How to Fund Historic Preservation

Here is an excerpt from a Letter to the Editor I wrote. If you agree please call or email the Sonoma/Petaluma State Historic Parks Association - especially if you want the EVENT COORDINATOR position!
Email: info@sonomaparks.org
Phone Number: (707) 935-6832

I propose that the Sonoma/Petaluma State Historic Parks Association, already an approved State Parks concessionaire, hire an Events Coordinator to market and manage weddings and small outdoor events at the Mission, the Barracks, the Toscano Hotel Complex, the Blue Wing and Vallejo’s beautiful home on 3rd Street West.

Start small and build on success. Money will be generated to heat the buildings, replace the roofs, repaint, repair old windows, do earthquake retrofits, spruce up landscaping and replace electrical systems so 2 coffee pots don’t blow all the fuses.

Using the grounds of these buildings to generate revenue for their maintenance will be the least expensive, least invasive way to preserve these buildings – and their stories, which will be shared with visitors for generations to come. Most importantly, the money generated will stay in this park and not be shunted off to the General Fund.

I encourage you to take a tour of the Mission and Toscano Hotel Saturdays and Sundays 1-3pm. For $3 dollars per person you can get into the Mission, the Barracks, the Toscano (a free museum), Vallejo’s Home on 3rd Street West, and Vallejo’s Petaluma Adobe. It’s the best and cheapest entertainment in town. Hear the stories, learn about the people who lived here. You’ll love them! And you will come to love these very special buildings.

http://www.sonomanews.com/fund-historic-restoration/#.U0GlUVdnByU

Tonight @ Vintage House - Your Opinion re: the local State Historic Park

If you are in or around Sonoma tonight I encourage you to come to the Vintage House 7-9 pm ( 264 1st St E) and tell our local State Historic Park what their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats are. This information will be used to improve services. Your opinion matters!

Sequence of Seismic Retrofit - Dr. Roy Tolles

This is not a big deal, folks, the Blue Wing is a small building ;-)

A "Time Travel" Vision

My vision for the Blue Wing Inn is best stated by Anne Peterson, Associate Director for Historical Resources at the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation in her article “Rethinking Exhibition Strategies at the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation” in Boletín, Journal of the California Mission Studies Association Vol. 26, No. 1&2, pg. 98

"Atmosphere” zones will include interior spaces that can be closed off from the world outside to support dense historical environments. Here visitors will be asked to be silent and refrain from touching while being encouraged to use other senses to experience the past. Smells, lighting, audio and even temperature will help create immersive environments that convey the impression that past inhabitants have just temporarily vacated the room

What do you think?

History of the Blue Wing Inn Class

Everyone welcome, bring a friend!

The full presentation: the building, and my favorite people!

Monday, March 22, 6-8pm, at the Sonoma Valley Adult School & Community Education program. Behind Sonoma High School in back by the Theater. Room L-4, $33/person (a bargain at twice the price!) Benefits the Adult School. Limited seating. Call to register 707-933-4033

Shake Table Test from ELT & Associates

#1 Moisture

Roy Tolles, structural engineer and historic adobe expert, describes the need to evaluate the Blue Wing for moisture. This is something we can do NOW.