PETALUMA ADOBE STATE PARK

A MEXICAN GENERAL NAMED VALLEJO OWNED ONE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS PRIVATE ESTATES DURINGTHE MEXICAN PERIOD OF 1834 - 1846 HERE. HE HAD SHEEP, CATTLE, HORSES, AND OTHER FARM ANIMALS. THIS RANCHERO WAS OPERATED BY SOME MEXICANS AS WELL AS MANY NATIVE AMERICANS WHO WERE BASICALLY ENSLAVED HERE. THEY HAD THEIR OWN QUARTERS AWAY FROM THE ADOBE. THEY TRIED TO EAT THEIR NATIVE FOODS BUT WERE GIVEN LITTLE FOOD FROM THE MEXICAN RULERS. SO THEY DID SOME HUNTING AND MADE SOME ACORN SOUP AND TRIED TO EAT MANY OF THEIR NATIVE PLANTS AS INDICATED BY SOME EXCAVATIONS DURING THE 90'S. THIS RANCH PROVIDED SOME FOLKS IN THE BAY AREA FOR BEEF, TALLOW, CANDLES, AND WOOL FROM THEIR SHEEP, AS WELL AS SHEEP SKINS. THE AREA WAS OVERGRAZED SO THAT TODAY THERE IS LITTLE VEGETATION AND NOT MUCH NATIVE VEGTETATION ON THE GRASSY SLOPES. THE CREEK DOES HAVE SOME OAK, MADRONE, MANZANITA AND OTHER NON NATIVE GRASSES. IT IS A CLEAR CREEK.

IN MY SON'S FOURTH GRADE CLASS WE HAD A LIVING HISTORY OVERNIGHT STAY THERE. THE MOM'S HELPED OUT WITH THE CHORES AND FOOD MAKING. WE DRESSED AS MEXICANS AND I INSTRUCTED THE KIDS IN WEAVING WITH SMALL CARD LOOMS. LIKE OUR TRIP TO ANGEL ISLAND THE KIDS WERE TO TAKE TURNS STANDING GUARD DURING THE NIGHT. THIS MEANT THEY HAD TO ROTATE SHIFTS DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. THEY ALSO HELPED TO COOK A MEXICAN MEAL. THEY LEARNED HOW TO MAKE CANDLES BY DIPPING THEM. THE ALSO LEARNED ABOUT HOW THE MEXICANS MADE ADOBE BRICKS AND HOW THEY FURNISHED THIS RANCH BUILDING AND WHAT THEY ATE. AT NIGHT THE TEACHERS PLAYED SOME MEXICAN MUSIC AND WE DANCED AND HAD A GOOD TIME.