Once you paint natural stone, there's no easy way to go back to its original look and you may need the help of experts to do it. You will also be essentially covering up its raw beauty forever.

Galeazzi’s great-grandson Michael Malvino, who still lives very close to the Stonehouse, said Saturday he was thrilled to see the white paint removed. Malvino, 71, is himself a painting contractor.

The sign invited others to “make people smile” by adding their own painted stones to “Rocky the growing snake.” “The other night, there was close to 2,100,” she said.

White paint covering Santa Rosa’s historic Stonehouse sandblasted away “We want everybody to be happy,” said the Novato-based developer who owns the property on Highway 12.