Although only eight years had passed since the first permanent white man had settled in the Petaluma area, the town had grown to approximately 1200-1300 people and by 1858, the local newspaper was ready to lobby for incorporation because – (a) families were arriving daily, (b) there was a demand for free and good schools, (c) sidewalks and crossings were needed, (d) a Town Hall was needed, plus the 1,001 measures and benefit needs that could only be obtained by some form of municipal organization. Our Petaluma was a divided place. At a local meeting, for example, 31 voted for and 28 voted against incorporation.
An earlier article by historian, Ed Mannion, stated that Petaluma was conceived in 1850 with the arrival of the first hunters, born in 1852 when the town was first surveyed, and incorporated in 1858 by an Act of the California Legislature. Even though the town had been incorporated on April 12th, the public didn’t hear then news until it appeared in the April 23rd issue of The Journal. It was also announced that, “the first election for municipal officers, under our city charter, took place last Monday (April 19). Lack of comment in previous issues concerning incorporation is not explained”.
The results of this initial election were as follows: Out of the seven candidates running for trustees, W.L. Anderson, Wm. Elder, E.B. Cooper, Saml. Tustin, and Wm. Ordway came out on top. Wm. Haydon was elected recorder, L.Lamperton – Treasurer, J.H. Siddons – Marshall, and Moses Aron – Assessor. Among the first items of business were: open a street on the banks of Petaluma Creek, commencing at a point at the foot of B Street, and terminating at Pickett’s lumber yard, and an ordinance regulating licenses for assessments per quarter and all sorts of public vehicles. Soon after these assessment rates and fees on vehicles were established, efforts were made to repeal the act of incorporation and return Petaluma to the civic status of a village.
Stay tuned for more Then & Now observations about Our Petaluma.