Petaluma River History
Years on the Petaluma River by History Editor Skip Sommer, The Petaluma Post, August/September 2009. (PDF)
A traveling narrative for your boat trip down river Text as narrated and researched by Petaluma Yacht Club members Al Alys, Ted Lehmann and Mitch Lind aboard the ‘Paige One,’ owned by PYC Commodore, McKenzie Smith. Text compiled by Francesca Smith. March 2004, Petaluma Yacht Club. (PDF)
Haystack Landing, a piece of property on the banks of the Petaluma River, has occasionally been called "the most haunted site in Sonoma County." However, it appears the site's moniker comes not from historical events but from a group of filmmakers who, in the late 1990s, set out to create a Blair Witch Project-style film called "Incident at Haystack Landing."
Donahue's Landing
The town was built in 1870 and named after Colonel James M. Donahue, the enterprising builder and principal owner of the railroad. Located on Petaluma Creek, it was eight miles from Petaluma and seven miles from Sonoma. The town and its buildings were moved to Tiburon in 1890. The farm of J. R. Rose, a pioneer breeder of thorough-bred Devonshire cattle was situated a few miles below Donahue.
Petaluma River is vital part of City's identity Once used to ship cargo and then ignored for decades, the waterway has become a source of pride. Argus-Courier, August 3, 2009. (PDF)
