Freestone, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Freestone, California
The Freestone general store as of 2007.
Freestone, California Location in California
Country	United States
State	California
County	Sonoma
Elevation	220 ft (67 m)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	95472
Area code	707
FIPS code	06-25618
GNIS feature ID	1658578

Freestone is an unincorporated community in Sonoma County, California in the United States. A former stone and logging town, Freestone is the entryway to the Bohemian Highway. In 1974, Freestone became the first historic district named by Sonoma County. The downtown comprises a handful of historic buildings with a selection of local businesses, including a cheese shop, winery, bakery and a spa. Freestone has a population of 32.

History

North Pacific Coast Railroad train in Freestone, 1893

Watson School

Freestone is located on part of Rancho Cañada de Jonive. The town's name dates back to 1853 and refers to a public sandstone quarry. Starting in 1873, Freestone was a stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad which eventually connected Cazadero to the Sausalito ferry.

It is a small town of only about 50 people. The town is only about 1/2 mile from one end to the other.

Open from 1856 to 1967, Watson School once served as Freestone's school, and is located in a Sonoma County Regional Parks Department historic park about 2.5 miles southwest of Freestone.

Places of interest

Freestone is a Sonoma county destination located near Sebastopol, Bodega Bay, and the town of Occidental, with several businesses catering to locals and tourists.

Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, located on the banks of Salmon Creek, offers a Japanese-style cedar enzyme bath and is a founding member of the Green Spa Network of environmentally conscious spas. Wild Flour Bakery's bread (actually named Wild Flour Bread), pastries, and garden are popular with weekend visitors.

The town also includes a boutique called Enduring Comforts, the Joseph Phelps Vineyard and tasting room, the Freestone Country Store, Freestone Artisan Cheese, and a five-room bed and breakfast, the Green Apple Inn.

		Occidental	Graton
	Bodega		Sebastopol
		Freestone
		Valley Ford	Bloomfield

Economy

Historically, Freestone was first a lumber town, with a saw mill on the Salmon Creek. Eventually, a sandstone quarry was operated in the area. Railroad service eventually began, transporting lumber and produce to San Francisco. The railroad depot closed in 1930, halting economic growth in Freestone. Today, the economy is primarily hospitality based.

Tourism

Freestone comprises a handful of businesses, including a bakery, cheese store, general store, a gift shop and the Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary.