Event Calendar

Category: General
Turn on Your Red Light

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Turn on Your Red Light

Did you know that Santa Rosa had a major Bay Area red-light district in the early 20th Century?  Or that the City Council in 1907 legalizedprostitution within the city limits?  

To learn more about this tumultuous period in Santa Rosa history, please join the Historical Society of Santa Rosa and local historian Jeff Elliott for a scandalous webinar: Turn on Your Red Light.

Registration link: http://tinyurl.com/HSSRWebinarOct2022

Jeff Elliott is a veteran journalist who has written nationally for magazines and newspapers.  He turned full-time to historical research after retiring and now authors the SantaRosaHistory.com website, where 800 articles on local history can be found.  He would gladly join you in a time machine and lead a walking tour of 1905 Santa Rosa, although he suggests not to wear your best shoes.

Book This EventBook This Event!

 

Past Events…

UNLOCK HISTORY:  LEARN HOW TO RESEARCH YOUR HISTORIC PROPERTY

Have you ever wondered about the past life of your home or other historic buildings in Sonoma County?  If so, this webinar (recording) is for you!  You will learn about the Sonoma County Library’s numerous online databasesoffering free access to digitized maps, newspapers and images, and discover how resources held by the History and Genealogy
On  
Read more

Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery Book: Fascinating Stories of over 5,500 Lives

Authors Sandy Frary and Ray Owen devoted more than 13 years and went to incredible lengths to unlock the stories of the more than 5,500 individuals buried in the Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery, which was established in 1854.  Their painstaking research techniques reveal many untold stories of Santa Rosa’s past. The Historical Society of Santa Rosa
On  
Read more

Hidden Valley: The Unknown Cemetery

In 1874, Sonoma County Supervisors purchased 100 acres in Santa Rosa to establish housing for indigent poor residents; relocate the county hospital; grow crops for sale and to feed hospital patients, jail prisoners, and site residents; and create a county cemetery.  This land housed those facilities on both sides of Chanate Road.  The cemetery, which
On  
Read more

A Moving Story: Homes on the Move and the St. Rose Preservation District

  Starting in 1903 and continuing through 1979, more than 20 historic homes and other structures were “saved” by being moved into the St. Rose neighborhood, just north of downtown Santa Rosa.  In this webinar, you will hear the story of how and why so many structures were moved into the neighborhood, which is now
On  
Read more

Stories of the Past Revealed: The Carrillo Adobe: One Building, Many Chapters

The Carrillo Adobe, the oldest (partially) standing building in the Santa Rosa Valley, has had many identities – identities that not only changed with the function of the structure, but with the perspectives of the people around it.  Hear about several chapters of the Carrillo Adobe’s rich past and how its fluctuating history has, perhaps,
On  
Read more

A Virtual Stroll through the Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery with Bill Montgomery

The Historical Society of Santa Rosa hosts a Virtual Stroll through the Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery with local historian and Volunteer Coordinator of the Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery Preservation Committee, Bill Montgomery. Learn about notable figures in Santa Rosa history such as Julio Carrillo, Col. James B Armstrong, Anabel Stuart M.D., Francis McGaughey Martin, Elizabeth
On  
Read more

Lost Stories of a Highway and a Neighborhood

The Historical Society of Santa Rosa hosts panelists Dr. Margaret (Margie) Purser, historical archaeologist, and Lynn Prime, Regional & Special Collections Librarian at Sonoma State University, as they present and discuss the Lost Stories of a Highway and a Neighborhood. This presentation includes the following and more: • Records, photographs, letters, and property descriptions –
On  
Read more

Secrets of Santa Rosa’s Cemeteries with Jeremy Nichols

The Historical Society of Santa Rosa is proud to present Secrets of Santa Rosa’s Cemeteries with local Historian & Cemeterian (cemetery expert), Jeremy Dwight Nichols. His presentation provides hidden information about 13 local cemeteries and dives deeper while answering viewer’s questions facilitated by emcee Leslie Graves. This event originally aired live on zoom on October
On  
Read more

HSSR General Membership Meeting

On February 3, 2020, Historical Society of Santa Rosa held its annual general membership meeting at the Central Santa Rosa Library, 211 E Street. Our guest speaker was Michael Newland, Director of Cultural Resources for Environmental Science Associates. His topic was “Land, People, Sea, and Sky: An Exploration of the Archeology of Sonoma County’s Pre-contact
On  
Read more

October 5, 2019 Archives Crawl

Each October, the National Archives celebrates “American Archives Month”.  That was the inspiration for the first ever “Sonoma County Archives Crawl” on October 5, 2019, an event designed to celebrate archives and encourage visitors to explore and engage with institutions that collect archival material.  The event was sponsored by Sonoma County Library. Open houses were
On  
Read more
Accessibility by WAH