On Saturday, July 18, 2026, members of the Benicia Historical Society gathered in Sonoma for an exclusive, members-only excursion to Lachryma Montis, the historic Victorian estate of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo and his wife, Francisca Benicia Carrillo de Vallejo.

The weekend field trip offered local history enthusiasts a closer look at the deep-rooted architectural and historical connections tying Benicia to the broader history of California’s Mexican and early statehood eras.

Participants toured the 1852 Carpenter Gothic residence, nestled within Sonoma State Historic Park, highlighting a rare structural parallel to Benicia's own local history. General Vallejo’s home is one of three identical prefabricated Gothic Revival houses manufactured on the East Coast, dismantled, and shipped around Cape Horn to California in the mid-19th century—a twin design to Benicia’s renowned Walsh House.

During the guided walkthrough, members explored the estate's preserved grounds, decorative gardens, and the adjacent "Swiss Chalet" museum. Highlights of the interior tour included original 19th-century European furnishings, marble fireplaces, imported crystal chandeliers, and personal artifacts, including a needlepoint portrait made by Benicia Vallejo for one of her daughters.

The private field trip is part of the Society’s ongoing series of educational programs, public lectures, and member-exclusive events designed to preserve and highlight the region's rich cultural heritage.