Sonoma Developmental Center's Main Building a Valley Landmark

Main Building at Sonoma
Developmental Center

When the Main Building at Sonoma Developmental Center (the brick building at the top of Harney and directly in front of you as you come in the main entrance) was made a National Historical Landmark in August of 2000, the nomination papers for that designation included some of the history of the Center. As California continues to wrestle with role of developmental centers in the care of the State's developmentally disabled, we thought it was worth a look back and so have reprinted that bit of the Center's history below.

from the nominating papers, and courtesy of the Glen Ellen Historical Society...

The Sonoma Developmental Center (formerly known as the California Home for the Care and Training of Feeble Minded Children, Sonoma State Home, Sonoma State Hospital) was the first of its kind west of the Mississippi. Julia Judah and Frances Bentley were the driving forces behind the founding of the facility. Julia Judah was the wife of Henry Judah, a prominent railroad builder and Frances Bentley was the wife of a Methodist Minister. Both had Developmentally Delayed Children. Other early sponsors and directors included: Bishop Kip, (founder of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco), Leland Stanford, Henry Judah, Washington Bartlett, (then mayor of San Francisco and later Governor of California), Professor Warring Wilkinson, (Principal of the California School for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind), Col. William Harney, Oliver Eldridge and Mrs. Ariel Lathrop.

The facility was founded as a private institution and was first opened at San Jose, later at Sulphur Springs at Vallejo. Soon, outgrowing that site and realizing greater funding was needed the institution was turned over to the State of California and temporarily moved to Alameda and from there to Santa Clara. Again it was evident that more acreage was needed as the population had grown from 20 in 1884 to 108 in 1889. In 1889 funds were appropriated by the state for the purchase of at least 500 acres for the institution. Captain Oliver Eldridge and George Gibbs began the search. They found a beautiful 1670 acre ranch just south of Glen Ellen. The land was owned by Ex Senator William McPherson Hill. The ranch was acquired for $51,000.

Ground was broken for the first buildings and the corner stone laid in 1890. The original structure, (the west wing), consisted of a kitchen, client and employee dining rooms on the ground floor and an assembly hall and dormitory on the second floor. The building included a two story north wing with sleeping quarters for male residents and a two story south wing for female residents. The north/south frontage of the building was a total of 520 feet.

The first residents occupied the building in 1891. By this time there were 148 clients. The move from Santa Clara occurred on November 24, 1891, in a special train provided by the Southern Pacific Railroad. During the first few months the residents had to vacate the building during the day so that workmen could finish the construction.

During the earthquake of 1906 part of the building collapsed. Luckily no one was injured. Following the quake the second floor of the west wing was torn down. Two years later, in 1908, ground was broken for the Main Building. The new building housed administrative offices of the institution as the center grew around it.

The north and south wings were torn down during the 1950's. Only a small portion of the south wing remains. The administrative offices were moved into the Porter Administration Building in 1956. The Main Building was then used as a Professional Education Center and included a professional library. Then in 1970 the building was abandoned.

This remarkable building is the center piece of the nearly 1,000 acres making up the Development Center today. The grounds consist of wooded hills, with lakes and creeks running through it. It is the most beautiful setting for an institution in the state. The Center was, for many years, the largest employer in Sonoma County and at the present is still the third largest. The communities of Glen Ellen and Eldridge cherish the setting and this unique Main Building.