at his home, Rancho Feliz, just west of Agua Caliente. His grandson, Robert Arnold, now runs Chandelle Winery in Sonoma.
Alma Spreckels, the heiress to the Spreckels sugar fortune and a consummate philanthropist, was responsible for building the Legion of Honor Museum — and for acquiring its collection of Rodins — and the Maritime Museum in San Francisco. She also owned a sprawling 2,100-acre ranch in Sonoma called Sobre Vista. The enclave attracted celebrities such as Bing Crosby, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin and John Barrymore. Her ranch was sold to developers in 1947 and subdivided.
During the Depression, she bought the golf course on Arnold Drive that was built as part of the original Sonoma Mission Inn and made major improvements to the 18-hole course. She later sold it to the first of several subsequent owners. Ironically, it is once again owned by the parent corporation of the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn.
The Springs
For centuries, the waters of Boyes Hot Springs, Fetter’s Hot Springs and Agua Caliente were regarded as medicinal and rejuvenating. As such, “The Springs” have always been an integral part of Sonoma’s lure, and in the early 1900s through the 1930s, family fun and entertainment grew up as an offshoot of the water’s popularity and the resort business exploded. The country air and lifestyle was a magnet for thousands of summer visitors, but over time, resorts were destroyed in devastating fires and the railroads suffered declines, thanks to the advent of the automobile.
(Remembrances of the Springs can be found in Gerald Hill’s columns in the Sun.)
Eldridge
Most people who take Arnold Drive through the Valley, transit the tree-lined street past the Sonoma Developmental Center, but few realize they are driving through Eldridge. The town was named for Oliver Eldridge, a ship’s captain who was appointed to find a suitable site for the facility. The 1,670 acres were purchased in 1889 from U.S. Senator William McPherson Hill for $51,000. The facility opened in 1891 and has expanded several times. Today, the center is the largest employer in the Sonoma Valley.
In the next segment of our tour of Valley locales, we will cross the old trestle bridge on our way north to Glen Ellen and Kenwood.
