Cloverdale in Sonoma County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Icaria-Speranza Utopian Colony

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, March 28, 2017

1. Icaria-Speranza Utopian Colony Marker

Inscription.
Icaria-Speranza was a utopian community based on the writings of French philosopher Etienne Cabet. In 1881, at Cloverdale, French immigrant families led by the Dehay and Leroux families began their social experiment in cooperative living based on solidarity and depending on an agrarian economy. It lasted until 1886. Icaria-Speranza was the only Icarian colony in California and the last of seven established throughout the United States. On this site stood the Icarian schoolhouse, deeded to the colony in 1886.

Erected 1989 by California State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the National Icarian Heritage Society and the Cloverdale Historical Society. (Marker Number 981.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the California Historical Landmarks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1881.

Location. 38° 46.458′ N, 122° 59.988′ W. Marker is in Cloverdale, California, in Sonoma County. It is on Asti Road near Airport Road, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 27640 Asti Road, Cloverdale CA 95425, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area,

in Wine Country,

in the North Coast,

and specifically on the Coast Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 16 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies

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: Italian Swiss Colony (approx. 1.6 miles away); Gould--Shaw House (approx. 2½ miles away); Isaac E. Shaw Building (approx. 2½ miles away); Frog Woman Rock (approx. 10.2 miles away); Harmon Gregg Heald (approx. 13.3 miles away); March/Heald Flour Mill (approx. 13.4 miles away); The Thatcher Hotel (approx. 15.1 miles away); Hopland and the Brewery (approx. 15.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cloverdale.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Cloverdale Reveille (was approx. 2.4 miles away but has been confirmed missing).

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.

Also see . . . Heartland Utopias Part 2: Icaria. Urban Utopias website entry:
The Icarian movement in the US (Submitted on July 30, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, March 28, 2017

2. Icaria-Speranza Utopian Colony Marker

Members of the Icarian utopian community settled in Cloverdale in the 1880s. image. Click for full size.

Cloverdale Historical Society

3. Members of the Icarian utopian community settled in Cloverdale in the 1880s.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 30, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 4, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,715 times since then and 79 times this year. Last updated on November 25, 2020, by Diane Phillips of Pittsburg, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 4, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.