Woodacre Farm History

Woodacre Farm is located in Sebastopol, California, on the site of a former Gravenstein apple orchard.

Sebastopol was once known as the ‘Gravenstein Apple Capital of the World’. The apple industry brought a steady rural prosperity to the town. In 1890 the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad connected Sebastopol to the national rail network. The town was incorporated in 1902, with schools, churches, hotels, canneries, mills, wineries, and an opera house to its credit. The 1906 earthquake reduced most of these early buildings to rubble, but as elsewhere in the county, the town was rebuilt.

We don't know when Woodacre Farm was first cleared, but given its fertile soil, it would have been one of the first parts of the town to be cleared for use as a Gravenstein Apple orchard.

In the second half of the 20th century, the apple industry struggled to compete with other apple producing regions and gradually declined in its economic significance. Eventually the apple orchard was abandoned and the fields were mostly used for horses and pet livestock.

In the 21st Century, Sebastopol continues to be a vibrant, creative community. In addition to being the arts and creative hub of West Sonoma County, Sebastopol is a leader in local efforts to address climate change. The City itself, and the community as a whole, are leaders in energy and water conservation efforts as well as policy initiatives to address this critical issue.