Visiting Historic Cotati

While they await being able to hold in-person walking tours of Cotati, the Cotati Historical Society and the Chamber of Commerce produced a short virtual tour of the town, showcasing a few historic buildings and places. You can find the video at https://cotati.org/news-events/news/cotati-historical-society-walking-tour-video. Below are a few other locations of interest not featured in the video. Historic photos are courtesy of Cotati Historical Society. Check back in the next issue of the Gazette for more.

For questions regarding the video or the history of Cotati, visit the CHS website at http://cotatihistoricalsociety.org. Interested in getting onto the list for in person tours? Email the historical society at chsinfo@sonic.net

Downtown Plaza — #879 on the register of historic places

Cotati's hexagonal town plan, one of only two in the United States (the other in Detroit), was designed during the 1890s by Newton Smyth as an alternative to the traditional street grid. Each of the streets surrounding the six-sided town plaza is named after one of Thomas Page's sons.

Cotati Inn — 8201 Old Redwood Hwy.

Built in 1932, the Cotati Inn was considered a classy establishment, specializing in duck dinners. It was sold in the 1950s and run as Sophie’s Cotati Inn and later as Michel’s restaurant. In 1968 it became a popular hippie-era cabaret called Inn of the Beginning. Visiting musicians included Arlo Guthrie, Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, Joan Baez and many more who drew overflow crowds. Today the building houses Friar Tucks Pub and Spancky’s Bar.

Jim Boggio Statue — La Plaza Park

In 1991, Jim Boggio was one of the founders of the Cotati Accordion Festival in La Plaza Park. It became tremendously successful and remains so today, drawing thousands each summer. When Boggio died in 1996, friends chose to remember him with a nine foot statue in La Plaza Park. The bronze statue, sculpted by artist Jim Kelly, was unveiled in 1997. An accordion company donated an accordion to be used within the statue. To this day friends regularly decorate the statue with holiday accessories.

Cotati Post Office — 8005 Old Redwood Hwy.

Built in the 1950s as a post office, it remained until the 1970s when it was converted to a real estate office and now Papa Murphy’s Pizza. The post office was housed in multiple locations throughout the town prior to 1950 and is now located on E. Cotati Avenue.