Politics & Government

Petaluma Adobe Gets One More Year. But Then What?

A group of volunteers is working to find a way to fund the historic park in the years to come. Got an idea? Share it in the comments below.

The , General Vallejo’s former ranch that offers a glimpse into California’s early history, will remain open for at least another year, thanks to a donor agreement reached last month.

The Sonoma Petaluma State Historic Park Association raised more than $70,000 through a variety of donations, fundraisers, helped by a $35,000 matching offer from an anonymous donor.

“This park represents an important piece of our California history where thousands of school-age children have the opportunity to have a day or overnight living history experience,” said Danita Rodriguez, superintendent of the Diablo Vista District.

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The parks association will be working closely with the state during the year to find other ways to generate money for the historic park, which is visited by countless schoolchildren each year — including from Novato — as they learn about California's history. Money could be generated by renting out the park for movies and weddings, using more volunteers and hosting special events.

The adobe has already scheduled an open air Shakespeare-inspired production titled Two Gentlemen of Sonoma for August.

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“It is in all our interests to explore  all possibilities to preserve the Petaluma Adobe as a legacy to future generation,” said Philip Sales, chair of the “Save the Petaluma Adobe” committee in a statement.

How would you raise money to fund the day-to-day operations of the historic park? Share your ideas below. 


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