Washoe House

Infobox Historic building
name=Washoe House

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caption=Washoe House in 2007, viewed from the south
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latitude=38.3143
longitude=-122.7358
location_town=Stony Point, California
location_country=United States
architect=
client=
engineer=
construction_start_date=
completion_date=1859
date_demolished=
cost=
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Washoe House is a historic roadhouse in Sonoma County, California in the United States. It is located west of Cotati, California at the juncture of Stony Point Road and Roblar Road. It lies near the headwaters of Washoe Creek and is the defining landmark of the unincorporated community of Stony Point.

History

Robert Ayres built the house in 1859, and it became a stop on the stagecoach routes connecting the towns of Petaluma, Santa Rosa, and Bodega during the 19th century.cite web|url=http://www.markeroni.com/catalog/display.php?code=CA_ECV_00046|title=Washoe House|accessdate=2007-11-30|publisher=Markeroni]

In 1865, following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Major James Armstrong's Petaluma militia rode up Stony Point Road, intent on wreaking vengeance on Santa Rosa, only to turn back after stopping at this tavern. This incident became known as "The Battle of Washoe House."cite web|url=http://northbaydigital.sonoma.edu/cgi-bin/showfile.exe?CISOROOT=/sunday&CISOPTR=684&filename=655.pdf|title=Rebels plan the capture of Yankee Petaluma|first=Gaye|last=LeBaron|publisher=Santa Rosa Press-Democrat|date=March 5, 1989|accessdate=2007-11-30]

According to local tradition, Ulysses S. Grant once made a speech from the balcony of Washoe House; historical evidence for this is lacking, however.cite web|url=http://northbaydigital.sonoma.edu/cgi-bin/showfile.exe?CISOROOT=/sunday&CISOPTR=486&filename=430.pdf|title=It was a long way to Gettysburg|first=Gaye|last=LeBaron|publisher=Santa Rosa Press-Democrat|date=September 30, 1990|accessdate=2007-11-30]

A portion of the 1999 movie "True Crime" was filmed at Washoe House.cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0139668/locations|title=Filming locations for True Crime (1999)|publisher=The Internet Movie Database|accessdate=2007-11-30] It was still operating as a restaurant and bar in 2007.cite web|url=http://www.metroactive.com/bohemian/02.28.07/dining-0709.html|title=Roadhouse Roundup|date=February 28, 2007|publisher=MetroActive|first=Amanda|last=Yskamp|accessdate=2007-11-30]

References