AC Editorial: Finding the next steward of Petaluma’s history

Historians and family sleuths alike often contact this paper to access our rich and extensive archives. They’re seeking names, addresses and other insights that might open a window to the past. Since before Petaluma was incorporated, we have told this town’s tales.

When a group of angry Union supporters from Petaluma decided to storm Confederate-supporting Santa Rosa, but got derailed by beer in the often-embellished tale of “The Battle of Washoe House,” the Argus-Courier was there to cover it. History buffs already know that in the days of the Civil War, a majority of Petalumans supported President Abraham Lincoln and his Union Army. Unlike Santa Rosa and its pro-Confederate Sonoma Democrat newspaper, which suggested Lincoln’s assassination may have been a good thing for the country, rising the ire of the easily-distracted posse. In Petaluma, the national tragedy was marked by a funeral procession — some called it a parade — complete with a vacant horse-drawn hearse and the streets lined with mourners through a town draped in black crepe paper.

“Never before have we witnessed so widespread and unutterable sorrow,” it read in the Argus in 1865.

When the Chamber of Commerce conceived the first-ever Egg Day Parade in 1918, the Argus was there to cover every whimsical float. That included the giant chicken incubator that “hatched” baby chickens, the working display of an egg packer, and the little girls with their big baskets of eggs that were handed out like candy. But the crown jewel of them all was the float of the recently ordained Egg Queen, Mrs. Will McAlister.

“It was drawn by four beautiful horses with golden trappings. A bevy of beautiful little girls in white occupied the flight and four Golden Eagles were in evidence. The queen was beautiful in her regal robes of gold and she acted the part to perfection,” the Argus wrote (admittedly, we overused the word “beautiful” in this one).

And when the Army Corps of Engineers finally came to dredge the Petaluma River, after 17 long years of collecting sludge, the Argus-Courier was there to document the removal of more than 200,000 cubic yards of silt and trash. Moving forward, it will cover the new opportunities that this long-awaited dredging affords when it comes to water recreation and commerce.

“The great thing about this day is Petaluma is getting its river back,” Rep. Jared Huffman said last month as the massive watercraft slowly trudged behind him.

Argus-Courier journalists were at the opening of the D-Street drawbridge, Hotel Petaluma and Grain Elevator. They hung out at the Redwood Room, danced at the Colony Club and ate smorgasbord at The Green Mill. We even have a weathered “Press Club” sign in the back bar at Volpi’s, where journalists have gathered for decades to share war stories.

The editors of this newspaper (in one masthead or another) have watched over all of Petaluma’s goings on, from the tough and tragic to the sweet and small. Even readers who may not agree with the paper’s political endorsements will usually agree that a community newspaper is a necessary institution. Because someone has to record these stories.

Holding the keys to Petaluma’s past is a lofty responsibility, but one to revel in. What gets printed today will be used by tomorrow’s generations when they want to understand their roots. (It’s worth noting that our archives can be searched digitally in the Sonoma County Libraries or newspapers.com).

The next editor of the Argus-Courier will soon take the helm of this storied ship, tasked with the heavy responsibility to steward the next chapter of Petaluma’s history with balance, accuracy and engagement. Readers who might know someone good for the job can find it posted at sonomamediainvestments.com/jobs.

Publisher’s Note: For those who missed last week’s editorial, longtime Argus editor Matt Brown accepted a job with Sonoma County - we thank him for his five years of leadership and wish him the best in his next endeavor.