Judging by the hills in the background in the post card, the reservoir was probably located near the corner of  Grove and Linden Streets.

In 1910, the Sonoma Valley Water, Light and Power Company acquired the Yulupa Land and Water Company.

1913-  “J.A. Dinsella, the enterprising plumber of this city, has secured a contract from Sonoma Vista Land Co. near this city, to build its pipeline of 4-inch mains and 2-inch laterals.”

In 1923 J.W. Minges sold his Boyes Springs Water System, which mainly served Woodleaf Park, to N.M. Peterson, proprietor of the Mountain Water Avenue system. The merger “will enable the operating company to give better service…” even then that was the rationale!

“Another company at Boyes Springs which has supplied many customers in the vicinity of the hotel and Boyes Springs Park is owned and operated by James Baines.” of Baines St.

1958-Mountain Ave. Water Co. was sold to Mr. and Mrs Peterson Jr. whose parents had bought from Minges. The Petersons’ company served Boyes Hot Springs for 35 years. Improvements included an office building at 18640 Highland (An address that cannot exist, apparently, as the street ends at 18075), and a new tank at the top of Mountain Ave. An existing tank is located above Highland, circa 2025.

From the Valley of the Moon Water District website: “In 1957, the Valley of the Moon Fire District was evaluated by the Pacific Fire Board which at that time noticed the lack of a dependable water supply source.  Subsequent inquiries of Fire District Board members, J. Udvic. T. Polidori and F. Serres, revealed that many wells in the area were failing due to drops in the groundwater levels in the Valley.  Early attempts to have Sonoma County build an aqueduct from Santa Rosa to the Sonoma Water and Irrigation Company failed due to the inability of the latter to deposit a $25,000 cash bond with the County.” 

In 1960 voters authorized the establishment of a water district. Candidates for directors at that time were Arnold Griewe, Mel Larson, Bill Orr ,Tom Polidori,Col R. C. Buell, Marin Carlson, A. L. Ford and Nino Vailetti.

“Acquisition of the Sonoma Water and Irrigation Company and the Mountain Avenue Water System was completed in early 1962 and the Valley of the Moon County Water District started management and operation of the systems on June 1, 1962.” VOMD website.

1963-Sonoma Aqueduct dedicated, bringing Coyote Dam water to the valley.

In 1984 a new office building was planned, to be built on the site of the El Verano railroad depot.

The District still has wells in the Valley.

Index Tribune courtesy of the sonoma Valley Historical Society.