Springs, The Resort Towns of Sonoma Valley [Paperback]

The Springs area of Sonoma Valley has a fascinating history going back to Spanish colonization of California, continuing through the Mexican period with Vallejo and the mid-19th-century sojourns of Hooker and Leavenworth, and moving into the flowering of the geothermal resort era in the 1880s. Eventually, the unincorporated towns of Boyes Hot Springs, Fetters Hot Springs, Agua Caliente, and El Verano became collectively known as The Springs, which were thriving resort communities from the 1880s through the 1960s. Sharing an illustrious history with the adjacent city of Sonoma, they continue to thrive in new ways into the 21st century. In this volume, the story of the valley is well documented in postcards, snapshots, and newspaper photographs and articles. Artist and historian Michael Acker has been enamored of the Springs since he moved to the Sonoma Valley 18 years ago. His appreciation for the area's rich history has appeared in the form of artwork - mainly paintings constructed from historical photos - and through the many conversations he cheerful participates in whenever asked about the Springs.
And now, after more than a year spent combing through archives and libraries, Acker has completed his exhaustively-researched book, The Springs: Resort Towns of Sonoma Valley, to be published March 27 by Arcadia Publishing. Sonoma Index Tribune