Blue Wing Inn
| Blue Wing Inn | |
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Blue Wing Inn
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| Location | Sonoma, Sonoma County, California |
| Official name: Blue Wing Inn | |
| Designated | 1932 |
| Reference no. | 17 |
The Blue Wing Inn in Sonoma, California, was one of the first hotels built in the state north of San Francisco. What began as the first property transfer in the new Pueblo de Sonoma and a simple adobe residence transformed with time and the addition of more rooms into a storied landmark. During the California Gold Rush it was used by miners going to and from the gold fields and by the U.S. Army soldiers stationed in Sonoma. After many years, owners and uses - the Blue Wing Inn was purchased by the State of California in 1968 and is currently under study for its best use as part of Sonoma State Historic Park.
Mariano Vallejo was named administrator (comisionado) to oversee the closing of Mission San Francisco Solano. With the assistance of William A. Richardson he laid out, in accordance with the Spanish Laws of the Indies, the streets and lots of the new Pueblo de Sonoma. The first recorded property transaction was Vallejo's granting of the east half of the lot 35 to Antonio Ortega, Vallejo's new majordomo, to whom Vallejo had delegated the day-to-day work of secularization of the Mission. This lot was across the street from the front of the old Mission's main building. It isn't known if there was already an adobe structure on lot 35. Other California missions had a dwelling for their majordomo located close to both their neophytes ranchería and the padre's quarters. Fr. Quijas, the parish priest, soon complained about Ortega's treatment of the Native Americans. It wasn't until the summer of 1837, because of new scandals and unsatisfactory accounts, that Vallejo removed Ortega as majordomo. Ortega continued to live in the adobe and established a tavern (pulqueria) that continued to operate until August 1848.
The property was purchased from Ortega by James C. Cooper and Thomas Spriggs on August 15, 1849 (the transfer was witnessed by Vallejo). Cooper and Spriggs soon expanded the hotel to incorporate a gambling hall and a saloon. They added a second story with a wood-frame balcony and stairway to provide access to the second floor rooms. The building had the appearance of a typical Monterey Style adobe. In 1852 they completed a 35’ by 35’ two story adobe addition abutting the west end of the original structure. According to reports of travelers, The dining room and kitchen were located in the east room of the first floor. The central room served as the gambling room and the westernmost housed the saloon and business office. One the second floor the west and central rooms housed overnight guests. For a time Cooper housed his family in the eastern room.
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