A look back at historic downtown Santa Rosa

The hustle and bustle of construction vehicles in downtown Santa Rosa has us all wondering, what will Old Courthouse Square look like when it is finally reunited?

We can look to the past for a glimpse at the future.

Old Courthouse Square, first known as a plaza before the mall usurped the name, was the master work of Julio Carrillo and Barney Hoen. Over 160 years ago, the pair donated two halves of the square for a new county seat. Carrillo had the vision of building a central plaza, similar to those found in Spanish and Mexican towns.

The square was a site for gatherings, social and political. The first county fairs were held there. Business addresses and directions started from the plaza. Everything ,from Maypole festivals to protests, were held there.

In the 1960s, planners were inspired by a wave of Urban Renewal programs that swept the country. In an attempt to bring consumer traffic back from less central shopping centers, such as Coddingtown and Montgomery Village, they divided the square into two parts to connect Mendocino and Santa Rosa Avenues.

Before a decade had passed, public dissatisfaction led city planners to reconsider their possible mistake. That was over 30 years ago, and it is finally coming to fruition.

In the gallery above, take a look at downtown Santa Rosa before the split to see the businesses that lined the square and the festivals that took place in the central plaza.

-Columnist Gaye LeBaron contributed to this report.