Sonoma in Sonoma County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Castex Building
Photographed by Alvis Hendley, 2026
1. Castex Building Marker
City of Sonoma Historic Building
Castex Building
1904
City of Sonoma
Sonoma Valley Rotary
Erected by Sonoma Valley Rotary.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Rotary International series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.
Location. 38° 17.491′ N, 122° 27.365′ W. Marker is in Sonoma, California, in Sonoma County. It is on East Napa Street east of 1st Street E, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 127 East Napa Street, Sonoma CA 95476, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in California’s Wine Country, in the San Francisco Bay Area, 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 Mexicos Alta California.
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Gottenburg's Garage (within shouting distance of this marker); Boccoli Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Duhring Building 1891 (within shouting distance of this marker); Simmons Pharmacy (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Poppe-Parmelee Building (about 400 feet away); Sonoma Valley Womens Club (about 400 feet away); Southern Pacific Stage Coach 1905 (about 400 feet away); J.G. Marcy Plumbers (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sonoma.
Regarding Castex Building. The building at 127 East Napa Street contributes to the Sonoma Plaza Historic District which was originally listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 with a boundary increase in 1992. The 1992 nomination form describes this building as: "The rock-faced ashlar stone walls have a wide centered second floor entry flanked by narrow first floor doors with glazed transoms. The first floor square bay shop windows are surmounted by square bay wood windows with brackets. There is an iron balcony in front
Photographed by Alvis Hendley, August 29, 2016
2. Castex Building
Ashlar Masonry
Ashlar masonry is formed using finely dressed stones of same size, shape, and texture laid together in cement or lime mortar of equal size joints at right angles to each other. The joints between the stones are very thin, regular, and of uniform thickness, which make the ashlar masonry very strong and sturdy.
Because it takes time and skill to prepare the finely dressed stones and then build with them, ashlar masonry is most often used for imposing structures like fort, castles, palaces and churches.
Wine Country Stonemasons
Italian stonemasons immigrated to Sonoma and Napa counties at the beginning of the 20th century to escape political unrest. Peter Maroni, Natale Forni, Massimo Galeazzi, Angelo Sodini, and others had acquired the skill of cutting hard stone in the quarries of Northern Italy. Stone was quarried in Santa Rosa and Kenwood, dropped from bunkers into horse-driven wagons, and conveyed to building sites where stone was finish cut and set in place.
Also see . . . NRHP nomination form for Sonoma Plaza Historic District.
Photographed by Alvis Hendley, August 29, 2016
3. Castex Building Detail
On June 14, 1846, a group of 33 Americans seized Sonoma, major military post, and took prisoner Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, Commandante-General [sic] of the Northern Frontier of Alta California and the dominant Mexican figure in the north. After electing William B. Ide as president of their new republic, the Americans raised in the plaza their homemade Bear Flag as the symbol of their independent California. These actions marked the beginning of the Bear Flag Revolt, which preceded receipt of news in California of the official outbreak of war between Mexico and the United States.(Submitted on August 30, 2026, by Alvis Hendley of San Francisco, California.)
Credits. This page was last revised on September 2, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 30, 2026, by Alvis Hendley of San Francisco, California. This page has been viewed 14 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 30, 2026, by Alvis Hendley of San Francisco, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
