Name/Title
Postcard, PictureEntry/Object ID
2017.030.0257Description
This is a divided back postcard. The photo is of a ship called the "Gold" and belonging to a company identified as "Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad Company". The card was not published by Frank J. Stumm of Benicia, CA. This is a real photo postcard. The back is blank.
Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad was a 600 volt DC electric interurban railway[1] in Sonoma County, California, United States. It operated between the cities of Petaluma, Sebastopol, Forestville, and Santa Rosa. Company-owned steamboats provided service between Petaluma and San Francisco.
On 20 June 1903 the Santa Rosa Street Railway, the Union Street Railway of Santa Rosa, the Petaluma Street Railroad, and the Central Street Railway were consolidated to form the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway. The four consolidated horse car lines built between 1888 and 1891 were to be replaced by an electric railroad operated in conjunction with the Steamer Gold which had been providing ferry service between Petaluma and San Francisco since 1883. A first-spike ceremony was held on 5 April 1904 at the Steamer Gold landing at the foot of Copeland Street. The electric line was completed to Sebastopol in October, and extended along Sebastopol road toward the western edge of Santa Rosa.
Steamer Gold burned on 29 November 1920 but was replaced by the steamer Fort Bragg (renamed Gold). The Petaluma & Santa Rosa was purchased by Northwestern Pacific Railroad (NWP) in 1932 and all trolley passenger service ended on July 1 of that year.Collection
Costa Postcard Collection