*** 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 86--- McDONALD AVENUE.--This is one of the leading streets in Santa Rosa. It was laid out through a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land lying on the border of the city, purchased by Col. Mark L. McDonald, of San Francisco. It is beautifully diversified with clusters of oaks. The soil is extremely fer- tile and the tract has been subdivided into town and villa lots. The avenue is handomely laid out with broad drives, and side-walks, along which, on either side, are rows of eucalyptus trees. Its length is a little short of one mile, leading into Fourth, the principal thoroughfare and business street of the city. A street railway runs from the San Francisco and North Pacific Rail- road depot, up Fourth street, into and through McDonald avenue, where it terminates. The cars run every few minutes, affording the utmost facilities for the accommodation of residents of that part of the city. The proprietor of these grounds has spared no pains to make it the most desirable and beautiful portion of this most beautiful of cities--Santa Rosa. Gas and water pipes are laid through the avenue, uniting all the conveni- ences of city life with pure air and rural scenery. The landscape gardener now smoothes down the furrows of the fields, and the builder marks out his foundations upon ground over which, but a short time ago, the ripe grain bent before the wanton summer breeze. It is not too much to say that, by his liberal investments, Mr. McDonald has given a further impetus to the rapid growth of Santa Rosa, and deserves the good wishes of all the citizens of this growing city and those who sojourn upon its borders. SONOMA DEMOCRAT. The first number of this paper was issued in Santa Rosa, on the 16th of October, 1857, by A. W. Russell. August 20, 1858, Russell sold to E. R. Budd and S. H. Fowler. November 12, 1858, Fowler retired, and was suc- ceeded by B. F. Pinkham. In April, 1860, the Democrat was purchased by T. L. Thompson, who became sole proprietor. Mr. T. L. Thompson is one of the oldest, and has the reputation of being one of the most energetic and successful publishers in the State. The success of the Democrat entitles him to that distinc- tion. It is a quarto, of ten pages, containing each week not less than two hundred and thirty thousand ems, of which one-half is miscellaneous, local and editorial matter. In 1868 Mr. Thompson disposed of the paper to Peabody, Ferrall & Co. He re-purchased it in the summer of 1871, since which time R. A. Thompson and F. P. Thompson have been actively associated with him in the editorial and business departments of the paper. The Democrat has been a staunch advocate of the interests of this portion of the State, and especially of the city of Santa Rosa. It has received a liberal support from the generous and appreciative people of Sonoma county. It has a large circu- lation in northwest California, and sends not less than five hundred papers to subscribers in the Eastern States, which, of itself, is equal to the average circu- lation of most county newspapers. It may not be out of place here to state that the combined circulation of the three oldest papers of Sonoma county is larger, in proportion to population, than in any county in the United States, according to Rowell's Newspaper Directory. The Democrat is printed on a *** end ***