*** Source: Thompson, Robert A., Historical and descriptive sketch of Sonoma County, California. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1877, 122 pgs. Notice: This data is donated to the Public Domain by TAG, 2004, and may be copied freely by anyone to anywhere. *** ---page 6--- the Guillicos valley. In 1850 it was purchased by William Hood, who subdi- vided and sold the greater part about ten years ago. He, however, retains his beautiful homestead at the foot of the Guillicos mountain, one of the most picturesque as well as one of the most valuable farms in California. Green valley lies west of the Santa Rosa plains, on Green Valley creek, which flows north and empties into Russian river. The valley is twelve miles long, with an average width of three miles. The specialty of the valley is fruit culture--apples, pears, plums, prunes, peaches, cherries, table and raisin grapes. The very finest orchards of this county are in Green valley. The soil is adapted to the growth of all the staple crops, as well as fruit. The valley of the Estero Americano, or Big valley, lies along a small stream falling into an estuary leading inland from the sea about seven miles, known an the Estero Americano. The towns of Bloomfield and Valley Ford are in this valley, and the narrow-gauge railroad crosses it. One hundred thousand sacks of potatoes are raised annually in the valley, and in the country north and south of it there are at least eight thousand milch-cows, producing during the season, per day, an average of a pound of butter each. The chief products are potatoes, butter, and cheese; but oats, wheat, and barley are also grown. There are a number of smaller valleys, which space permits no more than mention: the Rincon valley, near Santa Rosa; Rural and Alpine valleys, on Mark West creek, and Blucher valley, west of the Santa Rosa plain. To recapitulate: From the summit of Geyser peak we obtain a bird's-eye view of the whole country. At a glance we take in the great Central valley, through which the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad runs, from the bay shore to its terminus at Cloverdale. We can see the towns along the line of the road: Cloverdale, Geyserville, Healdsburg, Windsor, Fulton, Santa Rosa and Petaluma. The groves of oaks give to the landscape that park-like appearance peculiar to California scenery. It is a view upon which one might love to linger. A little east of south, Sonoma valley may be seen--and at the foot of St. Helena, a towering feature in this grand landscape, lies Knight's valley. The windings of Russian river, in its tortuous course through Alexander valley and across the plain, may be traced until it disappears in the timber region, over which the gilded waters of the Pacific may be seen, until sea and sky blend in the distance. PRINCIPAL WATER COURSES. Each of the valleys fronting on San Pablo bay have an estuary leading in- land, navigable for steamers of considerable size. One, called Sonoma creek or estuary leads into Sonoma valley; another known as Petaluma creek is navi- gable for eighteen miles inland. The flourishing town of Petaluma is situated on this slough at the head of navigation. Russian river, the largest stream in the county, enters it on the north, and flows in a southeasterly direction through the county for about thirty miles, and then tuns at a sharp angle to the west, and empties into the Pacific ocean. It is not navigable. *** end ***