Petaluma Tutors

About Petaluma

Petaluma, California, may be best known as one of the cities in Northern California with the best preserved 19th-century buildings and Victorian houses in the area. Just over thirty miles outside of San Francisco, Petaluma is a beautiful city with small-town charm thanks in large part to the city’s direct historic roots. Going back over a century and a half, many of the original architecture survived the infamously destructive 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which allows Petaluma to maintain its heritage. While history and heritage are important components of a city’s identity, Petaluma tutors know it’s also important to prepare students for a bright future with a quality education.

One of the area’s largest sources of pride is the historic ranch house, Rancho Petaluma Adobe. This structure is not only a California Historic Landmark but also a National Historic Landmark and is one of the largest examples of the Monterey Colonial architecture in the United States.
In fact, Rancho Petaluma Adobe is widely considered to be one of the best preserved buildings of its era in Northern California.

Rancho Petaluma Adobe was commissioned by the commandant of the San Francisco Presidio, General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo in 1836. He was granted the 66,000 acres— which spanned the area from Sonoma Creek to Petaluma River— by the governor of California, Jose Figueroa. In its heyday Rancho Petaluma Adobe employed close to 2,000 Native Americans—they made the adobe bricks, hauled lumber, cooked, tanned hides, and constructed buildings. It was one of the biggest ranches north of San Francisco and so became a socio-economic center of Northern California.

Petaluma’s prime riverfront location allowed Vallejo’s hides and tallow to be shipped via the San Francisco Bay, and later, during the Gold Rush, the Petaluma River would carry produce, poultry, and dairy products to the San Francisco and Oakland areas to feed the growing populations.

For a decade, the ranch thrived. The 12,000 head of cattle would supply its main products/exports—hides and tallow—while the 3,000 sheep would be used primarily for wool, The Native Americans employed at Rancho Petaluma would produce soap, blankets, and boots for the soldiers in Vallejo’s command. Some of the skilled native artisans would produce saddles, as well. Working with one’s hands is a noble trade, and tutoring in Petaluma produces knowledgeable students prepared for a career in any trade, industry, or area they choose.

After Mexico and the United States went to war in 1846, Rancho Petaluma would only see bad luck. Vallejo was captured and imprisoned, and the ranch was confiscated by John Fremont. Rancho Petaluma would see several different owners throughout the years, but the ranch would continue to deteriorate and fall into disrepair. However, for six decades, between 1910 and 1970, Rancho Petaluma would finally begin to see efforts of restoration and love. It would be saved from neglect, fully restored, turned over to the State of California, and eventually become a National Historic Landmark.