There are two other Santa Rosa Shadow of a Doubt filming locations I wanted to visit and sketch.

The first was a ten minute walk from the Railroad Depot under Highway 101 into downtown.

My destination was Old Courthouse Square. And my subject was the 1908 Beaux-arts building crowned with an iconic clock tower. This is the historic Empire Building on the western side of the square. I had previously mistaken the building for the old courthouse which was damaged by the 1906 Earthquake and later torn down.

The Empire, then a Bank of America, is prominently featured in the background of the film during scenes with Charlie, or the two Charlies, walking in downtown Santa Rosa.

There is one other house I wanted to visit again in Santa Rosa on a quiet residential street that was used as the Newton’s house where Uncle Charlie stays during his visit.

The Italianate-style house at 904 McDonald Avenue was built in 1872. The beautiful house’s exterior was used as the Newton Family home where much of the story takes place (interiors and a few exteriors were shot on a soundstage). The setting underscores that evil can enter a place you think is safe and secure: your own home.

I wanted to do a field sketch of the house but there was construction work in progress across the street and I didn’t want to disturb the current residents by camping out in front of the house with a sketchbook, so I took some reference photos and sketches from those. Yes I broke the Urban Sketcher’s creed, oh well.