Petaluma

Spared much of the destruction of the 1906 earthquake, Petaluma boasts buildings whose foundations were laid a century and-a-half ago and whose facades are some of the best examples of iron front building architecture in the entire United States.

Today, these architectural gems in the walkable downtown district house specialty stores, restaurants and galleries.

Many of the world’s greatest cities are located on a river. And that’s true for Petaluma too. The Petaluma River turned a small settlement into a thriving city in the mid 1800s and has been an important center of commerce and recreation ever since.

During the peak of the riverboat era, there was more tonnage and dollar value hauled on the Petaluma River than on any other river in the state. The schooners, sloops and paddle wheelers transporting people and goods made Petaluma the third busiest inland port in the state.

Today, you’re much more likely to see sleek and maneuverable kayaks and paddleboards on the River. It is a recreational asset attracting water craft enthusiasts, bird watchers, and boaters. Though the uses of the Petaluma River and the types of vessels on it have changed dramatically in the 150 years since Petaluma was founded, the river continues to contribute to the community’s vitality and economy.

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