Why should people, especially residents of Sonoma County, care about a more than fifty-year-old sign atop a building in downtown Cotati that reads “The Inn of the Beginning?” The musical business is no longer there, and the sign is deteriorating.
A strong case can be made that “The Inn of the Beginning” sign is worth preserving even though the club itself is long gone. Remembering what a place meant, not just simply promoting a new business, historic preservation, retaining an indelible piece of Cotati’s identity, signified by an old sign appears to be important to many.
Part of Sonoma County’s cultural history, The Inn of the Beginning, in the 1970s was one of the best known small musical venues in Northern California. Many performers played there before they became famous; some launched their careers in the building where the old sign resides. And Cotati played its part in California’s musical history…