Laurel Avenue looking east towards Arnold Drive from top of El Verano Depot

Laurel Avenue looking east towards Arnold Drive from top of El Verano Depot

The Watkins Collection

In 1880, Carleton Watkins went to Southern California for the first time and traveled along the line of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Later he went to the “End of the Track” and as far as Tombstone Arizona. The photographs taken by Watkins on this trip represent some of the earliest views of San Bernardino, San Gabriel, Pasadena, Los Angeles, San Diego and including Sonoma Valley. On the way back to San Francisco, he followed the old overland stage road, traveling the greater part of the way in his wagon and photographing most of the Franciscan missions. These pictures constitute the earliest photographic collection of California Missions.

Read his full bio here

View and print the image reference file Here

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477A Looking Northwest from Top of Depot at El Verano, Showing Hotel Knoll, with Oak Trees and Railroad Construction Camp
478A Looking Northwest from Top of Depot at El Verano, Showing Hotel Knoll, with Oak Trees and Railroad Construction Camp
479A Looking East from Top of Depot at El Verano, Showing Bank of Sonoma Creek
480A Looking Southeast from Top of Depot at El Verano, Showing Land of Sonoma Valley Improvement Company
481A Looking South from Top of Depot at El Verano, Showing Land of Sonoma Valley Improvement Company
482A Looking South from Top of Depot at El Verano, Showing Land of Sonoma Valley Improvement Company
483A Looking South from Top of Depot at El Verano, Showing Land of Sonoma Valley Improvement Company
484A Looking Southwest from Top of Depot at El Verano, Showing Townsite of El Verano Before Completion of Railroad, and Land of Sonoma Valley Improvement Company
485A Looking Southwest from Top of Depot at El Verano, Showing Townsite of El Verano Before Completion of Railroad, and Land of Sonoma Valley Improvement Company
486A Looking West from Top of Depot at El Verano, Showing Townsite of El Verano Before Completion of Railroad, and Land of Sonoma Valley Improvement Company
487A Looking Northwest from Top of Depot at El Verano, Showing Land of Sonoma Valley Company, and Sonoma Mountain Beyond
488A Water Tank and Construction Camp, at El Verano, Showing Hotel Knoll Beyond
489A Depot Building at El Verano, View from the South, Before Completion
490A Depot Buildings at El Verano, Taken Before Completion
491A Depot Building at El Verano, View from the South, Before Completion
492A Depot Buildings at El Verano, Taken Before Completion – Train
493A Panorama View of Sonoma Valley, Looking Southwest from the Eastern Foothills, Across the Lower Portion of the Valley (No.1)
494A Panorama View of Sonoma Valley, Looking West from the Eastern Foothills Across the Central Portion of the Valley, Showing El Verano Depot and Townsite, Before Completion of Railroad (No.2)
495A Panorama View of Sonoma Valley, Looking Northwest from the Eastern Foothills Across the Upper Portion of the Valley, Showing Sonoma Mountains (No.3)
496A Panorama View of Sonoma Valley, Looking Northwest from the Eastern Foothills, giving a view farther up the Valley than No.3 (No. 4)
497A View Across Sonoma Valley, Looking South Across the Valley, South of El Verano
498A View Across Sonoma Valley, Looking Southeast Across the Valley, South of El Verano
499A View Across Sonoma Valley, Looking West, One Mile North of El Verano
500A View Across Sonoma Valley, Looking Northwest, two miles North of El Verano
501A Caleb Carriger Residence, Orange Orchard One Mile Southwest from the Depot at El Verano
504A View from Caleb Carriger Orange Orchard, One Mile South of El Verano, looking East acrossSonoma Valley
506A Panorama View from Hill on Caleb Carriger Place, Looking Northwest across Sonoma Valley (No.1)
507A Panorama View from Hill on Caleb Chrriger [Carriger] Place, Looking Northwest across Sonoma Valley (No.2)
508A Panorama View from Hill on Caleb Carriger Place, Looking East across Sonoma Valley (No.3)
540A Buena Vista, Residence of Mrs. Robert Johnson, Sonoma Valley - The fountain is still visible at Bartholomew Park Winery
509A Panorama View from Hill on Caleb Carriger Place, Looking Southeast across Sonoma Valley (No.4)
583A Cutting Hay, on Land of Sonoma Valley Improvement Company, at El Verano. This land is offered for sale by this Company in subdivisions of from five to twenty acres, on easy terms.