FORT ROSS STATE PARK

THIS STATE PARK WAS BUILT IN 1812 BY THE MEMBERS OF THE RUSSIAN-AMERICAN COMPANY WITH HELP BY THE ALASKANS NATIVES. IT LOOKED LARGER THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE BEFORE ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO. I SAW THE SPOUTING OF A WHALE, HAWKS, AND SEVERAL SEALS. THE PARKS WERE BUILDING A NEW WAREHOUSE. THEY HAVE A SMALL INTERPRETIVE CENTER, AND AT TIMES AS A FAMILY WE SAW A RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CEREMONY. THE FORT WAS MADE OF REDWOOD LOGS THAT WERE HEWED WITH AXES. ONE BUILDING HAD ALL KINDS OF METAL TOOLS THAT WERE HAND MADE BY A BLACKSMITH. THEY ALSO HAD BRICK MAKERS, TANNERS OF LEATHER, BARREL MAKING, AND SHIP BUILDING. THEY HAD BUILT 50 SOME BUILDINGS AT ONE TIME. IT COVERS ABOUT 3300 ACRES. THERE IS AN HISTORIC RANCH HOUSE THAT REPRESENTS THE RANCHING ERA THAT FOLLOWED THE 1840'S END OF THE FORT.

THIS SITE WAS AN OLD KASHAYA POMO COASTAL VILLAGE SITE. I NOTICED THE MIDDEN SOIL. THERE WAS VERY CLEAR WEATHER YESTERDAY. ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE SUGGEST THAT THE KASHAYA MOVED THEIR VILLAGES FROM RIDGETOP TO FOOTHILLS TO THE CLIFFS ALONG THE COAST THEY WERE HERE FOR CENTURIES BETWEEN THE RUSSIAN AND GUALALA RIVERS. THEY ATE ABALONE, MUSSELS, AND FISH. THEY HARVESTED SEA SALT FOR TRADING. THEY COLLECTED PLANTS, ACORNS, DEER AND OTHER MAMMALS. THEY PRODUCED BEAUTIFUL BASKETS FROM WOOLLY SEDGE GRASS, BULLRUSH ROOTS, REDWOOD BARK, WILLOW AND REDBUD BRANCHES.. THEY COLORED THEIR BASKETS WITH JUICES AND BERRIES. DECORATED THEM WITH FEATHERS, QUILLS, AND BEADS. THEY TRADED WITH COAST MIWOK. THERE WAS A WELL IN THE CENTER OF THE FORT

IN 1742 THE RUSSIANS LEFT THE SIBERIAN AREA TO SEEK FUR BEARING MAMMALS NEAR THE EASTERN ISLANDS. IN 1784 SHELIKOV BUILT THE FIRST PERMANENT RUSSIAN VILLAGE ON KODIAK ISLAND, ALASKA. HE ORGANIZED A RUSSIAN AMERICAN COMPANY IN 1800 WHICH ESTABLISHED COLONIES FROM KODIAK ISLAND TO SITKA IN ALASKA AND HAWAII.
THE OPERATION EXPANDED WHEN AMERICAN SHIP CAPTAIN CONTRACTED WITH THIS COMPANY TO
JOINT VENTURES. THEY HAD ALASKANS HUNT FOR SEA OTTERS ALONG THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA AND BAJAS.OTTER PELTS WERE TRADED WITH CHINA AND THIS COMPANY MADE MANY PROFITS. THE COMPANY'S MANAGER HAD HIS ASSISTANT LOCATE A SITE IN CALIFORNIA THAT COULD BE A TRADING BASE. THEY USED BODEGA BAY AS THIS BASE. THEY HAD 40 RUSSIANS AND 150 ALASKANS EXPLORE THE ENTIRE REGION. THEY REMOVED 2000 SEA OTTER PELTS TO ALASKA.

TO BUILD FORT ROSS KUSKOV, AN ASSISTANT TO THE RUSSIAN AMERICAN COMPANY, BROUGHT 25 RUSSIANS AND 80 ALASKANS TO BUILD HOUSES AND THE STOCKADE THEY GREW WHEAT AND OTHER CROPS FOR RUSSIANS IN ALASKA. IN 1820'S THEY BUILT THE RUSSIAN CHAPEL. THE SETTLEMENT HAD RUSSIANS, SIBERIANS, ALASKANS, HAWAIIANS, POMO0, MIXED EUROPEANS, THERE FOR AT LEAST 30 YEARS.

AFTER THE FORT CLOSED IN 1841, AND JOHN SUTTER BOUGHT IT. BY 1873 GEORGE CALL BOUGHT IT AND HAD AN 8000 ACRE PROPERTY. HE OWNED IT FOR 100 YEARS AND THEN IN 1903 STATE PARKS BOUGHT THE STOCKADE. THEY HAVE VARIOUS INTERPRETIVE LIVING HISTORY DAYS FOR SCHOOLS.

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS