Everything Sebastopol is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Sebastopol.
27 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
The apple trees came first, a wave of Gravensteins washing over the rolling hills west of Santa Rosa in the late 19th century. Sebastopol, unlike its neighbors, became the center of this agricultural boom, its fertile…
This unassuming building holds the key to Sonoma County's electric railway past. The Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway Powerhouse, built in the early 1900s, was the heart of the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad, an…
Step back in time to where a plant wizard worked his magic! This is Luther Burbank's Gold Ridge Experiment Farm, the heart of his groundbreaking work. In 1885, Luther Burbank, a pioneer in agricultural science,…
This beautiful stone building is more than just a pretty facade; it's a symbol of resilience after a devastating earthquake. In 1906, the San Francisco earthquake leveled much of the region, including the building that…
Prepare to be amazed by the legacy of a plant wizard! This is the Luther Burbank Home and Gardens, the place where Burbank spent his life developing hundreds of new varieties of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Luther…
The smell of smoke still clings to certain Santa Rosa neighborhoods, a phantom echo of the Tubbs Fire that redrew the city's map just a few years ago. But even that catastrophic event couldn't erase the underlying…
Check out that building! Rosenberg's Department Store is the most significant example of Streamline Moderne architecture in Santa Rosa. Built in 1946 by architect Douglas Stone, Rosenberg's was *the* place to shop. It…
Imagine escaping the San Francisco fog for a relaxing summer in Sonoma County! That's exactly what the McDonald family did when they built this grand Victorian mansion back in 1876. The McDonald Mansion, originally…
Before the tract homes and the Green Music Center, before the bustling commerce of a planned city, Rohnert Park was something else entirely: rolling hills, grazing cattle, and the quiet promise of fertile land. The…
Bodega, California, a small town nestled near the Sonoma coast, carries echoes of its past in its very bones. Originally inhabited by the Coast Miwok people, the area’s modern history began with Russian fur traders…
The Russian River's ebb and flow has always defined Monte Rio. But in recent years, the river has brought more anxiety than recreation. The 2019 floods, triggered by atmospheric rivers dumping rain on already saturated…
Ever feel like you're being watched? Alfred Hitchcock turned this scenic bay into a place of avian terror with his classic thriller, 'The Birds'. In 1962, Hitchcock and his crew descended upon Bodega Bay to film the…
The Russian River shaped Healdsburg, both literally and figuratively. The river's fertile valley drew early settlers, and its waterway offered a vital transportation route in the mid-19th century. It was Harmon Heald, a…
Lenwood, California, sits on the edge of the Mojave Desert, a place shaped by the westward expansion of the United States and the railroads that followed. Like many towns in the High Desert, Lenwood’s story is tied to…
Check out that house! It’s a beautiful example of Queen Anne architecture, built way back in 1892. That's the Philip Sweed House, named for Philip Sweed, located right here at the corner of Keokuk and Prospect Streets…
Imagine the performances and gatherings that once filled the halls of this historic opera house in downtown Petaluma. The Old Petaluma Opera House, also known as the Maclay Building, is a landmark right here in town.…
The land now known as Petaluma was once the territory of the Coast Miwok people, who named it "Petaluma," meaning "flat back," a reference to the landscape. The area's fertile soil and proximity to the Petaluma River…
Imagine building your dream home, only to watch it burn to the ground right before your eyes. That's exactly what happened to famed author Jack London and his wife Charmian at this very spot. London poured his heart and…
Step back in time to the land that inspired one of America's most celebrated writers: Jack London. Jack London purchased this land in 1905, envisioning a self-sufficient ranch and a retreat where he could write. He…
Imagine a time when California was a wild frontier, and one man held immense power here. That's the story of Rancho Petaluma Adobe. In 1836, Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, a powerful military commander, ordered the…
Glen Ellen, nestled low in the Valley of the Moon at just 213 feet above sea level, wasn't always called Glen Ellen. Before 1860, it was simply known as "the lower end of Sonoma Valley." Its current name is a tribute to…
This isn't just a scenic spot in Sonoma County. This is the former site of the Sonoma Developmental Center, a place with a long and complicated past. Originally named the California Home for the Care and Training of…
Pull over and take a look! You're about to see the winery that uncorked a revolution in the wine world. Chateau Montelena is the site of one of the most shocking upsets in wine history. In 1976, a blind tasting was held…
Imagine settling in California before it was even a state! That's exactly what Nicholas Carriger did when he built this estate. Carriger, an early Sonoma County pioneer, established this property around 1847. He…
Imagine sipping sparkling wine that's graced presidential tables! That's the legacy of Schramsberg Vineyards. In 1862, Jacob Schram, a German immigrant, founded this winery in the Napa Valley. He had a vision: to create…
Not the Yellowstone one — this one erupts every 30 minutes in Calistoga wine country.
Imagine a time when grinding grain was a community affair, and this spot was the heart of it all. In 1846, Edward Bale, for whom the mill is named, completed this grist mill. It harnessed the power of water to grind…