Bill Lynch: When Sonoma saw the light

From the first incandescent bulbs to the lighting of the Plaza|

As the holiday season approaches, we can enjoy once again the dazzling light display that has become a part of our Plaza from Thanksgiving through December.

While I was growing up here, a tree or two got lighted, but the incredible display we have now is something to behold.

Surely it would have amazed the founders of the Sonoma Light Company, a group of local investors, including my great grandfather H.H. (Harry) Granice who, in 1897, decided to bring electricity to our town.

Local businessmen on the Plaza subscribed to most of the stock. Prominent among them were Solomon Schocken, F. Clewe and F.T. Duhring.

Up to that time, Sonomans relied on coal oil for light after sunset. The Plaza, even during Christmas was pretty dark.

The Sonoma Light Company built a powerhouse on Spain Street and proceeded to erect power poles around the Plaza. The “dynamo” by which the power was created was installed in the summer of 1898.

Finally on Aug. 27, 1898 the following news story appeared in the Sonoma Index-Tribune:

“The Sonoma Electric Light Company will start up its plant next Monday. Nearly every business house in town has been wired and will replace coal oil with incandescent electric lights.

“Many private dwellings, the Catholic Church and the Convent School have also been wired. Wires are to be placed in the Union Hotel (where the Bank of America is today) and the Methodist Church in the near future.”

In those early days, the power plant did not run all the time. It started up in the evening and ran for several hours and then shut down. In the winter, it also started up for a few hours in the early morning darkness for those businesses that opened early.

Virtually simultaneous with the introduction of electric power to Sonoma, attempts were continuing to establish a municipal, city-owned water system. Up to then, most of the residents and businesses in the city got their water from their own wells and a few were connected to a system of pipes built out of redwood that ran from General Vallejo’s home north of Spain Street to a few homes and businesses on the Plaza.

In 1897 a Sonoma Valley Water Company was formed and proposed to build a reservoir on Sonoma Mountain, from which it would run a line to the city. The project started, but was never completed.

A proposal to create a city water company was placed on the ballot that same year, but failed to get the necessary two-thirds approval.

While great grandfather Harry, the I-T editor at the time, continued to write editorials citing the critical need for city water, especially to fight fires, the city water system didn’t come into existence for several more decades.

But at least Sonoma had lights.

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