How does it feel to be 181 years old today, Sonoma? What plans do you have to celebrate? All your friends here wish you well and apologize for not celebrating all of your other years but, as it’s often said, better late than never.
I hope you understood last year when your City Council issued a proclamation declaring June 24, every June 24, “Pueblo Day” in your honor. Even though it was such a long time ago, you probably remember when Lt. Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo received an official order from Gov. Jose Figueroa to formally establish your town, the Pueblo de Sonoma - but you might need reminding that the document was dated June 24, 1835.
This order from Gov. Figueroa to found the Pueblo de Sonoma gave young Lt. Vallejo the authority to lay out your beloved Plaza, your streets and town lots, thus creating the opportunity for your growth, something still in play today.
You have had such an event-filled history that a number of different interest groups have claimed you over the years, causing some confusion about your actual birthday. We continue to see a number of dates all based on events that have nothing to do with your actual civil establishment.
Your Mission San Francisco de Solano was founded on July 4, 1823, by Father Jose Altimira, but this was a religious outpost, not a town.
Then there’s that other group, the ones with a bear on their flag. They burst upon the scene (literally) and raised that flag on June 14, 1846, but that didn’t last long until the American Navy Officer, Lt. Joseph Revere, raised the American Flag on July 9, 1846. All of these events, however, had nothing to do with your initial civil establishment!
Much, much later, your citizens decided to establish an American style city on Sept. 3, 1883 but, really, you had existed as a town for many years by then.
Thus, today we honor you on your correct birthday and wish you a long and happy future.
Robert Demler is the president of the Sonoma League for Historic Preservation.
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