Sebastopol, California
Template:Short description Template:For-multi Template:Use mdy dates
Sebastopol (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is a city in Sonoma County, California, with a recorded population of 7,521, per the 2020 U.S. Census.<ref name="QF2020"/>
Sebastopol was once primarily a plum- and apple-growing region.<ref name="plum">Template:Cite web</ref> Wine grapes are the predominant agriculture crop, and nearly all lands once used for orchards are now vineyardsTemplate:Citation needed. The creation of The Barlow, a $32 million mall on a floodplain in Sebastopol, has converted old agricultural warehouses into a marketplace for dining, tasting rooms, and art, and has made Sebastopol a Wine Country destination.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="flood">Template:Cite web</ref>
Horticulturist Luther Burbank had gardens in this region.<ref name="plum"/><ref name="amiot">Template:Cite web</ref> The city hosts an annual Apple Blossom Festival in April, Gravenstein Apple Fair in August, and is home to the Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival.<ref name="blossom">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="fair">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="doc">Template:Cite web</ref>
History
[edit]Etymology
[edit]The settlement was originally named Pine Grove.<ref name="GNIS">Template:Cite GNIS</ref> The name change to Sebastopol has historically been attributed to a bar fight in the late 1850s, which was allegedly compared by a bystander to the long Allied siege of the seaport of Sevastopol (1854–1855) during the Crimean War of 1853–1856.<ref name="lebaron">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="amiot"/><ref name="peace">Template:Cite web</ref> The original name survives in the name of the Pine Grove General Store downtown.
Indigenous history and early settlers
[edit]The area's first known inhabitants were the native Coast Miwok and Pomo peoples. The town currently sits atop multiple village sites.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The town of Sebastopol formed in the 1850s with a U.S. Post Office and as a small trade center for the farmers of the surrounding agricultural region. As California's population swelled after the westward migration and the California Gold Rush of 1848–1855, more and more settlers drifted into the fertile California valleys north of San Francisco to try their hand at farming. Sebastopol's early settlers included immigrants from a variety of national origins, including a substantial Chinese population that formed a Chinatown in the present-day downtown core beginning in the 1880s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Gravenstein era, incorporation and 1906 earthquake
[edit].jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Sebastopol became known as the "Gravenstein Apple Capital of the World."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The apple industry brought a steady rural prosperity to the town. In 1890 the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad connected Sebastopol to the national rail network.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The town was incorporated in 1902, with schools, churches, hotels, canneries, mills, wineries, and an opera house to its credit. The 1906 earthquake reduced most of these early buildings to rubble (Sebastopol is only Template:Convert from the city of Santa Rosa, the worst-hit town in the 1906 earthquake)Template:Citation needed , but as elsewhere in the county, the town was rebuilt. Contemporary research from the U.S. Geological Survey found that Sebastopol experienced the highest intensity shaking during the earthquake.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Enmanji Japanese Buddhist Temple was dedicated in 1934. Originally built by the Manchurian Railroad Company and exhibited in the Chicago World's Fair of 1933, the Kamakura-style temple was dismantled and shipped to Sebastopol, where it was reconstructed without the use of nails.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the second half of the 20th century, the apple industry struggled to compete with other apple-producing regions and gradually declined in economic significance. With greater personal mobility and the rise of larger shopping centers in other Sonoma County communities, many residents now often commute to work and shop in the neighboring towns, and a majority of local vehicle trips end in Santa Rosa.<ref name="tbs">Template:Cite web</ref>
Railways and highways
[edit].jpg){kind=link}
Sebastopol once had working railroad trains on Main Street, and the tracks were removed in the late 1980s.<ref name="train">Template:Cite web</ref> Passenger service had ceased in the 1930s, and regular freight service ended in the late 1970s.<ref name="train"/> This was documented by Analy High School students in a 1979 video Our Train Down Main: a History of the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad. The canneries and apple-processing plant are gone from downtown, and vineyards and housing developments have replaced many apple orchards, reducing the demand for freight service. The region's last remaining apple processing plant, Manzana Products, announced in 2024 that they would relocate operations to the Yakima Valley of Washington by early 2026.<ref name="manzana">Template:Cite web</ref>
Around the time of the removal of rail tracks, the Gravenstein Highway (Route 116) was redesigned with a pair of one-way streets. Main Street and Petaluma Avenue were designated one-way streets in the 1980s in an attempt to deal with the town's perennial traffic problem.<ref name="gwen">Template:Cite web</ref>
Environmental innovation
[edit]In 1985, the city passed an ordinance declaring Sebastopol a nuclear-free zone.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The town does not use pesticides in city landscaping.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sebastopol became the second city in California (after Lancaster) to require solar panels on all new homes in 2013,<ref name="grist">Template:Cite web</ref> a requirement implemented statewide by 2020.<ref name="solar">Template:Cite web</ref> The neighboring city of Petaluma passed the first ban in the world on new gas stations in 2021; Sebastopol also imposed a ban along with the North Bay cities of American Canyon, Calistoga, and Rohnert Park.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="gas">Template:Cite web</ref>
Housing and growth limits
[edit]Sebastopol adopted an urban growth boundary in its 1994 general plan to restrict urban development outside the boundary. The boundary was formally adopted by a ballot initiative in 1996, and was renewed and extended with additional ballot initiatives as recently as 2016.<ref name="ugb">Template:Cite web</ref>
After decades of minimal development and stagnating population, the city has responded locally to the larger California housing shortage with affordable housing for low-income residents and people experiencing homelessness. In 2007, the city purchased land on the banks of the Laguna de Santa Rosa to operate Park Village, a city-owned mobile home park for both long-term residents and people exiting homelessness.<ref name="pv">Template:Cite web</ref> In partnership with the County of Sonoma and using Project Homekey funds, the former Sebastopol Inn was converted to supportive housing during the COVID-19 pandemic and renamed Elderberry Commons.<ref name="elderberry">Template:Cite web</ref> An 84-unit affordable housing development, including 48 units for farmworkers funded through USDA Rural Development, was approved under a Senate Bill 35 streamlined approval process in 2022.<ref name="woodmark">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="SB35">Template:Cite web</ref>
Fiscal crisis
[edit]In April 2021, $1.2 million was stolen from the city’s reserves account in email-based cyber fraud.<ref name="cyber">Template:Cite web</ref> The fraud came as the city was already facing a looming budget deficit, estimated at $2.9 million by 2024.<ref name="deficit">Template:Cite web</ref> Initial actions to curb the fiscal crisis included a 37% water and sewer rate increase in 2024. The rate hike generated controversy, with the mayor indicating that she was “utterly shocked” that the city would charge interest on an internal loan transferring money between the general fund and wastewater fund.<ref name="sewer">Template:Cite web</ref>
Local residents passed a ½ cent sales tax in the 2024 general election to prevent further deficit spending. The tax would push Sebastopol’s sales tax over the state cap of 10.25% to 10.5% if approved by the California Attorney General, and would become the highest local sales tax in the state outside of Alameda County.<ref name="measureu">Template:Cite web</ref>
Modern agricultural economy
[edit]Sebastopol is home to national food and beverage producers including Guayakí, Redwood Hill Creamery, Traditional Medicinals, and Bachan’s.<ref name="brands">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="forbes">Template:Cite web</ref>
Cideries have grown in Sebastopol in celebration of the Gravenstein apple legacy.<ref name="cider">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="mercury">Template:Cite web</ref> Ace Cider was founded in 1993,<ref name="brands"/><ref name="ace">Template:Cite web</ref> and Golden State Cider, which started with apples from a Sebastopol orchard, established a tasting room in The Barlow District in 2019.<ref name="mercury"/><ref name="jackson">Template:Cite web</ref>
Sebastopol is in the Russian River Valley AVA, and a variety of wineries and tasting rooms are located in the area. Several local producers and establishments specialize in natural wine,<ref name="natural">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="pdnw">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="psychic">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ba">Template:Cite web</ref> including The Punchdown, an Oakland-originated natural wine bar nominated for a James Beard Award in 2022.<ref name="punchdown">Template:Cite web</ref>
As of 2024, Sebastopol has two restaurants with Bib Gourmand recognition in the annual Michelin Guide: Khom Loi and Ramen Gaijin.<ref name="bib">Template:Cite web</ref>
Geography
[edit]
The downtown intersection of State Route 12 and State Route 116 (Gravenstein Highway) is approximately Template:Convert west of U.S. Route 101.<ref name="snapshot">Template:Cite web</ref>
Sebastopol is situated on the edge of the Laguna de Santa Rosa, which is fed by Santa Rosa Creek and other tributaries, including three minor tributaries within the city limits: Zimpher Creek, Calder Creek and Witter Creek.<ref name="calder">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="storm">Template:Cite web</ref> The Laguna is a wetland area that is home to many species of wildlife and vegetation and divides the town from neighboring Santa Rosa. The Laguna frequently floods during the winter, cutting off State Route 12, and often flooding the low-lying businesses and homes on the eastern side of Sebastopol.<ref name="flood"/> The Pitkin Marsh lily and White sedge are two rare species of plants that are found in the vicinity of Sebastopol.<ref name="atascadero">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="OPR">Template:Cite web</ref>
The city has a total area of Template:Convert, all land.<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref>
Demographics
[edit]| Racial and ethnic composition | 2000<ref name=datacensus2000p2>Template:Cite web</ref> | 2010<ref name=datacensus2010p2>Template:Cite web</ref> | 2020<ref name=datacensus2020p2>Template:Cite web</ref> |
|---|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 85.35% | 81.87% | 74.66% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 9.26% | 11.99% | 14.36% |
| Two or more races (non-Hispanic) | 2.32% | 2.59% | 6.18% |
| Asian (non-Hispanic) | 1.49% | 1.57% | 2.43% |
| Other (non-Hispanic) | 0.23% | 0.19% | 0.96% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 0.64% | 0.92% | 0.82% |
| Native American (non-Hispanic) | 0.62% | 0.62% | 0.40% |
| Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) | 0.09% | 0.24% | 0.19% |
2020
[edit]The 2020 United States census reported that Sebastopol had a population of 7,521.<ref name="QF2020"/> The population density was Template:Convert. The racial makeup of Sebastopol was 80.8% White (74.9% White, not Hispanic or Latino), 3.8% Asian, 1.7% African American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.0% Native American and 7.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.7%.
2010
[edit]The 2010 United States Census<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> reported that Sebastopol had a population of 7,379. The population density was Template:Convert. The racial makeup of Sebastopol was 6,509 (88.2%) White, 72 (1.0%) African American, 60 (0.8%) Native American, 120 (1.6%) Asian, 19 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 298 (4.0%) from other races, and 301 (4.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 885 persons (12.0%).
The Census reported that 98.3% of the population lived in households and 1.7% were institutionalized.
There were 3,276 households, out of which 902 (27.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,220 (37.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 478 (14.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 156 (4.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 206 (6.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 52 (1.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,132 households (34.6%) were made up of individuals, and 498 (15.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21. There were 1,854 families (56.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.82.
The age distribution was1,515 people (20.5%) under the age of 18, 471 people (6.4%) aged 18 to 24, 1,587 people (21.5%) aged 25 to 44, 2,525 people (34.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,281 people (17.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.7 males.
There were 3,465 housing units, with an average density of Template:Convert, of which 52.9% were owner-occupied and 47.1% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.2%. 53.7% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 44.5% lived in rental housing units.
The median income for a household in the city was $60,322 (+29.9% from 2000), and the median income for a family was $74,020 (+32.7% from 2000). The median per capita income for the city was $29,470 (+28.8% from 2000). For comparison, statewide California median per capita income in the 2010 Census was $27,885 (+22.8% from 2000).
2000
[edit]As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 7,774 people, 3,250 households, and 1,953 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 3,321 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 89.85% White, 0.66% African American, 0.78% Native American, 1.52% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 3.86% from other races, and 3.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.26% of the population.
There were 3,250 households, out of which 31.8% included children under the age of 18 in the house, 41.5% were married couples living together, 14.2% were led by a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were other living arrangements. 31.8% of all households were made up of a single individual and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.95.
For the most part the population is spread out across the age groups, although the young adult population is drastically lower than the other groups, indicating that most young people leave, at least temporarily. The reasons for this are probably a combination of the high cost of living and the lack of other young adults. The percent distribution on the 2000 census by age was as follows: 23.6% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years.
For every 100 females, there were 81.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $46,436, and the median income for a family was $55,792. Males had a median income of $40,538 versus $32,399 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,881. About 4.7% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
[edit]
Template:Unreferenced section Places of interest in Sebastopol include:
- Sebastopol Center for the Arts
- Luther Burbank's Gold Ridge Experiment Farm
- Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products world headquarters
- The historic Hogan Building: This was the Power House for the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad, an electric railway. The first cars were run on the line in 1904, and the later named Hogan Building, built of stone from a local quarry, is one of the few in the area to withstand the 1906 earthquake.
- West County Museum, operated by the Western Sonoma County Historical Society in the former Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad passenger depot
- George A. Strout House
- Ives Park, summer home of the Sonoma County Repertory Theater
- Ragle Ranch Regional Park
- Joe Rodota Trail
- West County Trail
- Laguna de Santa Rosa
- Sebastopol Community Cultural Center
- The Barlow, an outdoor mall on the eastern edge of town, built on the floodplain of the Laguna de Santa Rosa
Government
[edit]
Local
[edit]The city council consists of five members, each serving four-year terms. The city's laws are enforced by the Sebastopol Police Department. City council races are not partisan, so each member does not officially represent any party; however, since 2000 there has been a decent amount of attention given to the individual party membership of city council members in Sebastopol. This happened because, with the election of Craig Litwin and Sam Spooner to the city council in that year's election, the town had a Green Party majority—or would have, if city council races had been partisan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This was only the second time this had ever happened in California, the first being the town of Arcata in 1996.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The mayor is Stephen Zollman.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
A former mayor, Robert Jacob, who was selected by the city council in December 2013, was the owner of two medical marijuana dispensaries in Sonoma County. He was reported to be the first American mayor to be involved in the industry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
State and federal
[edit]In the California State Legislature, Sebastopol is in Template:Representative, and California's 2nd State Senate district, represented by Mike McGuire.
Federally, Sebastopol is in Template:Representative.<ref>Template:Cite GovTrack</ref>
According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Sebastopol has 5,285 registered voters. Of those, 3,346 (63.3%) are registered Democrats, 518 (9.8%) are registered Republicans, and 1,137 (21.5%) have declined to state a political party.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Education
[edit]
Sebastopol Union Elementary School District and West Sonoma County Union High School District are the local school districts.<ref name=SDMap2020>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref> Both districts cover the entirety of city limits, while the Twin Hills Union School District, Gravenstein Union School District, and Oak Grove Union School District serve the rural outskirts of Sebastopol and feed into the West Sonoma County Union High School District.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Analy High School is the primary high school serving grades 9-12 in the West Sonoma County Union High School District. Following the merger of Analy and El Molino High School in 2021, Analy serves the broader west Sonoma County community.<ref name="Hbg">Template:Cite web</ref> The high school district also operates Laguna High School, a continuation school located on the former El Molino campus in nearby Forestville.
Sebastopol Union operates two schools: Park Side (TK-4) and Brook Haven (5–8).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Sebastopol Union School District also acts as the sponsor district for the Sebastopol Charter School, a K-8 public Waldorf charter school.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Twin Hills Union School District sponsors the K-8 SunRidge Charter School within the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Sebastopol Charter had the highest percentage (58%) of kindergarten students with medical exemptions to vaccines in California as of the summer of 2018.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
Infrastructure
[edit]Law enforcement
[edit]Template:Unreferenced section The Sebastopol Police Department employs 31 sworn and non sworn personnel, and 25 volunteers. The department was founded in the early 1900s.
Notable people
[edit]- Luther Burbank, horticulturist who established an Template:Convert Gold Ridge Environmental Farm in the township in the late 19th century<ref name="amiot"/>
- Les Claypool, bassist/vocalist of the band Primus
- Peter Coyote, narrator/author/actor
- Peter D'Amato, author
- Jerry Garcia and Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead
- Nina Gerber, guitarist
- Laeh Glenn, visual artist<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Schuyler Grant, actress of the 1985 adaptation of Anne of Green Gables
- Nick Gravenites, singer/songwriter
- Kitaro, Japanese New Age recording artist
- Peter Krause, actor<ref>"Analy High School Centennial Celebration Historical Timeline" Template:Webarchive. Analy High School. Retrieved January 11, 2009.</ref>
- J.Lately, rapper
- Luke Lamperti, racing cyclist<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Willard Libby, inventor of carbon dating, went to Analy High School
- Megan McDonald, an American children's literature author of more than 25 books including the Judy Moody & Stink Moody series
- Terence McKenna, ethnobotanist
- John Mitzewich, chef and YouTube host<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Matt Nix, showrunner for Burn Notice
- Johnny Otis, rhythm and blues pioneer
- Justin Raimondo, author<ref name=Raimondo>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=ACLU>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Francine Rivers, novelist
- Mario Savio, freedom activist<ref name="amiot"/>
- Dave Schools, bassist of the band Widespread Panic
- Charles M. Schulz, cartoonist and creator of Peanuts
- Smoov-E, rapper
- Mary Lou Spiess, polio survivor, disability rights advocate and pioneer of disabled fashion
- Rider Strong, actor
- Karen Valentine, actress of the television show Room 222
- Obie Scott Wade, screenwriter and creator of SheZow, went to Analy High School
- Tom Waits, singer/songwriter/musician
- Guy Wilson, actor
- Kate Wolf, singer/songwriter
Sister cities
[edit]- Template:Flagicon Chyhyryn, Ukraine<ref name=about>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Takeo, Japan<ref name="sisters">Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- Our Train Down Main : a History of the Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railroad. Sebastopol, CA: Analy High School, 1979. Videocassette (ca. 22 min.)
External links
[edit]Template:Commons category Template:Wikivoyage
Template:Geographic Location Template:SF Bay Area Template:Sonoma County, California Template:Russian River