Urban renewal programs of the mid-20th century changed the face of America’s downtowns as thousands of historic buildings were destroyed nationwide in the name of progress. Petaluma was no exception.
For instance, Petaluma’s Montgomery Ward store was demolished in 1967. This two-story brick building with a mezzanine was constructed in 1929 and designed by the Chain Store Architectural Department of Oakland. It was built by Wilbur C. Cone of Oakland for C. Gervasoni & Sons, who leased it to Montgomery Ward. The store was located at the foot of Western Avenue and had 25,000 square feet of floor space, a 69-foot frontage, and a depth of 120 feet.
The building sat on a lot formerly occupied by three buildings – Poehlmann’s butcher shop, a tavern operated by Joe Lynch and Joe Maggetti’s clothing store. C. Gervasoni & Sons purchased and operated the butcher shop for a time. The property was later leased to the Shell Oil company for a service station, and the lot was cleared, and the butcher shop was removed.
On April 20, 1929, the elegant new Montgomery Ward store was formally opened. Recently hired manager Art Weller[1] greeted the crowds of visitors who, according to one reporter, had difficulty believing they were in Petaluma “for the store presented such a metropolitan appearance in arrangement, equipment, and magnitude.”
Another reporter described the new building as changing the entire appearance of Main Street by occupying a “valuable site in the heart of the business district.”
In 1951, the Gervasoni Finance Company sold the building to Nellie C. Harris of Denver, Chauncey E. Needham of Palm Springs, and Maynard Garrison, a prominent San Francisco attorney, for $145,000. The sale was considered one of the largest real estate transactions of its kind in Petaluma. Eight years later, the Montgomery Ward store closed due to declining profits. Ken Rumer, store manager at the time, was quoted as saying the building was too large for the volume of business.
The building remained vacant until January 1968, when it fell victim to the wrecker’s ball.
Although there were rumors that two new buildings would replace Montgomery Ward’s, the site served as a parking lot for 20 years. In 1980, Dixie’s Flowers opened a kiosk on the site, a much-loved business but not exactly what was envisioned in 1968.
The building that now occupies the property addressed as 100 Petaluma Boulevard North, was designed by architect Jerry Kler, who also owned the lot. Mr. Kler submitted his first plans to Petaluma’s Site Plan and Architectural Review Committee (SPARC) in 1982. Those plans were approved, but the building was not constructed for financial reasons. In November 1987, SPARC again reviewed and approved the project. Heritage Homes of Petaluma appealed the decision to the City Council. They believed the “modernistic architecture, overwhelming presence and sheer size did not mesh well with the surrounding buildings.” The appeal was denied. When the building was completed in 1990, its appearance did not match what had been approved, which upset several city officials. The exterior walls were to be a light brick with a darker stucco section on the top floor. What got built was a 100% stucco clad building.
Mr. Kler’s building, known as the La Mancha building, likely inspired those interested in preserving Petaluma’s architectural integrity to step up their efforts to get the downtown listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which was accomplished in 1995. In 1999, the City Council adopted the Petaluma Historic Commercial District Design Guidelines.
Much has changed since the late 1990s, and an updated survey of resources within and adjacent to Petaluma’s Historic Commercial District is needed. The design guidelines also require updating, especially since the downtown area is the focus of recent revitalization plans. This recommendation is shared in the 2021 Historic Resources Existing Conditions Report prepared for Petaluma’s 2025 General Plan update.
Meanwhile, I can’t help but think, what if the Montgomery Ward store had never been torn down and instead, the decision-makers of the 1960s saw the value in adaptive reuse and encouraged converting the building to apartments?
[1] In 1932, along with Lyman Hopkins, Art Weller opened Weller Hopkins Furniture Store, which occupied the first floor of an 1870s building at 200 Washington Street. That building was demolished in 1964 and replaced by the Sierra Bank.
Sources:
Petaluma Argus Courier
“Montgomery Ward to Open Up Big Store In Petaluma” January 14, 1929, pg. 1
“Montgomery Ward & Co. Opening April 20” March 29, 1929, pg. 1
“Kynoch Awarded Big Contract” February 5, 1929, pg. 6
“Splendid New Sign Installed” April 9, 1929, pg. 5
“The New Building: A Thing of Beauty” April 18, 1929, pg. 1 & 14
“Record Real Estate Sale Here Listed” September 29, 1951, pg. 2
“Wards to Close Out Here” November 21, 1959, pg. 1
“Building to Be Demolished: Former Ward’s Location” December 12, 1967, pg. 1
“Demolition Begun” January 25, 1968, pg. 8B
“Downtown Building Approved” November 14, 1967, pg. 2
“Dixie’s Moves to Mill While New Building Goes Up” September 27, 1989, pg. 12
“Eclectic, or Electric? Change From Brick to Stucco Prompts Study” October 26, 1990, pg. 1-2
Rinehart, Katherine J. “Main and Western: Then and Now” Petaluma Magazine, July-August 2006, pg. 12-13
DK Jacobsen
During too many decades, the charm of Petaluma downtown was ignored. So many great buildings were removed to “modernize”…. what a waste.
Thanks for the history.