Sonoma County, California History

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta

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Source:  History of Sonoma County....San Francisco, 1880.
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES  
                    MARK WEST. - This was a little, old town, situated about 
four miles from Santa Rosa, in a north-westerly direction, on the main road to 
Healdsburg and Cloverdale. It was of small dimensions, though in the midst of a 
lively rich agricultural country. A fine, large bridge spans Mark West Creek at 
this point. The gentleman whose name the town bears settled there in 1840, and 
in the following year erected the adobe building which, though quaint, odd and 
venerable looking, is yet in a good state of preservation. More than one early 
emigrant to Sonoma County had his heart gladdened by the sight of that old 
institution, where he found a hearty welcome from that most generous of 
pioneers, Mark WEST. A postoffice was established here October 25, 1865, with 
Henry G. GIAMINI in charge. Most of the buildings that formed this town were 
afterwards, on the arrival of the railroad, moved to Fulton, leaving naught to 
Mark West but its ever-to-be-remembered name.
                   FULTON. - This is a flourishing town on the San Francisco and 
North Pacific Railroad, about five miles north of Santa Rosa, and is the 
terminus of the branch of that line to Guerneville. It was founded by Thomas and 
James FULTON, in 1871, from whom it derives its name. Here a large warehouse was 
erected by the FULTON brothers, at that time, capable of storing twelve hundred 
tons of grain. Afterwards the railroad company constructed a freight ware-house 
and passenger depot. James FULTON is the Postmaster, and C. HOPPER, the agent 
for Wells, Fargo & Co. In 1859 a congregation of the Christian church was 
established, with James and D. FULTON as Elders, and in 1872, a church edifice 
was built. The town consists of two stores, two blacksmith shops, one boot and 
shoe store, one hotel, one livery stable, one saloon, a postoffice and agency. 
It is placed in one of the finest agricultural districts in the county, and is 
remarkably eligible as a shipping point. The produce annually exported from the 
town is about nine thousand cords of wood, one thousand cords of tan bark, one 
hundred and fifty car-loads of charcoal, besides large quantities of lumber, 
grain, butter and general farm produce. Most of the land belongs to the FULTON 
BROTHERS, though they have disposed of a portion of their original possessions.