Two Buildings: One Destiny

In 1836 the adobe became a working ranch. The wood and bricks are monotonous; wood is used as doors, floors and tables. The bricks are rough like the wool spun inside the walls. There is a hurried order to the placement of bricks; they are a goal to be reached, a check on the list. The red-brown bricks are rectangular, made in nearby adobe pits. Hundreds of workers place them one by one on top of each other, day after day. They are unpleasant to touch with straw evidently coming through, begging to poke skin. Precision is lacking in the size of all the bricks combined. Placed directly to the side of a large brick is a stubby piece. Over the many years and through their use bricks have faded, sometimes mistaken for grey. Divots in the blocks can be found everywhere; the larger holes are located near the top. Swallows make nests in the building, high above the humans. The bricks are not straight; the trick is to look closely at the back wall and to watch the curves. The building is a “u”, missing it’s other half. Rain destroyed the sister bricks before a roof could be built.

The upper floor is wood, inside and out. Every step creaks with the strain of age. The planks are scrambled and mismatched. Equally placed beams hold up the veranda’s roof. The beams are thick sturdy wood; the roof is made of simple shingles. The beams help to make up the veranda’s railing, along with smaller pointed posts. The shape is one of the few lavishes of the adobe. The others are found in only two rooms, the rooms of the owner. General Vallejo’s private room contains mirrors and glass windows. Wooden bars line the windows as protection against rogue carnivores and thief’s. The surfaces that did not need to be fire proof were made out of wood. The Petaluma Adobe flawlessly mixes bricks and wood together. The adobe is on top of a hill, surrounded by grass. The smell of the trees and flowers drift over the property. If you stand along the back wall of the building you can see the whole valley. In 1836, there would have been cows and sheep grazing, vaqueros herding and miles of open territory. Today you can find the sprawling city of Petaluma with our newly developed homes and the historic buildings downtown.

The Lachryma Montis or as it is better known, the Vallejo Home, is situated near to the center of Sonoma. It is a Victorian house, painted yellow with green shutters; the trimmings are white and delicate, looking like lace. The property contains three buildings, the bake house and servant’s quarters, the main home, and the chalet made of red brick. A white picket fence surrounds everything; red wood adorns the top, beautifying it. The pathways are gravel complimenting the architecture. The chalet and the main house are forefront on the property. In between them lies a gorgeous fountain, a roman influence is clearly found. A short walk from the buildings is a large pond. A terraced walkway surrounds the circular pond. Turtles are commonly found in its depths. Orange trees adorn the property giving off a citrus scent, almost tangible. The landscape was properly kept and the many plants add to the surreal atmosphere. Vines climb the porch beams, enveloping the house in nature. A long drive leads up to the structures, trees line it. Potted plants are found in ceramic pots, tended by the workers. The house is placed conveniently in the valley to soak up the most sun.

Upon entering the hallway of the Vallejo Home you are met with the elegant staircase. It spirals up to the top floor with rich satin wood offering a handhold. In contrast, the miniscule servant staircase is steep and hazardous. The living room has many expensive qualities. The couches and chairs are covered with satin, tall and stiff, the fashion of the time. In the corner sits a shining black piano along with a tall harp. The walls are covered with paper, and on the walls hang pictures and paintings of family members. Moldings are apparent in all rooms as are the glass windows. The doors are carved and even contain windows of their own. The dining room includes a large table that seats eight; the places are set with china and glassware. The beds in the house are carved giants, foot stools are needed to reach the mattress. On the windowsill lies a water basin and pitcher, porcelain, for the family to wash up in the mornings. The light fixtures are painted to match the wallpaper and crystals hang from the bottom. The rooms are either polished wood or carpet. The General and his family had a stunning fashionable home.

General Vallejo’s adobe was always filled with rancho workers. The Adobe is no longer made of its original material as time has taken its toll, but one small wall remains of the unique structure. He and his family spent most of their days at the more fashionable Lachryma Montis. Many of the rooms are filled with replications of the actual furniture at this house. Today both homes have been inducted into the California State Parks; they are in the same district. The two sites are visited by tourists excited to find local history in their new vacation spot. School children frequent their walls learning what it would be like to live in the nineteenth century. No one site is more popular than another. Both structures were commanded to be built by the same man, for two unique reasons. One was to have his employees create his empire, his rancho, a place for him to become rich in the prosperous California. The other became the home for his children to grow up. Secluded enough to obtain privacy and still close to the city in case of an emergency. The two sites that differed so much now face the same fate, closure.
~Bailey