Petaluma History

Evolution of the City
Petaluma’s historical evolution is closely tied to development along the Petaluma River. The
towns identity is a result of the legacy of buildings, urban pattern, and economic activities afforded by a navigable waterway. Beginnings “River and Railroad In 1850, a group of hunters established a primitive camp on the west bank of the Petaluma River. As the burgeoning City of San Francisco increased its demands on the surrounding region for food and supplies, a trading post was built and more permanent settlement began. Petaluma incorporated in 1858 with approximately 1,340 residents.

Downtown grew on the southwest bank of the River along what is now Petaluma Boulevard North, south of Washington Street. Later, commercial and industrial uses grew on the
northeast riverbank. In the 1870s, the railroad line and depot were constructed on the
northeast side of the River as well.

In Petaluma’s early days, the riverbanks were crowded with piers, boat landings, and local
manufacturing businesses such as tanneries, flour mills, carpentry shops, and wagonmaking shops. With the growth of the dairy and poultry industries, the riverfront evolved into a thriving center of agricultural commerce. By 1917, the River channel was widened and deepened for steamship services to San Francisco. At one point the waterway ranked third in the State in tonnage carried.

Construction of Highway 101
After the Golden Gate Bridge was built in 1936 and nationwide suburbanization trends followed World War II, Petaluma began to transform into a bedroom community. The construction of US Highway 101 in the 1950s provided automobile access to San Francisco, and diminished the importance of rail and river transportation. Residential communities expanded east of the new highway, where access was improved and land was fairly flat
and readily available. Today, commercial buildings and business parks cluster around thoroughfares close to highway interchanges rather than the River and railroad corridors.