The Santa Rosa Valley, once carpeted in wild oats and littered with acorns from ancient oaks, was home to Pomo and Miwok Indians for thousands of years. The cattle ranches and farms that displaced them in the mid-1800s had already spawned a thriving commercial town named Santa Rosa, the county seat, when the railroad arrived in 1870. That railroad, and the commerce it brought, secured the city's role as the legal and financial nexus of Sonoma County and its most populous city. When many of the downtown buildings collapsed in the famous 1906 earthquake, the community built itself back into a picture-perfect all-American city, the setting for such films as Hitchcock's Shadow of Doubt and Disney's Pollyanna. Another devastating quake in 1969 damaged many structures, but once again that destruction prompted redevelopment and renewed growth for Santa Rosa in the 21st century.

A “Seismic Shift” occurred in Santa Rosa politics between 2004 and 2008, putting a progressive majority in power on the City Council for thefirst time ever. Who Rules Santa Rosa describes the defeat of the long-reigning pro-developer political machine and analyzes the underlying political dynamics; and Why It Matters is because who rules on the City Council will decide the path of Santa Rosa’s growth management, social change and environmental sustainability. This thought-provoking book will inform and challenge everyone who has an interest in Santa Rosa’s future and its politics.

With a population of over 157,000, Santa Rosa is the fifth-largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area. The citys size is sometimes a shock to longtime residents. When did it get so big? A farm town for much of its history, today Santa Rosa reflects a desire to retainor even recapture the charm of years past while still embracing the 21st century.

From the first Rose Carnival in 1864, to the Great Earthquake in 1906, and the building of Highway 101, this book documents the history of Santa Rosa, illuminated in over 200 vintage postcards. Included are postcards of Luther Burbank, horticulturalist and local hero, as well as many views of Fourth Street as it changed and grew with the town.

From the first Rose Carnival in 1864, to the Great Earthquake in 1906, and the building of Highway 101, this book documents the history of Santa Rosa, illuminated in over 200 vintage postcards. Included are postcards of Luther Burbank, horticulturalist and local hero, as well as many views of Fourth Street as it changed and grew with the town.