The Sonoma Barracks From the Sonoma State Historic Park Plan November, 1986. Used with permission.

Barracks: The “cuartel” or barracks of the Compania de Presidio Nacional de San Francisco was started in 1837, with construction of walls beginning in 1839. Work continued on this unique Mexican military structure until 1844, when Vallejo stopped construction. This building, which is the only Mexican era military structure in California, and possibly in the United States, was built to house troops, but also as an administrative office and equipment storage space for the Company of San Francisco after its transfer to a duty station north of San Francisco Bay. Sonoma was also, for a short period, the home and headquarters for the Compania de Infanteria Permanente de Sonoma, a regular Mexican Infantry Company composed of young, not-so-willing Californio draftees, and for the short-lived Compania de Infanteria Indios, the Indian Infantry Company. After Vallejo disbanded the presidial company in the fall of 1844, he used the structure to store the government weapons and equipment which could have been used to arm the national militia if called to duty. For Vallejo, the Mexican era ended on the morning of June 14, 1846, as members of the self-proclaimed “Popular Movement” captured a sleeping Sonoma. To history they would be know as the “Bear Flaggers.”

Following the short-lived Bear Flag Revolt and occupation, the U.S. Navy and then a company of New York Volunteers used the barracks until the end of the Mexican War. The navy had the roof raised, and the tiles replaced by wooden shingles. Following the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), the headquarters of the 10th Department (California) moved to Sonoma, and Company C, 1st U.S. Dragoons were assigned as garrison, and occupied the barracks. Ultimately, all of the three companies of the 1st Dragoons assigned to California were relocated to Sonoma before a move to Oregon. In early January 1852, the military era of the barracks closed.

While the military had affected a number of minor changes to the building, it had remained substantially a barracks. Now, with civilian use, change continued to alter the internal and external appearance of the structure. It was used as a winery, general store, offices, newspaper office, and low-rent apartment until little remained of the original appearance.

In 1957 Walter Murphy sold the barracks to the State of California; research and restoration to refurbish the structure occupied ten years, from 1969 to 1979. The barracks now gives as outward appearance of a large Mexican territorial structure, while the interior has been adapted for museum and other departmental use.