Mayor Peter Sonna

Born November 25, 1835, New York City
Died July 9, 1907, Boise, Idaho

Peter Sonna joined the trek to California in 1849, traveling to Lewiston and the Idaho mines after the discovery of gold in that area. By 1883, he had moved south to Boise where he became a partner in a hardware and general merchandise store at 9^th and Main Streets. He sold the business to John Broadbent before building the Sonna block that included a store and an opera house.

Sonna was appointed to the Board of Directors of the First National Bank in 1876. He was elected vice president of the board, a position he held until his death. He was one of the original investors in the Artesian Hot and Cold Water Company, served on the Capitol Building Commission and was involved in bringing a railroad line to Boise. He was elected Mayor of Boise in 1893, serving one two-year term.

Sonna married Mary Anderson in 1870. They were the parents of five daughters and one son.