page_title: Sonoma Barracks
section_title: Civilian Uses
hierarchical_section_title: Sonoma Barracks / Civilian Uses
caption_attribution_description: English: The Sonoma Barracks set up to have a play take place on site.
context_page_description: The Sonoma Barracks is a two-story, wide-balconied, adobe building facing the central plaza of the City of Sonoma, California. It was built by order of Lieutenant Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo to house the Mexican soldiers that had been transferred from the Presidio of San Francisco in 1835. The Presidio Company and their commander, Lieutenant Vallejo, were also responsible for controlling the Native Americans living on the northern border of Mexican California.
  On June 14, 1846 the Pueblo of Sonoma was taken over by a group of American immigrants seeking to establish their own California Republic. The Barracks became the headquarters this short-lived insurrection later known as the Bear Flag Revolt.
  Believing that war with Mexico had been declared, ships of the U.S. Pacific Squadron took over Monterey on July 7 and Yerba Buena on July 9, 1846. The U. S. flag was raised at the Barracks that same day - ending the California Republic and the Bear Flag Revolt. After that, the Barracks was used by U.S. forces until 1852. Throughout the Mexican–American War and the subsequent California Gold Rush these forces continued to confront Native Americans hostile to invaders occupying their lands.
context_section_description: Alexander J. Cox rented the two eastern rooms of the first floor from Vallejo and published the Sonoma Bulletin from 1852 to 1855.  Shortly after Cox left, Vallejo established a winery in the building.  In 1862 he leased wine-making equipment in the building to Dr. Victor Faure for $50 per month for a five-year period.  Vallejo retained the right to use the equipment and store wine in the cellar.  Other parts of the building were leased in 1865 to the Aguillon family as a residence.  Vallejo’s two sons, Uladislao and Napoleon leased part of the building in 1872-73 for their winemaking operation in exchange for one quarter of the profits.  Mr. Newman rented part of the building in 1877 to grow silk worms experimentally.
  Vallejo sold the barracks building to Solomon Shocken, June 15, 1879.  Shocken remodeled the exterior, including a Victorian facade, and sold agricultural implements and groceries.  The building retained the Victorian image until the 1930s when it was purchased and refurbished by Walter and Celeste Murphy who lived in the building until 1957.  It was then acquired and restored to its appearance at the time of the Bear Flag Revolt by the State of California and made part of the Sonoma State Historic Park.
caption: In July 2014, the Barracks was used as the location for a play.
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