Who's Who in Sonoma: Steve Ledson

A fifth-generation farmer and winemaker, Steve Ledson came by his love for the land honestly. Today, he’s a developer, vintner, hotel proprietor and philanthropist.

Ledson followed in his family’s footsteps and planted Merlot vines off Highway 12 in Kenwood and, just as the first harvest came around in 1993, he began to build a 16,000 square foot home. The Gothic, French-Normandy structure, quickly dubbed “The Castle”, was quite a spectacle to locals and tourists alike.  Ledson decided it was better suited to be the home of , and went on a search for a more private dream home.

In 1986, Ledson purchased the Armstrong Estate on three acres in the heart of Sonoma, after pursuing the property for about a decade. He fully restored the home, originally built in 1870, and now lives in the Victorian that is registered as a historic landmark by the City of Sonoma, the California Historic Registry and the National Historic Registry.

He went on to build period-inspired custom homes on the property, aptly called .

Then there’s , an impressive and inviting landmark overlooking the Plaza, named one of the world’s top 100 hotels by Conde Nast Traveler soon after it opened.

In 1995, he created the Ledson Harmony Foundation for Children, providing financial support to at-risk and in-need youth.

 SP: What inspired the Ledson Harmony Foundation?

Steve:  When I was a boy growing up on the ranch, my father would take in kids, give them a place to live and a job. I saw how he gave them direction and reason to change.

SP:  What is the Foundation accomplishment you’re most proud of?

Steve: A six-year-old boy was diagnosed with cancer and given less than a year to live.  He wanted to swim with the whales, so we sent him and his family to Hawaii to fulfill his wish.

SP: What’s the most important thing you learned from your father?

Steve: Don’t ask someone to do something you’re not willing to do yourself. Also, when you’re getting ready to start something, ask yourself what the worst outcome could be? If you’re not happy with that, don’t do it.

SP: How do you strike a balance between land preservation and development?

Steve:  We need growth to sustain a healthy economy.  It’s the type of growth we should be concerned about.  My father used to say, “Leave things better than you found them.” 

SP: And what’s “better”?

Steve: Sonoma, unlike some other towns, hasn’t destroyed the center hub.

SP: How challenging has it been to retain the historical integrity of your home?

Steve: The man who built the original house, Daniel Young, left a time capsule buried under the house with pictures and articles, so I was able to put the house back to its original state.

SP: What do you do when you’re not working?

Steve: I’m high energy. I water ski throughout the summer. I love softball and might join an over-40 team next year. I spend a lot of time in Mendocino County where we also have another winery, Zina Hyde Cunningham, named after my great-great grand father.

SP: What do you have in the works?

Steve: A winery in Russian River Valley in 2012.  We’re also putting in a 26-lot subdivision and will build homes this spring.  They’re small, affordable, mainly built with my employees in mind.

SP: What do “transplants” contribute to the community?

Steve: We all moved from somewhere at some time. It adds to the diversity, character and coolness of our town.