El Verano's name is Spanish and means "The Summer." Resorts in El Verano, and the other nearby communities of Boyes Hot Springs, Fetters Hot Springs, and Agua Caliente were popular health retreats for tourists from San Francisco and points beyond until the middle of the 20th century because of the geothermic hot springs found in the area. El Verano is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, United States. The population was 4,123 as of the 2010 census, falling to 3,867 at the 2020 Census. El Verano is a western suburb of the City of Sonoma. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2), all of it land. [1]
El Verano Historical Society [EVHS]: Its People . . . Link
GenealogyOnline: About
the Town El Verano .
. . Link
Surnames: Levy
Roadside Thoughts: El Verano California . . . Link
Sonoma County Genealogical Society . . . Link
El Verano has a Sonoma city address but is a distinctly defined area of Sonoma County. The land used to be owned by General Vallejo, and eventually it became a popular vacation area for residents of San Francisco due to its hot springs. Today, the hot springs are no longer in use and El Verano is mainly residential. El Verano is a popular shopping area for Sonoma residents and has a selection of local restaurants that are affordable. [5]
El Verano
The
community of El Verano was born in 1888,
when a new depot was built two miles west of Sonoma.
Train passengers soon helped put El Verano on the map
as a popular destination, with hotels such as
Parente's, Paul's Resort, and El Verano Villa. El
Verano was named by developer George H. Maxwell who
sold lots for $80. A post office was established in
1889 with Henry Kleefer as postmaster. The town had a
short lived newspaper called the Whistle which ran for
two years. The center of social activity was the
Bellevue Hotel. The town closed down when Maxwell was
unable to guarantee property titles. . . .
[Archived
Website.
Link ]
El Verano, CA was named after the Spanish term for "Summer" by developer George H. Maxwell. The town was established in 1888 when a new depot was built two miles west of Sonoma and Maxwell sold lots for $80 a piece. The town closed down when Maxwell was unable to guarantee property titles. Train passengers soon helped put El Verano on the map as a popular destination with hotels such as Parente's, Paul's Resort, and El Verano Villa. The center of social activity was the Bellevue Hotel. A post office was established in 1889 with Henry Kleefer as postmaster. The town had a short-lived newspaper called The Whistle which ran for two years. [2 Link ]
American Towns . . . Link
El Verano Historical Society [EVHS]
. . . Link .
. . Town History . . . Its People . . . Maps . . . And More!
El Verano Today [Niche] (has a map of location) . . . Link
El Verano Wikipedia Page . . . Link . . .
Great Fire of 1923 . . . Link
. . . .the great fire of 1923 as it burned over the side of the Mountain. The blaze destroyed many homes in the Valley, and burned right up to the edge of El Verano stopping, Basileu recalls, just short of where Derrington's service station is today.
LocalWiki: El Verano . . . Link
Permit Sonoma: Paul's Resort (El Verano) . . . Link
Sonoma Valley Historical Society . . . Link . . . About
Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce
. . . Link . . . FaceBook
WikiVoyage: El Verano . . . Link
Check Sonoma Historian (SCHS) for articles about the towns. . . . LINK
Art Baines [came to El Verano in 1907] . . . Link
Bellevue Hotel . . . Link . . . Pics . . . Pic
The site of the Sonoma County Maintenance Yard was home to the largest of the El Verano's largest of El Verano's resort, the Bellvue Hotel. Although constructed in the late 1800's it was dilapidated by 1897 when it was purchased by Emil Lounibos, who brought it to a modicum of success. But John Serres, who leased the building from Lounibos in 1903, added a dance hall which sent profits from the resort skyrocketing. The hotel was demoslished in 1937 by the owner, Mrs. Fetters, and made into the maintenance yard.
Bill Basilue [ran a barber shop] . . . Link
Cranes Resort . . . Pics
Danieli Family . . . Link
The Danieli family opened the town market and post office (which they took over from the Mullens') in 1907 and which was operated by the family untl 1978.
El Verano Villa [See also Parente's Villa] . . . Pics
The El Verano Cilla, opened in 1887 by Mr. A & Mrs. Mary Nevaraumont, catered primarily to French tourists.
Family Hotel . . Pics
Floyd Oliver Barnes . . . Pic
F. P. Bacon . . . Link
Faith in the fledgling town was so great that a Mr. F. P. Bacon, the founder of Pasadena, became one of its earliest supporters. [Link]
French Cottage [Verdier's] . .
. Pics [French Cottage] . . . Pics [Verdier's]
In 1902 the El Verano French Cottage opened under the ownership of J. Dutil, later the name was changed to Verdier's.
George H. Maxwell . . . Link
El Verano, CA was named after the Spanish term for "Summer" by developer George H. Maxwell. The town was established in 1888 when a new depot was built two miles west of Sonoma and Maxwell sold lots for $80 a piece. The town closed down when Maxwell was unable to guarantee property titles.
Geysers Hotel . . . Pics
Harvey School . . . A one room school house
Henry Kleefer . . . Link . . . A post office was established in 1889 with Henry Kleefer as postmaster.
Joaquin Hansen [Resident in 1900 when town failed] . . . Link
Joe Cruz [Resident in 1900 when town failed] . . . Link
Swiss American Hotel [Little Switzerland Resort] . . . Pics
One resort most everyone is familiar with is the Swiss American Hotel, now known as Little Switzerland, which was opened in 1904.
M. F. Mullen & sons Emmett, Mike & Tom . . . Link
The grocery store was reopened by M. F. Mullen who with his sons Emmett, Mike & Tom, ran the store until the late 50's when Emmett, the last of the family members died.
Michael Brocco . . . Link
Another former chicken rancher . . is Michael Brocco, senior owner of Brocco's Trucking in El Verano. He originally came to the area in 1922 and opened his ranch in addition to a few dairy cattle he maintained. Today [1985], the entire Brocco clan lives within one block of one another. . . In 1947 he opened Brocco's Trucking which he is now managed by his sons. Adjacent to this is Brocco's Old Barn, a feed store, operated by his grandsons.
Oak Grove Villa. . . Pics
Parente's Villa [Paul's Resort] . . . Pics
Louie Parente, the owner, operated a training camp for professional boxers at the resort . . . Parente's later became a popular dining spot and inn know as Rozario's - operated successfully by Al and Delpha Rozario for a dozen years, before it became know as El Verano Inn, and finally FAHA Manor.
Ralph & Walter Murphy .
. . Link
Two young carpenters began (the latter was to become the co-publisher of the Index Tribune,) began a construction boom.
Rozario's Palm Hotel [See also Parente's Villa]. . . Pics
Urton Family: Clarence Urton, Ethel Mea Urton, Eva Urton . . . Pics
Vincente Carrillo [Resident in 1900 when town failed] . . . Link
Whistle [Newspaper] . . . Link . . . The town had a short lived newspaper called the Whistle which ran for two years. Ran its first issue on Feb. 22, 1889.
List of Early Families: Bonseys, Broccos, Burrys, Currottos, Danieles, DeJongs, Dowdalls, Kearneys, Morenzonis, Poncias, Smircichs, Stocktons, Stokes, Weavers, and Yarnells. . . . Link
Maps
Original Town Maps [EVHS] . . . Link
El Verano Resorts [EVHS] . . . Link
Various Images of old El Verano [EVHS] . . . Link
[1] Wikipedia contributors. "El Verano, California." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 27 Jul. 2022. Web. Viewed on 1 Oct. 2022.. . . . Link
[2] Historical and Descriptive Sketch Book of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino: Comprising Sketches of Their Topography, Productions, History, Scenery, and Peculiar Attractions, C.A. Menefee, 1873 . . . Link
[3] "Historical and Descriptive Sketch of Sonoma County, California" Robert Allan Thompson. L.H. Everts, 1877 - Sonoma County (Calif.) - 104 pages. [Bodega pp 100-101] . . . Link
[4]
An Illustrated History of Sonoma County,
California: Containing a History of the County of Sonoma
from the Earliest Period of Its Occupancy to the Present
Time, Lewis Publishing, 1889
. . . Link
[5] "El Verano." Wikivoyage, The FREE worldwide travel guide that anyone can edit. 6 Sep 2022, 20:26 UTC. 3 Oct 2022, 19:05 <https://en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?title=El_Verano&oldid=4514337>.
"The Springs: Resort Towns of Sonoma Valley (Images of America)". Michael Acker. 27 March 2017; Arcadia Publishing. . . . Link