Walking Tour of Santa Rosa’s Historic West End Neighborhood
On May 26, 2018 members enjoyed a walking tour showcasing the unique historic neighborhood, Santa Rosa’s West End.
Houses represent the modest residential architecture from the 1880s through the 1940s primarily consisting of bungalows and Queene Anne cottages intermixed with historical industrial and commercial buildings. Discover the rich cultural heritage created by immigrants who settled in this part of Santa Rosa. Primarily from Tuscany, the largest wave of Italian immigrants to arrive in Santa Rosa came in very large numbers after the 1920s. Many of these new arrivals found work in the cannery on West Third Street and made their home in the West End Neighborhood or “Little Italy”. Many of Santa Rosa’s historic Italian families have their roots here, yet so do others such as Japanese, Filipino, and Pomo families.
Attendees learned about neighborhood architecture, the history and contributions of Italians and other immigrants, and personal stories of those who lived in the neighborhood. Our guides were, West End Neighborhood Association President, Allen Thomas, North Bay Italian Cultural Foundation historian Kathy Bertolini Dowdall and special guests Mary Bertolini Dowdall and Bob Bertolini who grew up in the neighborhood on their family’s truck garden.
The morning tour departed from the the Railroad Depot, (now the California Welcome Center) located at 9 Fourth Street. The very popular event sold out.
