Plazas, Parks, and Playgrounds

 Center Park DEEP HISTORY AND Historic Photos

Early in Petaluma’s history, the layout of downtown streets left a wide area on one block of the main street. whether it was always intended to be used for wagons and horses, it was soon established as a busy location that some people preferred to hitching at a livery stable. There were occasional newspaper stories of runaway horses in the area, or pleas for someone to fix the hitching posts.

By 1920 a movement developed to modify the area and include a small park. As usual, there was an outcry over a loss of parking space. In this case, some people continued to travel to town in their wagons - where would they hitch their horses? A Daily Morning Courier editorial made the case for a strip of “blue grass” and flowers, so as to impress the many “autoists” passing by with the town’s beauty.

The wide area, then usually referred to as lower Main Street, or lower Main Street plaza, caused a surprising robust disagreement in 1920 and 1921. A park was approved then, following an outcry by local businesspeople, the park proposal was rescinded - this even after a concrete curb had been laid. Park proponents rallied and saved the park. The city compromised by providing parallel parking on each side of the new park, but did deny a petition to include hitching rails in the new parking configuration for those who still brought wagons into town. (In 1942, parking was increased by converting the western side to diagonal parking.)

In the summer of 1921 the lawn was planted and the Petaluma National Bank held a contest to name the park. There was no shortage of opinions expressed in letters to the editor. Naming the park for Edward Kreh, a young man killed in action in May of 1918, seemed to have traction. Mr. E. W. M. Evans pointed out that a different Petaluman died before he saw action, but his death was as noble, and others wanted a more “positive” name for the park. Perhaps the subject drifted off - it was 1925 before the Park Commission settled on the name “Central Park” - which is amusing since it’s known as Center Park.

The little park and adjacent parking area played a role in many town celebrations. On occasion a large Christmas tree was installed in the park. Many holiday and fundraising activities have taken place in the park, from kicking off the start of the holiday season to pancake breakfasts. In 1977 a “Mission bell” was installed, commemorating the passage of Father Altimira in 1923. Beginning in the 1980s, Petaluma Hospice began a beloved holiday tradition called “Light Up a Life.” Each donation of $10 “paid” for a bulb on one of the three redwood trees in the park. (It’s not clear when the trees were planted.)

In the early 2000s some modifications were made to the park as part of the downtown improvement projects. New benches were placed on each side of the crosswalk that passes through the park. The parks three redwood trees began to suffer, possibly from soil compaction. After several years of effort to revive the trees, including placing misters in them, one tree failed and had to be removed. Remarkably, Sonoma Marin Arborists stepped up and offered to do the job for free, bringing in Precision Crane as support. The tree was removed on October 9, 2013 and the wood was salvaged. Petaluma’s Tree Advisory Committee appointed a subcommittee to determine treatment for the area. Two local landscape architects, Tammara Norman and Rod Scaccalosi, recommended removed lawn, adding a generous layer of mulch, and installing a rustic fence around the area. In 2021, the replacement redwood and remaining redwoods are doing well.