“The report on the Maysonnave (Aguillon) Cottage is important for our community to better understand early American economic and social history of Sonoma. With the information in this report, current and future generations will make decisions about our historic resources.”
— Jack Ding, Councilmember, City of Sonoma
 

Built in 1910 by Camille Aguillon, one of the founding fathers of Sonoma wine, the Maysonnave House is one of Sonoma’s most treasured historic properties. In 2016, the City of Sonoma decided demolition of its accessory Cottage would save maintenance costs. A 2008 Evaluation had determined the Cottage was historically insignificant. At the request of concerned citizens, the city retained Jerri Holan & Associates to re-evaluate the Victorian cottage. The small cottage was conveniently located next to Sonoma’s historical train station because it was a guest house for Aguillon’s early train visitors. 

Ms. Holan’s 2016 Evaluation determined the Cottage was eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. More significantly, the Evaluation found that eighty percent of the Victorian cottages around the Depot were intact and that this “Train District” was also eligible for the National Register. After reviewing Ms. Holan’s Evaluation, the Historical Commission requested that the city designate the area as an official historic district; currently, the City is also nominating the District to the National Register.

Ms. Holan’s historic evaluation is an outstanding example of a resource study. It not only corrected a previous report that erroneously found the Cottage insignificant, but, due to thorough research and excellent documentation, it also identified an overlooked historic train district. In 2021, the California Preservation Foundation awarded Ms. Holan because her study was a catalyst for the creation and preservation of Sonoma’s Train District.