When Sonoma Had One Stoplight - Greg Rose
Greg's Sonoma Journey - I Found Page
This is the second of two stories about Greg's relationship with Sonoma.
🟩 The Circle That Led Us to Sonoma - Chapter 1
🟥 When Sonoma Had One Stoplight - Chapter 2 (You are reading this story.)
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When my wife and I moved to Sonoma in 1977, it was the small town we had hoped to find. There was one stoplight in the valley, wine tasting was free, and the plaza served local residents. We raised our children here, and years later our grandchildren attended Sonoma schools too. Over nearly fifty years, I watched vineyards and tourism transform the town. Sonoma has changed in ways I never imagined, but it is still home.
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My wife and I moved to Sonoma in 1977 because we wanted a small town where we could raise our family.
One place that captures those early years in my memory is the little country store on East Napa Street where Don and I recorded this conversation. Back then, it was owned by Ted Bonsadela. Old gas pumps stood out front, and inside you could buy just about anything.
In the back room, local ranchers and longtime residents gathered to play cards, drink a beer, and catch up on the latest news. It was not just a store. It was a community gathering place.
After we bought our home at the end of East Napa Street, we stopped there regularly. It was the kind of place every small town seemed to have.
The Sonoma of 1977 revolved around local residents. There was only one stoplight in the entire valley. Wine tasting was informal and free. Looking back now, it seems hard to imagine paying for a tasting.
Over the years, I watched vineyards spread across the valley. At first, I wondered who was ever going to buy all those grapes. Little by little, the wineries expanded, tourism grew, and Sonoma became an internationally recognized wine destination.
The changes happened gradually.
One example is the Fourth of July parade. When we first arrived, it was a true hometown celebration. Families lined the streets, neighbors greeted one another, and nearly everyone knew someone in the parade. Today, the crowds are so large that I rarely attend.
The same is true of the fireworks. Our family used to spread a blanket near the bike path and enjoy a simple evening together. Today, there are so many people that the experience feels completely different.
Even with those changes, Sonoma was a wonderful place to raise our children.
Our kids attended local schools, rode their bikes around town, and enjoyed a level of independence that is much harder to find today. It was a community where neighbors looked out for one another.
Years later, our grandchildren attended Sonoma schools as well.
We have lived in the same house for nearly fifty years. It was not our dream home when we bought it, but the location turned out to be ideal. We are at the end of a dead-end street where it is still quiet, dark at night, and somewhat removed from the busier parts of town.
As Sonoma continued to grow, I became more involved in local issues affecting the valley. I supported efforts to stop development projects that I believed would permanently change Sonoma's character.
I was pleased when residents successfully opposed the large resort proposed near what is now the Sonoma Overlook Trail. I also remember the community's opposition to the proposed casino near Sears Point.
Those debates reflected a question Sonoma has been wrestling with for decades: How do you preserve the qualities that make a place special while still allowing it to grow?
There is no easy answer.
The wine industry and tourism provide jobs and economic opportunity, but they have also transformed the town. Many of the things that attracted us here in 1977 - a quiet rural community, affordable housing, businesses serving local residents, and very little tourism - are harder to find today.
If I were making that decision today, I am not sure I would choose Sonoma for the same reasons.
But I have no intention of leaving.
This is home.
My family has deep roots here now. I know the roads, the neighborhoods, and the history of this valley. Nearly fifty years of my life happened here.
When I look back, I am grateful that we arrived when we did. We experienced a version of Sonoma that can never be recreated - a town with one stoplight, a country store where everyone gathered, and a community where people seemed to know one another.
I am especially grateful that my children and grandchildren were able to experience at least part of that Sonoma too.
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Greg and his wife moved to Sonoma in 1977 and raised their family in the same east-side home where they still live.
Ted Bonsadela's country store and the resident-focused plaza represented the small-town community they found.
Greg watched vineyards, wineries, tourism, and crowds transform Sonoma over nearly fifty years.
His children and grandchildren attended Sonoma schools and experienced part of the community he remembers.
Greg supported efforts to protect Sonoma's character from developments he believed would permanently change the valley.
Although the town has changed dramatically, Greg's family roots are deep and Sonoma remains home.
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This story was created from a recorded conversation between Greg Rose and Don Lundgren as part of the Sonoma Stories project. The conversation was edited for clarity and length while preserving Greg's experiences, reflections, and voice. Once published, Greg may request changes at any time or ask to have the story removed.
