Then & Now: The Maysonnave Home

Just a stone's throw from the Plaza stands a beautiful wood house that gives Sonomans a timeless glimpse into our wondrous past and the life of one of our most celebrated citizens.

The house at 291 First St. East was constructed in 1910 and was the home of Henri Maysonnave. Maysonnave lived there virtually his entire life and when he passed away in 1989 he left the home to the City of Sonoma — the city he loved so much.

At the young age of 7, Maysonnave's father Fabian fell ill and took advice from the family doctor to take a vacation in the scenic Sonoma Valley. That two-week vacation turned into a lifetime.

Fabian took the only full-time job offered by the city at that time. Meanwhile, the family settled into the charming wood home just a few blocks from the Plaza.

Maysonnave saw the maturation of a tiny little town into the wine destination that people think of it as today. "There were no paved streets in those days, and in the wintertime, the dust turned to mud, and you didn't navigate too far," Maysonnave recalled in 1983.

The Sonoma League for Historic Preservation undertook the restoration process of the 1,100-square-foot house, spending upwards of $750,000.  But it was worth every penny as visitors are treated to a beautifully replanted yard and garden, as well as a reconstructed carriage house.

For more information about the work of The Sonoma League for Historic Preservation please visit their website.