Gen. Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo Statue and Historical Marker, Sonoma Plaza
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Dedicated in 2017, this statue is flanked by several historical markers that recognize the career of Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, a military leader turned statesman who shaped the history of Sonoma. The marker is surrounded by many historically significant structures, such as the San Francisco Solano Mansion, a former Mexican army barracks, a monument to the Bear Flag Revolt, four different 19th-century hotels, and many well-preserved adobe buildings. General Mariano Vallejo oversaw the creation of the plaza in 1835, which was registered as a National Historic Landmark in 1961. Surrounding markers and monuments recognize important events that occurred in California during the Mexican-American war.
Images
Sonoma Plaza Marker
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Vallejo
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Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The central park of Sonoma reflects its diverse history. The site was formally consecrated by Father Jose Altimira on July 4th, 1823 and home to the site of Mission Francisco Solano, Father Jose Altimira’s hopes were to shut down San Rafael and San Francisco missions and relocate the people to Sonoma, where essential resources were abundant. With support from Father Vicente Sarria, chief administrator of California Missions, an agreement was reached and construction began. Shortly after, the first building made of wooden and mud plastered materials was built in 1825, which stands east of the present chapel, making it the oldest building at Sonoma Plaza. The San Francisco Solano Mission was the only Californian mission under Mexico, independent of Spain. The mission reached its peak in 1830 with over 1,000 Indian residents. The permanent Church on the property was then built in 1827, east of the father’s quarters. The iconic adobe walls on the building were began in 1830 and finished in 1830.
General Vallejo built barracks for troops towards the northeast corner of the plaza in 1836. Vallejo briefly made Sonoma the center of trade and traffic for San Francisco. Later, in 1840, he built a church on the property aimed to serve both families and soldiers of this pueblo. Sonoma became the capital of the independent Republic of California in 1846 for 25 consecutive days, which prefaced the Bear Flag Revolt, which later led to American rule throughout California along with their very first state flag.
Cite This Entry
Evelyn Gonzalez and David Trowbridge. "Gen. Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo Statue and Historical Marker, Sonoma Plaza." Clio: Your Guide to History. December 12, 2023. Accessed February 25, 2025. https://theclio.com/entry/176079
Sources
(https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=231573) (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123862130)(https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/ca/ca44.htm)
https://www.hmdb.org/PhotoFullSize.asp?PhotoID=746155