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Petaluma is a city with a well preserved historic city center Kay Ransom, C. Michael Hogan, Ballard George et al., Environmental Impact Report for the Petaluma General Plan, prepared by Earth Metrics Inc. for the city of Petaluma (1986), in Sonoma County, California, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 54,548. Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park contains the Petaluma Adobe, a National Historic Landmark. It was built beginning in 1836 by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, then Commandant of the San Francisco Presidio. It was the center of a vast 66,000 acre (270 km²) ranch stretching from Petaluma Creek to Sonoma Creek. The adobe is considered one of the best preserved buildings of its era in Northern California. Petaluma is a transliteration of the Coastal Miwok phrase péta lúuma which means hill backside and probably refers to Petaluma's proximity to Sonoma Mountain.
Geography and environmental factors
Petaluma is located at (38.245849, -122.631276). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 36.0 km² (13.9 mi²). 35.7 km² (13.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of which the total water area is 0.72%.
Petaluma, which enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate, is situated at the northernmost navigable end of the Petaluma River, a tidal estuary that snakes southward to San Pablo Bay. The Petaluma River has significant levels of water contamination. A considerable amount of the city is in the flood plain of the Petaluma River, which overflows its banks every few years, particularly in the Payran neighborhood . Principal environmental noise sources are U.S. Route 101, Petaluma Boulevard, Washington Street and other major arteries. The number of residents that live in a zone of noise exposure greater than 60 CNEL is approximately 4000.
History
Petaluma got its name from the Miwok tribe called "Petalumas", who lived just north of the present town.
Pioneered by the Spanish, beginning in 1776, the area was part of the 66,000 acre Mexican land grant given to General Mariano Guadaloupe Vallejo. In 1836, General Vallejo began construction of his Petaluma Adobe ranch house. Vallejo's influence began to decline after his arrest during the Bear Flag Revolt in 1846 (see California Republic).
And just 50 miles north, at Fort Ross, Russia had its southernmost outpost in America. Occupied by the Russians from 1812 to 1842, Fort Ross marks the limit of Russian expansionism into North America.
Eventually, Petaluma was overrun by pioneers from the eastern United States after the discovery of gold in California in 1849.
The city's position on the Petaluma River in the heart of productive farmland was critical to its growth during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Sailing scows, such as the scow schooner Alma (1891), and steamers plied the river between Petaluma and San Francisco, carrying agricultural produce and raw materials to the burgeoning city of San Francisco during the California gold rush.
Petaluma was known for its grain milling and chicken processing industries, which continue to the present as a smaller fraction of its commerce. In fact one of the largest historic chicken processing plants still stands in the central area of town; this 1920s brick building is no longer used for the chicken industry, but is being evaluated for preservation and change of use.
According to the Army Museum at the Presidio, San Francisco, Petaluma was relatively unharmed during the San Francisco earthquake of April 18, 1906, due to significant investment of stable bedrock underlying the region. This is despite the town being one of the closest towns to the epicenter to the east at Point Reyes Station. As one of the few communities in the region left standing after the earthquake, Petaluma was the staging point for most Sonoma County rescue and relief efforts.
Petaluma is today the location of many distinguished, well-preserved pre-1906 buildings and Victorian homes on the western banks of the river. The downtown has suffered many river floods over the years and during the Depression commerce declined. A lack of funds prevented the demolishment of the old homes and buildings. In the 1960's the hippie migration out of San Francisco looking for cheap, dilapidated old houses to rent or buy began to restore them, and an active historic preservation movement started to reclaim the downtown. Traffic and new home development for the most part was rerouted east of downtown by the construction of the 101 Freeway.
With its large stock of historic buildings, Petaluma has been used as a set for numerous movies that take place in the 1940's, '50's, and '60's (see list of movies below). The historic McNears Building is a common film location.
Petaluma was put into the national spotlight in 1975 when the City was taken to court over its restricted growth policies. The City had adopted a rate-of-growth plan to slow the rapid new-home growth Petaluma had experienced in the 1960's. The court battle received attention because of the changing attitudes towards California housing tract developments. The City's restriction was upheld by the 9th Circuit Court in 1975 and the Supreme Court denied a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in 1976.
More recently, Petaluma received national attention when, on October 1, 1993, Polly Klaas was kidnapped from her Petaluma home and later murdered. An example to the nation of a community in action, Petaluma pulled quickly together to publicize the disappearance of Polly and to form the Polly Klaas Foundation.
Filming location
Beginning in 1973 Petaluma has served as a location for several major films, including:
- American Graffiti (1973) Sonoma shooting was at Old Adobe Road, Freitas Road, Petaluma Blvd., (also San Rafael and Tamalpais High School in Marin).
- Cujo (1983) Locations include Petaluma, Santa Rosa (and Mendocino).
- Explorers (1985) Locations include Petaluma.
- Howard the Duck (1986)
- Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) Locations at Santa Rosa High School and Petaluma.
- Basic Instinct (1992) 3 day shoot in Petaluma and Rohnert Park, with other scenes in Carmel and San Francisco.
- Max,13 (1997) 4 Day shoot in Petaluma and 10 day shoot in Tomales
- Inventing the Abbotts (1997)
- Flubber (1997) church scene filmed partially at Open Door Christian church in Petaluma
- Lolita (1997)
- Pleasantville (1998) filmed at intersection of Petaluma Boulevard and Western Ave.
- Mumford (1999)
Songs About Petaluma
- "Petaluma Riot City" by The Workin' Stiffs
- "And on the Seventh Day, Petals Fell in Petaluma" by Harry Partch
Images
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 54,548 people, 19,932 households, and 14,012 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,526.2/km² (3,953.1/mi²). There were 20,304 housing units at an average density of 568.1/km² (1,471.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.16% White, 1.16% African American, 0.54% Native American, 3.91% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 6.08% from other races, and 3.98% from two or more races. 14.64% of the population were Hispanic.
There were 19,932 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.16. The age distribution is: 26.2% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $61,679, and the median income for a family was $71,158. Males had a median income of $50,232 versus $36,413 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,087. About 3.3% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
Government and notable residents
The mayor of Petaluma is David Glass who is a former San Francisco Giants broadcaster. The vice mayor is businessman Mike Harris. The other five council members are Karen Nau, Keith Canevero, Mike Healy, Mike O'Brien, and Pamela Torliatt. Councilman Canevero served in Iraq, thus former mayor Clark Thompson served part of his term while Canevero was overseas. Some notable residents are Lynn Woolsey, U.S. Congressional Representative.
Other notable residents have included actors Lloyd Bridges and Winona Ryder. Movie critic Pauline Kael was born in Petaluma. Baseball player Jonny Gomes of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays was born and raised in Petaluma. Also, Ben Trott and Mena Trott of Six Apart. Winona Ryder (Horowitz) and Elijah Wood have also been residents of Petaluma.
References
External links
- http://cityofpetaluma.net
- http://www.downtownpetaluma.com
"Petaluma, California"