Sonoma Developmental Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sonoma Developmental Center--Main Building
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 15000 Arnold Drive Eldridge, California |
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| Area | 1,670 acres (7 km2) |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001180 |
| Added to NRHP | October 6, 2000 |
The Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) was a large state facility in California, United States. It provided care and training for people with developmental disabilities. The center was located in Eldridge in Sonoma County.
Over the years, the center had different names. It started as the California Home for the Care and Training of Feeble Minded Children in 1883. Later, it was called Sonoma State Home (1909) and Sonoma State Hospital (1953). In 1986, it became the Sonoma Developmental Center. The center officially closed its doors on December 31, 2018.
Contents
History of the Center
Early Years and Locations
The Sonoma Developmental Center opened at its main location on November 24, 1891. Before that, it was in other places. It started in 1883 near Vallejo in White Sulphur Springs. Then it moved to Fasking Park in Alameda County. From 1885 to 1891, it was in Santa Clara.
In 1918, a serious outbreak of the Spanish influenza happened. Sadly, many people at the hospital died during this time.
Medical Studies and Research
For many years, the Sonoma Developmental Center was involved in medical studies. Some of these studies were done on patients. In the 1950s and 1960s, researchers sometimes conducted tests there.
One example was in October 1952. The Sonoma Index-Tribune newspaper reported on a test of a new polio vaccine. Sixty-one boys and girls received the vaccine mixed in chocolate milk. The article mentioned that the parents of these young people had given their permission for the tests.
Closure and Future Plans
Why the Center Closed
In 2015, the state of California announced that the Sonoma Developmental Center would close. The plan was for it to close by the end of 2018. This meant that over 300 residents needed to move to new homes. The state also began planning what to do with the large property after it closed.
Impact of Wildfires
In October 2017, the Nuns Fire affected the center. This fire caused hundreds of residents and staff to leave the property for safety. The fire burned the eastern part of the land. However, the main buildings of the center were not damaged. All the remaining residents were able to move back in. The fire did cause a delay in the state's plans for the property's future.
Planning for the Future
In May 2017, the state hired a company called Wallace Roberts & Todd (WRT). Their job was to study the property and suggest ideas for its future use. The state wanted the local community to be involved in this planning.
So, WRT created a special group called the SDC Community Advisory Committee (CAC). This committee included many people from the local area. Their goal was to give ideas and feedback on the plans for the property.
The first meeting of the CAC was on September 28, 2017. Just ten days later, the wildfires started. This caused a three-month delay in the planning process. The center officially closed on December 31, 2018.
Remembering Those Who Lived There
In December 2022, a special memorial was created. It honors the people who lived and died at Sonoma Developmental Center. More than 1,500 people are buried in a field on the property. They were buried there between 1892 and 1939. There are no headstones or markers for their graves.
Fictional Stories About the Center
- The famous writer Jack London used the center as a setting for his short story Told in the Drooling Ward (1914).
- The book In All Things: A Return to the Drooling Ward is a fictional story. It is based on the author's experiences working at the former hospital.
See also
