Fort Ross — The Lost Russian Legacy

Established in 1812 by the Russian-American Company, Fort Ross was the first permanent Russian settlement in California, initially aimed at food supply and sea otter fur trade. For nearly three decades, the Russians, in collaboration with the indigenous Pomo people and Aleut workers, cultivated land, built ships, and explored the region's natural resources. Their presence, though limited, left a lasting mark on the landscape and intercultural relations before economic and political difficulties led to the sale of the fort in 1841.

A few years after the Russians' departure, the Mendocino coast, a few tens of kilometers north, became the scene of a new rush: that of timber. In 1852, the construction of the first steam-powered sawmill by Jerome B. Ford marked the beginning of the 'lumber' era that transformed Mendocino into a thriving logging port. The immense forests of redwoods and Douglas firs, until then untouched, became the raw material for an industry that would shape modern California, but also devour entire landscapes. The legacy of the Russians and the pioneers' thirst for wood intersect in this forgotten story.