*** 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 68--- BUSINESS CLASSIFIED. In addition to the industries elsewhere described there are three nurseries where fruit and ornamented trees and rare plants of all kinds can be obtained. There are seven hotels in the town; six livery stables; four stove and hardware stores; eight dry-goods stores; fourteen grocery and provision stores; three drug stores; three furniture stores; two crockery, glassware and stationery stores; two variety stores; three boot and shoe stores; five fruit and vegetable stores, four cigar stores; five butcher shops; two bakeries, four laundries; one stock-yard; seven lawyers, and nine doctors. All the business houses of the town are of a good class, and traffic is well systematized. SONOMA AND MARIN DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The Sonoma and Marin Agricultural and Mechanical Society was organized and held its first fair in Healdsburg, in September, 1859. The second fair was held in Petaluma, in 1860; the third in Santa Rosa, September 24, 1861; the fourth in Sonoma, October 7, 1862. The name was changed to the San Pablo District Agricultural Society, and the fifth fair was held at Sonoma, September 15, 1863. The sixth fair was held at Napa, October 11, 1864. After that the society seems to have entirely collapsed. On the 6th of June, 1867, the Sonoma and Marin District Agricultural Society was organized, and was from the start a success. The society is out of debt. It has expended $35,000 in the purchase of land, erection of buildings, fences and repairs thereon. The large sum of $45,017 has been paid as premium purses on speed, programmes, running expenses of the fair, interest on loans, etc. The stock accommodations and grounds have been greatly improved during the past year, and the society may be said to be upon a solid financial basis. This success is largely due to the earnest efforts of some of the leading citizens of Petaluma and the enterprising farmers residing in the valley, among whom we may mention J. R. Rose, the first president; Lee Ellsworth, Prof. E. S. Lippitt, E. Denman, H. Meacham, and others. Following will be found a tabulated list of the presidents and secretaries of all the societies from the first organization to date: DATE. PRESIDENT. SECRETARY. 1859..........W. P. Ewing..........A. B. Boggs 1860..........J. Q. Shirley........I. G. Wickersham 1861..........Dr. John Hendley.....W. H. Crowell 1862..........Wm. McP. Hill........Col. J. Walton 1863..........Nathan Coombs........T. L. Schell 1864..........A. T. Grigsby........Jos. Howland 1865..........Disorganized.........Disorganized 1866.......... " ......... " 1867..........J. R. Rose...........P. Cowen 1868.......... " " ........... " " 1869.......... " " ........... " " 1870..........E. Denman............J. Grover 1871..........Lee Ellsworth........ " " *** end ***