Sonoma County, California 82117 225449589 2008-07-13T19:25:22Z 67.241.31.104 {{Infobox U.S. County| county = Sonoma County| state = California | seal = Sonoma County ca seal.png | map = California map showing Sonoma County.png| map size = 250| founded = 1850| seat = [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]] | area_total_sq_mi =1768 | area_land_sq_mi =1576 | area_water_sq_mi =192 | area percentage = 10.88% | census yr = 2000| pop = 458614 | density_km2 =112| web = www.sonoma-county.org }} '''Sonoma County''', located on the northern coast of [[California]], is one of the northernmost counties of the nine county Greater [[San Francisco Bay Area]], [[United States|U.S.]] Its population at the 2000 census was 458,614. Its largest city and [[county seat]] is [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]]. Sonoma is the southwestern county of California's [[Wine Country (California)|Wine Country]] region, which also includes [[Napa County|Napa]], [[Mendocino County|Mendocino]], and [[Lake County, California|Lake]] counties. It has thirteen approved [[American Viticultural Area]]s and over 250 wineries. In 2002 Sonoma County ranked as the thirty-second county in the United States in [[agricultural]] production.<ref>[http://www.sonoma-county.org/edb/pdf/2007/sonoma_county_indicators_2007.pdf Sonoma county Indicators: 2007]</ref> As early as 1920 Sonoma County was ranked as the eighth most agriculturally productive U.S county and a leading producer of poultry products, hops, grapes, prunes, apples, and dairy products,<ref>[http://www.scwa.ca.gov/about_us/history.php Sonoma County Flood Control and Water Conservation District: History]</ref> largely due to the abundance of high quality irrigation water. More than 7.4 million tourists visit each year, spending more than $1 billion in 2006. Sonoma County is the home of [[Sonoma State University]] and [[Santa Rosa Junior College]]. In earlier times, Sonoma County was the home to several distinct [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] [[tribe]]s, who lived within the [[carrying capacity]] of the land; by 1850, European [[settler|settlement]] had set a new direction that would prove to radically alter the course of [[land use]] and resource management of this region. As of 2007, Sonoma County has rich [[agricultural]] land, albeit now largely divided between two nearly [[monoculture|monocultural]] uses: [[grape]]s and pasturage. The voters have twice approved open space initiatives<ref>[http://www.sonoma-county.org/opensp/district/about.asp Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District]</ref> that have provided considerable funding for public acquisition of natural areas, preserving [[forest]]ed areas, [[coast]]al [[habitat]], and other open space. ==Geography and environment== [[Image:Hoodmtndown.jpg|thumb|250px|left|[[Hood Mountain]] with [[vineyard]]s in foreground.]] According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], Sonoma County has a total area of 1,768 [[square mile|sq&nbsp;mi]] (4,580 [[km²]]). 1,576 sq&nbsp;mi (4,082 km²) is land, and 192 sq&nbsp;mi (498 km²) (10.88%) is water. Adjacent counties are [[Marin County, California|Marin]] (to the south), [[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino]] (to the north), [[Lake County, California|Lake]] (northeast), [[Napa County, California|Napa]] (to the east), and [[Solano County, California|Solano]] and [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa]] (to the southeast). The county lies in the [[California Coast Ranges|North Coast Ranges]] of northwestern California. Its ranges include the [[Mayacamas Mountains|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 is [[Hood Mountain]]. It has uncommon occurrences of [[pygmy forest]], dominated by [[Mendocino Cypress]]. The highest peak of the Sonoma Mountains is [[Sonoma Mountain]] itself, which boasts two significant public access properties: [[Jack London State Historic Park]] and [[Fairfield Osborn Preserve]]. Distinct habitat areas within the county include oak [[woodland]], [[Sequoia|redwood forest]], [[northern coastal scrub]], [[grassland]], [[marsh]]land, oak [[savanna]] and [[riparian zone|riparian woodland]]. The [[California oak woodland]] in 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.<ref>[http://www.parks.sonoma.net/Annadel.html Annadel State Park facts]</ref> An unusual characteristic of these forests is the high content of undisturbed prehistoric [[bunch grass]] [[understory]], testifying to the absence of historic [[grazing]] or other [[agriculture]]. Trees of the oak woodland habitat include [[Pacific Madrone]], [[Douglas-fir|Douglas fir]], [[Coast Live Oak]], [[Garry Oak|Garry oak]] and [[California laurel]]. Common understory plants are [[toyon]], [[poison oak]], and at the fringes [[Garrya elliptica|coast silk-tassel]]. ===Threatened/endangered species=== [[Image:Raildumbartrazorback.jpg|thumb|200px|[[California Clapper Rail]], a native of the [[Napa Sonoma Marsh]].]] A number of endangered plants and animals are found in Sonoma County including the [[California clapper rail]], [[Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse]], [[Northern Red-legged Frog]], [[Sacramento splittail]], [[California freshwater shrimp]], [[Showy Indian clover]] and [[Hickman's potentilla]]. Species of special local concern include the [[California Tiger Salamander]] 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 (ecology)|endemic]] to Sonoma County include Sebastopol Meadowfoam, Sonoma Sunshine, and [[Pitkin Marsh lily]], ''Lilium pardalinum'' subsp ''Pitkinense''. The Sonoma County Water Agency has had a Fisheries Enhancement Program since 1996. Its website says [http://www.scwa.ca.gov/environment/natural_resources/fisheries_enhancement.php]: :"The primary focus of the FEP is to enhance habitat for three [[salmonid]]s: [[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." ===National [[protected area]]=== * [[San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge]] (part) ===Ocean, bays, rivers and streams=== [[Image:Russian River mouth on California coast.jpeg|thumb|left|220px|[[Goat Rock Beach]] as viewed from the Jenner Cliffs looking south, showing the mouth of the [[Russian River (California)|Russian River]] at the [[Pacific Ocean]].]] Sonoma County is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, and has 76 miles of coastline. The major coastal hydrographic features are [[Bodega Bay]], the mouth of the [[Russian River (California)|Russian River]], and the mouth of the [[Gualala River]], at the border with [[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino County]]. Six of the county's nine cities, from [[Healdsburg, California|Healdsburg]] south through [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]] to Rohnert Park and Cotati, are in the Santa Rosa Plain. The northern Plain drains to the Russian River, or a tributary; the southern Plain drains to the Russian River via the [[Laguna de Santa Rosa]]. ====Russian River==== Much of central and northern Sonoma County 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 Russian flows south from the lake through Mendocino to Sonoma County, paralleled by Highway 101. It turns west at [[Healdsburg, California|Healdsburg]], receiving water from [[Lake Sonoma]] via [[Dry Creek, Sonoma County|Dry Creek]], and empties into the Pacific Ocean at [[Jenner, California|Jenner]]. ====Laguna de Santa Rosa==== The [[Laguna de Santa Rosa]] is the largest tributary of the Russian River.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} 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 km²). It drains a 254 square mile (658 km²) watershed, including most of the Santa Rosa Plain. The Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation says [http://www.lagunadesantarosa.org/ecology.html], :"The Laguna de Santa Rosa 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 km²) and comprised of a mosaic of creeks, open water, perennial marshes, seasonal wetlands, riparian forests, oak woodlands and grasslands. ... As 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]]. ====Other water bodies==== 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 (Marin County, California)|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 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]]. however, and at the present there is only a private marina with related facilities called [[Port Sonoma]] near the mouth of the [[Petaluma River]]. However, the [[Petaluma River]] which flows into San Pablo Bay, is navigable up to the city of [[Petaluma]]. 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 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 tributary to Schell Creek. Lakes and reservoirs in the county include [[Lake Sonoma]], [[Tolay Lake]], [[Lake Ilsanjo]], [[Santa Rosa Creek Reservoir]], [[Lake Ralphine]], and [[Fountaingrove Lake]]. ====Climate==== 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/hortic/sonoma_county_climate.pdf|title=Sonoma County Climatic Zones|accessdate=2007-11-30|publisher=University of California Cooperative Extension}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|url=http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/hortic/pdf/climate_location_data.pdf|title=Climate data for various locations in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake and Marin counties, California|first=Rip|last=Forrey|accessdate=2007-11-30|publisher=University of California Cooperative Extension Sonoma County}}</ref> Key determining factors for local climate are proximity to 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 wind and fog in summer. This itself 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 air 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 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 to be sunny, before repeating. Coastal summer highs are typically in the high 60s to low 70s, being warmer the 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. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/hortic/pdf/climate_location_data.pdf|title=Climate data for various locations in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake and Marin counties, California|first=Rip|last=Forrey|accessdate=2007-11-30|publisher=University of California Cooperative Extension Sonoma County}}</ref> However, they tend to receive the fog later in the evening, the fog tends to be more short-lived, and mid-day tempertatures 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, California|Santa Rosa]], [[Windsor, California|Windsor]], and [[Sebastopol, California|Sebastopol]]. In large part this results from lower elevations and the prominant [[Petaluma Gap]] in the hills between 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 much less foggy and much warmer, with summer highs typically in the higher 80s to about 90 F. [[Sonoma, California|Sonoma]] and the Sonoma Valley, east of Petaluma, are are similar, with highs typically in the very high 80s F to 90 F. This is in part due to the prsence of the [[Sonoma Mountains]] between Petaluma and Sonoma. [[Cloverdale, California|Cloverdale]] far to the north out 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 much more frequently than the other cities. Notably, however, the temperature differences 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 the county. In summer, daily lows and highs are typically 30-40 degress F apart in land, 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. Healdsburg and Sonoma, with similar lows, have even greater diurnal fluctuations due to their significantly warmer highs. On the other hand, 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 a fair amount of rain, with much of the county receiving between about 25 inches, comparable to areas such as Sonoma and Petaluma, and roughly 30 inches 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 inches of rain a year, with annual rain occasionally going as high as 70 inches. Nearby Cazadero typically receives about 72 inches of rain a year, many times has reached over 100 inches a year, and sometimes over 120 inches of rain a year. The [[Cazadero]] region is the second wettest place in California after [[Gasquet, California|Gasquet]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=local&id=4058640 |title=Rainiest Town In The Bay Area Up For Sale |accessdate=2007-12-13 |last=Freedman |first=Wayne |date=2006-04-05 |publisher=[[KGO-TV]] News}}</ref> Snow is exceedingly rare in Sonoma County except in the higher elevations on and around the [[Mayacamas Mountains]], particularly [[Mount Saint Helena]] and [[Lake County]]'s nearby [[Cobb Mountain]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Subsection M261Be Konocti Flows|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/projects/ecoregions/m261be.htm|accessdate=2007-10-07|publisher=USDA, Forest Service}}</ref> ==History== Sonoma County has a rich and varied history. It contains many [[List of California Historical Landmarks|historical monuments]] and for many years in the 19th and early 20th centuries was a leading center of commerce, agriculture, population, and even politics, before other parts of the state surpassed it in importance. The [[Pomo]], [[Coast Miwok]] and [[Wappo]] peoples were the earliest human settlers of Sonoma County, between 5000 to 8000 BC, effectively living within the natural [[carrying capacity]] of the land. [[Spain|Spaniards]], [[Russia]]ns, and other [[Europe]]ans claimed and settled in the county from the late 16th to mid 19th century, seeking timber, fur, and farmland. The Russians were 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]]. [[Image:FortRoss-chapel-reconstructed.jpg|thumb|right|220px| Fort Ross, Sonoma County, established by the Russians in 1812.]] The [[Mission San Francisco Solano]], founded in 1823 as the last and northernmost of 21 [[Spanish Missions of California|California missions]], is in the present City of Sonoma, at the northern end of [[El Camino Real]]. [[Presidio of Sonoma|El Presidio de Sonoma]], or Sonoma Barracks (part of Spain's [[Spanish missions in California#Military Districts|''Fourth Military District'']]), was established in 1836 by Comandante General [[Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo]]. His duties included keeping an eye on the [[Russia]]n traders at [[Fort Ross]], secularizing the Mission, maintaining cooperation with 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 [[California Republic|Bear Flag Revolt]] in 1846. Sonoma was one of the original counties formed when California became a state in 1850 with its [[county seat]] originally the town of [[Sonoma]]. However, by the early 1850s the town of Sonoma had declined in importance in terms of both commerce and population, its county buildings were crumbling, and it was relatively remote. As a result, elements in the newer, rapidly growing towns of [[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]], [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]], and [[Healdsburg, California|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 a bill that ultimately resulted in Santa Rosa being confirmed as county seat in 1854<ref>[http://www.calarchives4u.com/history/sonoma/1880-382.htm Sonoma County History]</ref>. 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<ref>[http://users.ap.net/~chenae/socohist.html History of Sonoma County ]</ref>. Early post-1847 settlement and development focused primarily on 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 markest, by 1854 Petaluma had grown into a bustling centre of trade, taking advantage of its position in the river near a region of highly productive agricultural land that was being settled. Soon, other inland town, 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 the 1860s, remained the primary commercial, transit, and break-of-bulk point for people and goods in the region. After the arrival of the railroad, Santa Rosa in particular began to boom, soon equalling and then surpassing Petaluma as the regional population and commercial centre. Six nations have claimed Sonoma County from 1542 to the present: {| class="wikitable" |- |[[Image:Flag of New Spain.svg|border|left|40px|]] |[[Spanish Empire]], 1542, by sea, voyage of [[Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo]] as far as the [[Russian River (California)|Russian River]]. Later validated by voyage of [[Sebastián Vizcaíno]], 1602. |- |[[Image:Flag of England.svg|border|left|40px|]] |[[Kingdom of England]], June 1579, voyage of the [[Golden Hind]] under Captain [[Francis Drake]] at [[Bodega Bay]] (exact location disputed). |- |[[Image:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|border|left|40px|]] |[[Spanish Empire]], October 1775, the Sonora at [[Bodega Bay]], under Lt. [[Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra]] until 1821, when [[Mexico]] gained Independence from [[Spain]]. |- |[[Image:Flag of Russia.svg|border|left|40px|]] |[[Russian Empire]], by [[Russian-American Company]] expedition led by [[Fort Ross|Ivan Alexandrovich Kuskov]], the founder of [[Fort Ross]] and, from 1812 to 1821, its colonial administrator. Note: There is an overlap of rule with the Mexican Empire (next item), until the [[Russians]] sold [[Fort Ross]] in 1841 to [[John Sutter]], before leaving the area in 1842. |- |[[Image:Flag of Mexico 1821.png|border|left|40px|]] |[[First Mexican Empire]], [[24 August]] 1821, under [[Agustín de Iturbide|Emperor Agustin Iturbide]] (October 1822, probable time new flag raised in California) until 1823. |- |[[Image:Flag of Mexico (1823-1864, 1867-1968).png|border|left|40px|]] |[[Mexico|Mexican Republic]], 1823 until June 1846. |- |[[Image:1stBearFlag.svg|border|left|40px|]] |[[California Republic]], [[14 June]] 1846 until [[9 July]] 1846. |- |[[Image:Flag of the United States.svg|border|left|40px|]] |[[United States of America]], [[History of California|9 July 1846]] to present. |} ==Etymology== [[Image:Edward S. Curtis Collection People 100.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Pomo]] girl photographed by [[Edward S. Curtis]] in 1924.]] According to the book ''California Place Names'', "The name of the Indian tribe is mentioned in baptismal records of 1815 as ''Chucuines o Sonomas'', by Chamisso in 1816 as ''Sonomi'', and repeatedly in Mission records of the following years." <ref name="Gudde">{{cite book|title=California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names|first=Erwin Gustav|last=Gudde|coauthors=William Bright|year=1998|location=Berkeley | publisher=University of California Press|id=ISBN 0-520-21316-5|edition=Second Edition|pages=Pg. 370}}</ref> According to the [[Coast Miwok]] and the [[Pomo people|Pomo]] tribes that lived in the region, Sonoma translates "valley of 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]]. [[Sonoma County, California#Sources|(May,''Indian Country'')]] This translation was first recorded in an 1850 report by General [[Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo]] to the California Legislature. ([[Sonoma County, California#Sources|Hanna, p. 311]]). [[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'', the earth; and ''noma'', village; hence ''tsonoma'', ‘earth village’.<ref>Alfred Louis Kroeber, ''Handbook of the Indians of California'', Dover Publications, New York City, N.Y. (1976)</ref> Other sources say Sonoma comes from the Patwin tribes west of the [[Sacramento River]], and their [[Wintu language|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)." Bowman (CFQ 5:300-302 [1946]) theorizes that Spaniards found an Indian chief with a prominent protuberance and applied the nickname of ''Chief Nose'' to the village and the territory (cf. [[Alfred L. Kroeber]], AAE 29:354 [1932]). Beeler believes the name applied originally to a nose-shaped geographic feature (WF 13:268-72 [1954])<ref name="Gudde">{{cite book|title=California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names|first=Erwin Gustav|last=Gudde|coauthors=William Bright|year=1998|location=Berkeley | publisher=University of California Press|id=ISBN 0-520-21316-5|edition=Second Edition|pages=Pg. 370}}</ref>. ==Demographics== At the 2000 [[census]]{{GR|2}}, there were 458,614 people, 172,403 households, and 112,406 families in Sonoma County. The [[population density]] was 291/sq&nbsp;mi (112/km²). There were 183,153 housing units at an average density of 116/sq&nbsp;mi (45/km²). The racial makeup was 81.60% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 1.42% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 1.18% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 3.07% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.20% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 8.44% of [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.09% of two or more races. 17.34% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 12.1% were of [[german people|German]], 10.6% [[irish people|Irish]], 9.8% [[english people|English]] and 8.9% [[italian people|Italian]] ancestry according to [[Census 2000]]. 80.4% spoke [[English language|English]] and 13.8% [[Spanish language|Spanish]] as their first language. Of the 172,403 households, 50.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 34.80% were non-families, and 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present. 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.70% were individuals, and 10.00% were 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 2.60, and the average family size was 3.12. The median age was 38 years. 24.50% were under 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94 males. The median household income was $53,076, and the median family income was $61,921. Males had a median income of $42,035, females $32,022. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $25,724. About 4.70% of families and 8.10% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over. ==Government== Sonoma County's governing board and legislative body is a five-member Board of Supervisors [http://www.sonoma-county.org/board/index.htm]. Supervisors are elected by district [http://www.sonoma-county.org/board/district.htm] at the Consolidated Primary Election, and serve for four years. The Supervisors also sit as directors of several local jurisdictions, such as the Water Agency [http://www.scwa.ca.gov/], and Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District [http://www.sonomaopenspace.org/]. Three current Supervisors were elected in 2004: Valerie Brown (1st District), Tim Smith (3rd District), and Mike Reilly (5th District); and two in 2006: Mike Kerns (2nd District) and Paul L. Kelley (4th District). Supervisor Brown is the current Chairwoman. The Supervisors appoint the members of 59 boards, commissions, and committees [http://www.sonoma-county.org/board/maddy/list.asp]. The County Administrator [http://www.sonoma-county.org/CAO/index.htm] is the county's chief executive officer, reporting to the Board of Supervisors. The administrator (currently Bob Deis) manages the county's departments, such as the [[Sonoma County Regional Parks Department|regional parks department]]. ==Cities and towns== Sonoma County has nine incorporated municipalities. [[Image:Downtown_Santa_Rosa.JPG|thumb|right|220px| Downtown Santa Rosa, county seat of Sonoma County since 1854.]] [[Image:Petaluma CA Street.jpg|thumb|right|220px| Downtown Petaluma.]] {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Incorporated communities !! Population<ref>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation|title=Population Finder|publisher=U.S. Census|accessdate=2007-12-27}}</ref> |- | [[Cloverdale, California|City of Cloverdale]] || 8,129 |- | [[Cotati, California|City of Cotati]] || 7,170 |- | [[Healdsburg, California|City of Healdsburg]] || 10,961 |- | [[Petaluma, California|City of Petaluma]] || 54,660 |- | [[Rohnert Park, California|City of Rohnert Park]] || 41,083 |- | [[Santa Rosa, California|City of Santa Rosa]] || 154,212 |- | [[Sebastopol, California|City of Sebastopol]] || 7,557 |- | [[Sonoma, California|City of Sonoma]] || 9,897 |- | [[Windsor, California|Town of Windsor]] || 25,294 |} {|class="wikitable" ! Unincorporated communities A-C ! Unincorporated communities D-G ! Unincorporated communities H-N ! Unincorporated communities O-Z |- |valign="top"| *[[Agua Caliente, California|Agua Caliente]] *[[Asti, California|Asti]] *[[Bloomfield, California|Bloomfield]] *[[Bodega, California|Bodega]] *[[Bodega Bay, California|Bodega Bay]] *[[Bodega Harbour, California|Bodega Harbour]] *[[Boyes Hot Springs, California|Boyes Hot Springs]] *[[Bridgehaven, California|Bridgehaven]] *[[Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California|Buena Vista]] *[[Cadwell, California|Cadwell]] *[[Camp Meeker, California|Camp Meeker]] *[[Carmet, California|Carmet]] *[[Carneros]] *[[Cazadero, California|Cazadero]] *[[Cozzens Corners, California|Cozzens Corners]] *[[Cunningham, California|Cunningham]] |valign="top"| *[[Diamond A Ranch, California|Diamond A Ranch]] *[[Duncans Mills, California|Duncans Mills]] *[[El Verano, California|El Verano]] *[[Eldridge, California|Eldridge]] *[[Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, California|Fetters Hot Springs<br>-Agua Caliente]] *[[Forestville, California|Forestville]] *[[Freestone, California|Freestone]] *[[Fulton, California|Fulton]] *[[Geysers, California|The Geysers]] *[[Geyserville, California|Geyserville]] *[[Glen Ellen, California|Glen Ellen]] *[[Graton, California|Graton]] *[[Guerneville, California|Guerneville]] *[[Guernewood Park, California|Guernewood Park]] |valign="top"| *[[Hacienda, California|Hacienda]] *[[Hessel, California|Hessel]] *[[Jenner, California|Jenner]] *[[Jimtown, California|Jimtown]] *[[Kellogg, California|Kellogg]] *[[Kenwood, California|Kenwood]] *[[Lakeville, California|Lakeville]] *[[Larkfield-Wikiup, California|Larkfield-Wikiup]] *[[Lytton, California|Lytton]] *[[Mark West, California|Mark West]] *[[Mark West Springs]] *[[Mercuryville, California|Mercuryville]] *[[Mesa Grande, California|Mesa Grande]] *[[Mirabel Park, California|Mirabel Park]] *[[Mission Highlands, California|Mission Highlands]] *[[Monte Rio, California|Monte Rio]] |valign="top"| *[[Occidental, California|Occidental]] *[[Penngrove, California|Penngrove]] *[[Rio Dell, Sonoma County, California|Rio Dell]] *[[Rio Nido, California|Rio Nido]] *[[Rolands, California|Rolands]] *[[Roseland, California|Roseland]] *[[Salmon Creek, California|Salmon Creek]] *[[Schellville, California|Schellville]] *[[Sea Ranch, California|Sea Ranch]] *[[Serena del Mar, California|Serena del Mar]] *[[Soda Springs, Sonoma County, California|Soda Springs]] *[[Temelec, California|Temelec]] *[[Two Rock, California|Two Rock]] *[[Valley Ford, California|Valley Ford]] *[[Venada, California|Venada]] *[[Vineburg, California|Vineburg]] |} ===Adjacent counties=== *[[Mendocino County, California]] - north *[[Lake County, California]] - northeast *[[Napa County, California]] - east *[[Solano County, California]] - southeast *[[Marin County, California]] -south *[[Contra Costa County, California]] - southeast (across San Pablo Bay) ==Places of interest== [[Image:Tolaylakefromthesouth.jpg|thumb|330px|[[Tolay Lake Regional Park]]]] * [[Sonoma Coast State Beach]] <ref>[http://www.sonoma-county.org/parks/ Sonoma County Regional Parks Official Site]</ref>, including Arched Rock Beach, Gleason Beach and [[Goat Rock Beach]]. * [[Bodega Bay]] * [[Fort Ross]], former Russian fur trade outpost * [[Luther Burbank]] [[Luther Burbank Home and Gardens|Home and Gardens]], in [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]] * [[Luther Burbank]] [[Luther Burbank's Gold Ridge Experiment Farm|Gold Ridge Experiment Farm]], in [[Sebastopol, California|Sebastopol]] * [[Lake Sonoma]] * [[Tolay Lake|Tolay Lake Regional Park]] * [[Jack London State Historic Park]], author Jack London's ''Beauty Ranch'', in [[Glen Ellen, California|Glen Ellen]] * [[Rancho Petaluma Adobe]], [[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]] * [[Mission San Francisco Solano]], across from Sonoma Plaza, [[Sonoma, California|Sonoma]] * [[Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve]] ==Transportation infrastructure== ===Major highways=== [[Image:US 101 (CA).svg|23px]] [[U.S. Route 101 (California)|U.S. Route 101]] U.S. Route 101 is the westernmost [[United States Numbered Highways|Federal highway]] in the U.S.A. Running north/south through the states of California, [[Oregon]], and Washington, it generally parallels the coastline from the [[United States–Mexico border|Mexican border]] to the [[Canada – United States border|Canadian 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 almost its entire length within the county, except for the section south of Petaluma. The four-lane highway has been heavily congested during peak commute hours for many years. The section between Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park was recently widened to six lanes; and widening within Santa Rosa, between Highway 12 and Steele Lane, is nearing completion in 2008. The two new inner lanes are designated for [[High-occupancy_vehicle|vehicles with two or more occupants]] during commute hours. [[Image:California 1.svg|20px]] [[California State Route 1|State Route 1]] Within Sonoma County, Highway 1 follows the coastline from the Mendocino County border, at the mouth of the Gualala River, to the Marin County border, at the Estero Americano ([[Americano Creek]]), east of Bodega Bay. [[Image:California 12.svg|20px]] [[California State Route 12|State Route 12]] Highway 12 runs eastward from its intersection with Highway 116 in Sebastopol to Santa Rosa. There it turns south through the Valley of the Moon to Sonoma, then east into Napa County. The four-lane freeway section within Santa Rosa, between Fulton Road and Farmers Lane, is called the Luther Burbank Memorial Highway. That section, especially where it crosses Highway 101, is severely congested during peak commute hours. The two-lane Bodega Highway runs west from the intersection of Highways 12 and 116 in Sebastopol, through the coastal hills to its intersection with Highway 1, east of Bodega Bay. East of Santa Rosa, Highway 12 is also called Sonoma Highway; and east of Sonoma, Carneros Highway. [[Image:California 37.svg|20px]] [[California State Route 37|State Route 37]] Highway 37 connects Highway 101 at Novato, in Marin County, with Interstate 80 in Vallejo, in Solano County, at the top of San Pablo Bay. Within Sonoma County, it is also called Sears Point Road. [[Image:California 116.svg|20px]] [[California State Route 116|State Route 116]] Highway 116 is a winding, two-lane rural route that runs from Jenner, at the mouth of the Russian River on the coast, southeast to Arnold Drive near Sonoma. It is also called Guerneville Highway, between Guerneville and Forestville; Gravenstein Highway North, between Forestville and Sebastopol; and Gravenstein Highway South, between Sebastopol and Stony Point Road, west of Rohnert Park. East of Petaluma it is Lakeville Highway, then Stage Gulch Road. [[Image:California 128.svg|20px]] [[California State Route 128|State Route 128]] The northernmost section of Highway 128 is a two-lane rural route running southeast from Highway 101 at Geyserville, north of Healdsburg, through the Alexander Valley into Napa County. ===Public transportation=== *[[Sonoma County Transit]] is the countywide transit operator, providing service to all cities in Sonoma County. *Santa Rosa Transit provides bus routes in and near the city of Santa Rosa. *The cities of [[Healdsburg, California|Healdsburg]] and [[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]] also provide their own local bus service. *[[Golden Gate Transit]] connects Santa Rosa and points south with Marin County and San Francisco. *[[Mendocino Transit Authority]] runs north from Santa Rosa to Ukiah (via US 101) and to the coast (via California Routes 12 and 1). [[Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit]]/SMART [http://www.sonomamarintrain.org/] is a proposed commuter rail system between [[Larkspur, CA|Larkspur]] in [[Marin County]] and [[Cloverdale, CA|Cloverdale]] in Sonoma. A sales tax surcharge measure to finance it narrowly failed in the 2006 election, and the SMART directors are considering a new measure sometime in 2008. ===Airports=== *The [[Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport]][http://www.sonomacountyairport.org/] is at 2290 Airport Boulevard, west of Highway 101, between Santa Rosa and Windsor. Its main runway is 5,115 feet (1559 m) long and 150 feet (46 m) wide, and can accommodate planes up to 95,000 pounds (43,000 kg) maximum gross take off weight. It offers fuel, major maintenance, [[hangar]] space, and tie-downs for local and transient [[aircraft]]. [[Horizon Air]], of Seattle, Washington, offers regular daily commercial flights from Sonoma County to [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]], [[Portland, Oregon| Portland]], and [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]]. Horizon flies 74-seat, Bombardier Q400 [[turboprop]] planes. *[[Healdsburg Municipal Airport]] *[[Petaluma Municipal Airport]]<ref>[http://www.airnav.com/airport/O69 Petaluma Municipal Airport: United States Federal Aviation Administration Data]</ref> *[[Sonoma Skypark]] <ref>[http://www.sonomaskypark.com/ Sonoma Skypark LLC]</ref> *[[Sonoma Valley Airport]]<ref>[http://www.airnav.com/airport/0Q3 Sonoma Valley Airport: United States Federal Aviation Administration Data]</ref> ==Economy== Forbes Magazine ranked the Santa Rosa metropolitan area--essentially the entire county--185th out of 200, on its 2007 list of Best Places For Business And Careers [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/1/07bestplaces_Best-Places-For-Business-And-Careers_land.html]. It was second on the list five years before. Sonoma County was downgraded because of an increase in the cost of doing business, and reduced job growth--both blamed on increases in the cost of housing. ===Viticulture=== [[Image:Vineyardsonomamtn.jpg|thumb|220px|[[Vineyard]] on northwest flank of [[Sonoma Mountain]].]] {{main|Sonoma County wine}} [[Winemaking]]—both the growing of the grapes and their vinting—is an important part of the economic and cultural life of Sonoma County. In 2004, growers harvested 165,783 [[short ton|tons]] (150,396 [[tonne]]s) of wine grapes worth [[US$]]310 million. In 2006 the Sonoma County grape harvest amounted to over 185,000 tons, exceeding [[Napa County]]'s harvest by over 30 percent.<ref>[http://www.sonomawine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=335544383&Itemid= Year 2006 Sonoma County grape harvest statistics: Sonoma County Vintners associaiation]</ref> About 80 percent of non-pasture agricultural land in the county is for growing wine grapes&mdash;59,973 acres (242.70 km²) of [[vineyard]]s, with over 1100 growers. The most common varieties planted are [[Chardonnay]], [[Cabernet Sauvignon]], and [[Pinot Noir]], though the area is also known for its [[Merlot]] and [[Zinfandel]]. Sonoma County is home to more than 250 wineries with eleven distinct and two shared [[American Viticultural Area]]s, including the [[Sonoma Valley AVA]], [[Russian River Valley AVA]], [[Alexander Valley AVA]], [[Bennett Valley AVA]] and [[Dry Creek (Sonoma County, California)|Dry Creek Valley AVA]], the last of which is known for the production of high-quality [[zinfandel]]s. ===Tourism=== {{main|Wine Country (California)}} In addition, the county's tolerant political environment have made the [[Guerneville]] area along the [[Russian River]] the home of a number of gay and lesbian resorts, which have catered to the San Francisco [[LGBT]] weekend-getaway community since the 1970s. == Politics == {| align="right" border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |+ '''Presidential election results''' |- bgcolor=lightgrey ! Year ! [[Democratic Party (United States)|DEM]] ! [[Republican Party (United States)|GOP]] ! Others |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''[[United States presidential election, 2004|2004]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''67.2%''' ''148,261'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|30.9% ''68,204'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|1.9% ''4,225'' |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''[[United States presidential election, 2000|2000]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''59.5%''' ''117,295'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|32.3% ''63,529'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|8.2% ''16,182'' |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''[[United States presidential election, 1996|1996]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''55.6%''' ''100,738'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|29.5% ''53,555'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|14.9% ''27,004'' |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''[[United States presidential election, 1992|1992]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''52.8%''' ''104,334'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|24.1% ''47,619'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|23.1% ''45,738'' |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''[[United States presidential election, 1988|1988]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''56.5%''' ''91,262'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|41.9% ''67,725'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|1.6% ''2,596'' |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''[[United States presidential election, 1984|1984]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|47.6% ''71,295'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''51.1%''' ''76,447'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|1.3% ''1,915'' |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''[[United States presidential election, 1980|1980]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|36.2% ''45,596'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''48.2%''' ''60,722'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|15.6% ''19,667'' |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''[[United States presidential election, 1976|1976]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|47.5% ''50,353'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''47.7%''' ''50,555'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|4.8% ''5,044'' |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''[[United States presidential election, 1972|1972]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|41.5% ''43,746'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''54.7%''' ''57,697'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|3.8% ''3,991'' |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''[[United States presidential election, 1968|1968]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|43.0% ''33,587'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''48.8%''' ''38,088'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|8.2% ''6384'' |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''[[United States presidential election, 1964|1964]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''61.5%''' ''44,354'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|38.4% ''27,677'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|0.2% ''105'' |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''[[United States presidential election, 1960|1960]] |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|45.5% ''29,147'' |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''54.1%''' ''34,641'' |align="center" bgcolor="#f0fff0"|0.4% ''244'' |- |} Sonoma is a strongly Democratic county in [[President of the United States|Presidential]] and [[United States Congress|congressional]] elections. The last Republican to win a majority in the county was [[Ronald Reagan]] in [[United States presidential election, 1984|1984]]. Sonoma is part of California's [[California's 1st congressional district|1st]] and [[California's 6th congressional district|6th]] congressional districts, which are held by Democrats [[Mike Thompson]] and [[Lynn Woolsey]], respectively. In the [[California State Assembly|State Assembly]], Sonoma is in the 1st 6th, and 7th districts, which are held by Democrats [[Patty Berg (politician)|Patty Berg]], [[Jared Huffman]], and [[Noreen Evans]], respectively. In the [[California State Senate|State Senate]], Sonoma is part of the 2nd and 3rd districts, which is held by Democrats [[Pat Wiggins]] and [[Carole Migden]], respectively. <div style="clear:both"></div> According to the California Secretary of State, as of April, 2008, there are 235,175 registered voters in Sonoma County. Of those, 121,067 (51.5%) are registered Democratic, 58,410 (24.8%) are registered Republican, 4,871 (5.5%) are registered with other political parties, and 42,647 (18.1%) declined to state a political party. Every city, town, and the unincorporated areas of Sonoma County have more registered Democrats than Republicans. ==Education== ===Elementary and secondary=== *[[List of school districts in Sonoma County, California]] ===Higher education=== *[[Empire College]], Santa Rosa *[[Golden Gate University]] (Rohnert Park satellite of [[Walnut Creek, CA|Walnut Creek]] Campus) *[[Santa Rosa Junior College]] *[[Sonoma State University]], Rohnert Park *[[University of Northern California (Petaluma)|University of Northern California]] *[[University of San Francisco]] (Santa Rosa Campus) The educational system of Sonoma County is similar to that of other counties in California. ==Library system== The Sonoma County Library System offers a Central Library in downtown Santa Rosa, as well as ten branch libraries, two rural stations and bookmobile service. The system is also a member of the North Bay Cooperative Library System. More than half of Sonoma County's residents have library cards. They borrow over 2.5 million items a year. Expert reference librarians answer nearly half a million reference questions annually for individuals, businesses and government agencies. They offer instruction in the use of Library resources in such fields as genealogy, grant writing, and use of the Internet. During a typical school year over 750 classes, more than half the county total, either visit a library or are visited by a children's librarian. The Library operates an adult literacy program, training volunteers to tutor individuals who lack basic reading ability. Computer terminals are made available for free Internet access. ==Law enforcement and crime== The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department is the law enforcement agency for the unincorporated area of the county. It also contracts to provide the police forces of the City of Sonoma and the Town of Windsor. The department has more than 1,000 employees, including more than 275 Deputy Sheriffs, in four Bureaus. More than 300 Correctional Officers and staff work in two jail facilities, with a total daily population of nearly 1,200 inmates. [http://www.sonomasheriff.org/aboutus_overview.php]. Police shootings in 2007 have led to calls for an independent civilian police review board. <ref>Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 3/30/07: ''Fatal police shootings rekindle review debate/Recent cases raise decade-old concerns over agencies’ abilities to investigate each other''</ref>. ==Film locations== {{Main|Film locations in Sonoma County, California}} Due to the varied scenery in Sonoma County and proximity to the city of San Francisco, a large number of [[motion picture]]s have been filmed using venues within the county. Some of the earliest U.S. filmaking occurred in Sonoma County such as ''Salomy Jane'' (1914) and ''[[Bronco Billy Anderson]]'' (1915). Many of these films are classics in American [[cinematography]] such as the 1947 film ''[[The Farmer's Daughter (1947 film)|The Farmer's Daughter]]'' (starring [[Joseph Cotten]] and [[Loretta Young]]) and [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s ''[[The Birds (film)|The Birds]]'' (1963). Many other modern classics have used Sonoma County as a filming venue, including ''[[American Graffiti]]''. A few other representative films produced partially in Sonoma County are: {| |valign="top"| '''Sonoma County''' *1965 ''[[The Third Day]]'' *1986 ''[[Peggy Sue Got Married (film)|Peggy Sue Got Married]]'' - Petaluma, including a 1950s makeover of Washington St., the diner "Millie's Chili Bar" (rechristened as "The Donut Hole"), and exterior and interior shots of [[Santa Rosa High School (Santa Rosa, California)|Santa Rosa High School]]. *1993 ''Nowhere to Run'' - Coleman Valley Road, Occidental, for farmhouse and pond scenes. *2001 ''[[The Man Who Wasn't There]]'' *2001 ''[[Bandits]]'' - Flamingo Hotel, Clover milk truck featuring local icon ''"Clo the cow"'', and rural county roads. '''Cloverdale''' *1993 ''[[So I Married an Axe Murderer]]'' - Cloverdale Airport (also San Francisco and Alcatraz). '''Glen Ellen''' *1982 ''[[Shoot the Moon]]'' - Glen Ellen and Jack London's Wolf House (also Marin County). |valign="top"| '''Petaluma''' *1977 ''[[Heroes (film)|Heroes]]'' - Bus stop at corner of Kentucky and C streets. Walnut Street. '''Russian River''' *1925 ''Braveheart'' - Along the river. *1942 ''[[Holiday Inn]]'' - Village Inn Lodge in Monte Rio as the "Holiday Inn" with tons of artificial snow. '''Sebastopol''' *1949 ''[[Thieves' Highway]]'' - Gold Ridge Road. '''Sonoma''' *1988 ''[[Tucker: The Man and His Dream]]'' (also Oakland, San Francisco, and Marin). *1996 ''[[Scream (film)|Scream]]'' - Sonoma Community Center on East Napa Street. |} The town of Sonoma in southeast Sonoma County hosts the annual [[Sonoma Valley Film Festival]], a nationally recognized event. ==See also== *[[List of Sonoma County Regional Parks facilities]] ==References== {{Reflist|1}} ==Further reading== *''California gazetteer''. Wilmington: American Historical Publications, 1985. *Finley, Ernest L. History of Sonoma County, California: Its People and Its Resources. Santa Rosa: Press Democrat Pub. Co., 1937 *Gille, Frank H. ed. ''The encyclopedia of California, 1999''. St. Clair Shores: Somerset Publishers, Inc., 1999. *Gregory, Thomas Jefferson. History of Sonoma County, California, with Biographical Sketches of the Leading Men and Women of the County, Who Have Been Identified with Its Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present Time. Los Angeles: Historic record company, 1911. *Gudde, Erwin Gustav. ''California place names: the origin and etymology of current geographical names''. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998. *Hanna, Phil Townsend. ''The dictionary of California land names''. Los Angeles: The Automobile Club of Southern California, 1951. *Hansen, Harvey J. Wild Oats in Eden; Sonoma County in the 19th Century. Santa Rosa, 1962. *Historical Atlas Maps of Sonoma County, California. Oakland: Thos. H. Thompson & Co., 1877. *May, James, [http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1053351882 'Why Graton...' Indian Country - Legend Valley of the Moon], 2003. *Taber, George M. ''Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the historic 1976 Paris Tasting that Revolutionized Wine''. NY: Scribner, 2005. *Thompson, Robert A. Historical and descriptive sketch of Sonoma County, California. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1877. *Tuomey, Honoria. History of Sonoma County, California. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1926. ==External links== [[Image:PostcardMesaGrandeCARailroadStationCirca1910.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Mesa Grande train station, about 1910]] *[http://www.sonomacountyconnections.com/ Relocation Information] *[http://www.sonomafilmfest.org/ Sonoma Valley Film Festival] *[http://ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/default.aspx?PageId=708 Luther Burbank Home and Gardens] *[http://www.parks.sonoma.net/ Parks and Recreation in Sonoma County] *[http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=451 Sonoma Coast State Beach official website] *[http://www.sonomalibrary.org/history.html Sonoma County Local History and Genealogy Library] *[http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/california/miwokindianhist.htm Sonoma County Miwok Indian Tribes] *[http://www.sonoma-county.org Sonoma County official website] *[http://www.sonomacounty.com/ Tourism and Visitor Information for Sonoma County] *[http://www.sonomagrapevine.org/ava_map.html Map of Sonoma County Wine Regions] *[http://www.wschs-grf.pon.net/ Western Sonoma County Historical Society] {{Cities of Sonoma County, California}} {{SF Bay Area}} {{California}} {{coord|38.51|-122.93|display=title|type:adm2_region:US-CA_source:UScensus1990}} [[Category:1850 establishments]] [[Category:California counties]] [[Category:California wine]] [[Category:Counties in the San Francisco Bay Area]] [[Category:Metropolitan areas of California]] [[Category:Sonoma County, California| ]] [[ar:مقاطعة سونوما، كاليفورنيا]] [[bg:Сонома]] [[de:Sonoma County]] [[es:Condado de Sonoma]] [[fa:شهرستان سونوما]] [[fr:Comté de Sonoma]] [[bpy:সোনোমা কাউন্টি, ক্যালিফোর্নিয়া]] [[it:Contea di Sonoma]] [[pam:Sonoma County, California]] [[nl:Sonoma County]] [[ja:ソノマ郡 (カリフォルニア州)]] [[no:Sonoma County]] [[nds:Sonoma County]] [[pt:Condado de Sonoma]] [[sv:Sonoma County]] [[zh:索诺马县 (加利福尼亚州)]]