Russian River

[baronWastelan]

History

The river was originally known among the Southern Pomo as Ashokawna (ʼaš ʼkʰawna), "east water place" or "water to the east", and as Bidapte, "big river". In 1827 it was called the San Ygnacio by the Spanish, and in 1843 Spanish land grant referred to it as Rio Grande.

The river takes its current name from the Russian of the Russian-American Company who explored the river in the early 19th century, and established the Fort Ross colony 10 mi (16 km) northwest of its mouth. They called it the Slavyanka River (Славянкой, Slavyankoi), meaning "Slav River". The Russians established three ranches near Fort Ross, one of which – the Kostromitinov Ranch – was along the Russian River near the mouth of Willow Creek. The redwoods that lined its banks drew loggers to the river in the late 19th century.

Fort Ross was established by Commerce Counsellor Ivan Kuskov of the Russian-American Company. In 1808 Baranov sent two ships, the Kad'yak and the Sv. Nikolai, on an expedition south to establish settlements for the RAC with instructions to bury "secret signs"(possession plaques). Kuskov, on the Kad'yak, was instructed to bury the plaques, with an appropriate possession ceremony, at Trinidad, Bodega Bay, and the north shore of San Francisco, indicating Russian claims to the land. After sailing into Bodega Bay in 1809 on the Kad'yak and returning to Novoarkhangelsk with beaver skins and 1,160 otter pelts, Baranov ordered Kuskov to return and establish an agricultural settlement in the area. After a failed attempt in 1811, Kuskov sailed the brig Chirikov back to Bodega Bay in March of 1812, naming it the Gulf of Rumyantsev or Rumyantsev Bay (залив Румянцева, Zaliv Rumyantseva) in honor of the Russian Minister of Commerce Count Nikolai Petrovich Rumyantzev. He also named the Russian River the Slav (Славянка, Slavyanka). On his return, Kuskov found American otter hunting ships and otter now scarce in Bodega Bay. After exploring the area they ended up selecting a place 15 miles (24 km) north that the native Kashaya Pomo people called Mad shui nui or Metini. Metini, the seasonal home of the native Kashaya Pomo people, had a modest anchorage and abundant natural resources and would become the Russian settlement of Fortress Ross. The present name of Fort Ross appears first on a French chart published in 1842 by Eugene Duflot de Mofras, who visited California in 1840. The name of the fort is said to derive from the Russian word rus or ros, the same root as the word "Russia" (Pоссия, Rossiya) and not from Scottish "Ross". According to William Bright, "Ross" is a poetic name for Russia in the Russian language.

1799 — Russian American Company (with manager Aleksandr Baranov) establishes Novo Arkhangelsk (New Archangel, now Sitka, Alaska).
1806 — Count Nikolai Rezanov, Imperial Ambassador to Japan and director of the Russian American Company, visits the Presidio of San Francisco.
1806-1813: American ships bring Russians and Alaska Natives on 12 California fur hunts.
1808-1811 — Ivan Kuskov lands in Bodega Bay (Port Rumiantsev), builds structures and hunts in the region.
1812 — March 15, Ivan Kuskov with 25 Russians and 80 Native Alaskans arrives at Port Rumiantsev and proceeds north to establish Fortress Ross.
1816 — Russian exploring expedition led by Captain Otto von Kotzebue visits California with naturalists Adelbert von Chamisso, Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz, and artist Louis Choris.
1817 — Chief Administrator Captain Leonty Gagemeister conducts treaty with local tribal chiefs for possession of property near Fortress Ross. First such treaty conducted with native peoples in California.
1818 — The Rumiantsev, first of four ships built at Fortress Ross. The Buldakov, Volga and Kiahtha follow, as well as several longboats.
1821 — Russian Imperial decree gives Native Alaskans and Creoles civil rights protected by law
1836 — Fr.Veniaminov (St.Innocent) visits Fort Ross, conducts services, and carries out census.
1841 — Rotchev sells Fort Ross and accompanying land to John Sutter.

[a lot of wine is being produced in the Russian River valley lately. So far no vodka, though, AFAIK ]

From wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian...8California%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Ross,_California