Petaluma’s Future – Did It Turn Out This Way?

Seventy-three years ago (1941), in the 85th Anniversary & Program Edition of the Petaluma Argus-Courier, an article titled: “The Future of Petaluma” contained the following information:

* The Poultry Industry Is Here to Stay Because …

Our climate is especially adopted to it

Our soil is of the right type

Our proximity to markets is a great factor

Our poultry men know the game from experience, and their sons and daughters

will follow in their footsteps.

* Family Type Farm Only Successful Kind

Our poultry farms will remain of the family type because production on a larger

scale with hired help has been tried; but it has always failed.

* Will Always Have a Market

Come what may, the dairymen will always have a market because man cannot live

without milk. There is no substitute for the cow.

* Petaluma Is A Distributing Center

Petaluma has become a major distribution center for oil and its products. Our river

tonnage is coming up again, and that traffic will increase with the development of

the north bay area.

* Residence Section Will Grow and Improve

The removal of the sewage and its odor from the river has resulted in people

seeking Petaluma as a place to live. There has been an increase in the number of

people retiring and seeking small tracts near a city where gas, water, and electric

service are available.

* Climate Is Unsurpassed

“It may not be as balmy as in the sunny lands of the south, but it is not as

depressing as the same old wind or lack of wind every day in  the season.”

* Sound City Government

“Our city government is run on a sound, conservative, yet progressive basis.

Sound business principles have prevailed because of the character of the

members of the City Council who know what principles should be applied to

our city financial structure and are determined to apply these principles.”

* Devoid of Factions

“Our community is almost devoid of fractional strife. True, there are

differences of opinion now and then, but in the end problems are solved by

mutual agreement and the spirit of harmony prevails.”

That’s what was said 73 years ago. Has this picture changed since then, or is “Our River Town” still a most desired place to live, work, play, learn and raise a family?