I live in Sonora and I didn’t even know half of this stuff! Sonora is a beautiful place to live and it has a lot of history behind it. I love it hear and I highly recommend visiting.
Having grown up in Sonora, where my family has lived since the Gold Rush, I am very familiar with the town and have a couple observations. First, a minor point, but the views of the red church don't convey the way it dominates Washington Street (you called it Main Street). Coming into town it's what you see; it's at the end of the street so any glance up Washington will include the church. Secondly, I think you spent too much time wandering through the basement of the bookstore and missed some really wonderful sites. You might have stopped by the Tuolumne County History Center & Museum, which is housed in the old jail (built in 1866). It's historic in itself. And they would probably have directed you to the Sugg House, a Victorian a block off Washington built by a former slave using adobe bricks; the house is on the National Registry of Historic Places. Third, there are two cemeteries of special interest in town: the old City Cemetery, where quite a few graves from the gold rush are, and the Jewish Pioneer Cemetery, the first Jewish cemetery of the gold rush towns, established around 1851, possibly the first in the state. The Gunn House, built into the steep hill next to the old Opera house, is another historic building which for years was named Rosa Italia but was known to everyone in town as Bisordi's. It was a rooming house for single Italian miners, run by the Bisordi family, whose matriarch was celebrated far and wide for her cooking. Movie companies used to stay there in the 1940s and 1950s. On South Washington Street where the post office is now there was a Chinese pagoda that was torn down in the late 1960s, unfortunately. Shirley Freitas
Thanks for all the wonderful and interesting points you made! I lived on Baretta Street & Church Street for 14 years. I met so many people who shared their knowledge of Sonora's amazing history!
It was January 25 or 27 1970 when the last time downtown Sonora caught fire. It all started at the Wagon Wheel restaurant and it spread. The park that you were at is where Kelly’s Central Motors burnt down. But across the alley was the garage of Central Motors.
Thanks for posting this lovely video. I've only passed thru Sonora in the past, and you've encouraged me to spend some time exploring one of the fascinating Gold Rush towns we have in California. 😊😊
Wonderful video! I live about one mile up on the left of the red church and learned a few things, like about the Chinatown history and the monument. By the way, you didn’t mention that pristine old vault door when touring the underground book store. I do believe the building was originally a bank. I learned from the owner that the incredible long bar with the fascinating hand carvings on the street level was built in Italy for a restaurant in San Francisco, and was relocated to Sonora at some point. Your tour has inspired me to get out and really discover more things here, since we are transplants from the peninsula and have only been living here for about 2.5 years. I was starting to forget why we moved here until I saw this. It really is a pretty town. Thank you!
I really enjoyed this video! I live in Sonora and I remember way back when the population was a mere 2,000 or so. Also,there was no big shopping center in what’s known as east Sonora. Just open land. Actually my grandparents live d on highway 49 near a town called Jacksonville which is now under the Don Pedro reservoir. Have you checked out the little town Chinese Camp? Lots of history there too.
When we were teenagers, we used to cruise Main Street hang out at the gas station on the corner across from the red church in our bad ass cars, good old times that you can never bring back. Thank you.
@@notdafoxpog4556 I was raised in Sonora and everyone I know refers to it as Washington because that’s the name of the street. If you and everyone you know call it Main, then you an idiot.
@@notdafoxpog4556 I've lived there for 18 years we call it Washington Street so I don't know what you're talking about. Main Street is in Jamestown. You say Main Street and people think Jamestown.
Thanks and welcome back! Believe it or not, doing a video on the salton sea was actually part of the original plan this summer, but I had to scrap it when we ended up not going as far south as we originally had planned. Hopefully in the next year though!
My favorite town in all of California. Been there many times.
This place is my home town! I never knew it was a tourist spot
I live in Sonora and I didn’t even know half of this stuff! Sonora is a beautiful place to live and it has a lot of history behind it. I love it hear and I highly recommend visiting.
I live in Sonora too!
Having grown up in Sonora, where my family has lived since the Gold Rush, I am very familiar with the town and have a couple observations. First, a minor point, but the views of the red church don't convey the way it dominates Washington Street (you called it Main Street). Coming into town it's what you see; it's at the end of the street so any glance up Washington will include the church. Secondly, I think you spent too much time wandering through the basement of the bookstore and missed some really wonderful sites. You might have stopped by the Tuolumne County History Center & Museum, which is housed in the old jail (built in 1866). It's historic in itself. And they would probably have directed you to the Sugg House, a Victorian a block off Washington built by a former slave using adobe bricks; the house is on the National Registry of Historic Places. Third, there are two cemeteries of special interest in town: the old City Cemetery, where quite a few graves from the gold rush are, and the Jewish Pioneer Cemetery, the first Jewish cemetery of the gold rush towns, established around 1851, possibly the first in the state. The Gunn House, built into the steep hill next to the old Opera house, is another historic building which for years was named Rosa Italia but was known to everyone in town as Bisordi's. It was a rooming house for single Italian miners, run by the Bisordi family, whose matriarch was celebrated far and wide for her cooking. Movie companies used to stay there in the 1940s and 1950s. On South Washington Street where the post office is now there was a Chinese pagoda that was torn down in the late 1960s, unfortunately.
Shirley Freitas
Thanks for all the wonderful and interesting points you made! I lived on Baretta Street & Church Street for 14 years. I met so many people who shared their knowledge of Sonora's amazing history!
Too bad you didn't cover the massive drug problem
The U.S. has problems everywhere.
It wasn't a news show.
That problem is literally everywhere
My favorite town in all of California. Been there many times.
It was January 25 or 27 1970 when the last time downtown Sonora caught fire. It all started at the Wagon Wheel restaurant and it spread. The park that you were at is where Kelly’s Central Motors burnt down. But across the alley was the garage of Central Motors.
Thanks for posting this lovely video. I've only passed thru Sonora in the past, and you've encouraged me to spend some time exploring one of the fascinating Gold Rush towns we have in California. 😊😊
Wonderful video! I live about one mile up on the left of the red church and learned a few things, like about the Chinatown history and the monument. By the way, you didn’t mention that pristine old vault door when touring the underground book store. I do believe the building was originally a bank. I learned from the owner that the incredible long bar with the fascinating hand carvings on the street level was built in Italy for a restaurant in San Francisco, and was relocated to Sonora at some point. Your tour has inspired me to get out and really discover more things here, since we are transplants from the peninsula and have only been living here for about 2.5 years. I was starting to forget why we moved here until I saw this. It really is a pretty town. Thank you!
I really enjoyed this video! I live in Sonora and I remember way back when the population was a mere 2,000 or so. Also,there was no big shopping center in what’s known as east Sonora. Just open land. Actually my grandparents live d on highway 49 near a town called Jacksonville which is now under the Don Pedro reservoir. Have you checked out the little town Chinese Camp? Lots of history there too.
When we were teenagers, we used to cruise Main Street hang out at the gas station on the corner across from the red church in our bad ass cars, good old times that you can never bring back. Thank you.
I live near Sonora and have visited many times, but it's nice to see it through fresh eyes. Good job.
Isn't "Main Street," still Washington Street???
It’s not called Main Street. That’s N. Washington that you were walking down.
everyone that lives here calls it main street
@@notdafoxpog4556 I was raised in Sonora and everyone I know refers to it as Washington because that’s the name of the street. If you and everyone you know call it Main, then you an idiot.
@@notdafoxpog4556 I've lived there for 18 years we call it Washington Street so I don't know what you're talking about. Main Street is in Jamestown. You say Main Street and people think Jamestown.
I live here, and I never hear anybody call Washington st Main st. 😂😅
You should see our new Buttercup Kennels and industrial park.
Another great video! Thanks! Just got back from a week in the desert by the Salton Sea.
Thanks and welcome back! Believe it or not, doing a video on the salton sea was actually part of the original plan this summer, but I had to scrap it when we ended up not going as far south as we originally had planned. Hopefully in the next year though!
🙏💕🙏💕🙏