Anderson Valley
Encyclopedia
Anderson Valley is a sparsely populated region in western Mendocino County in Northern California
. Located approximately 100 miles (160 km) north of San Francisco
, the name "Anderson Valley" applies broadly to several rural, unincorporated communities in or near the alluvial terraces along Anderson Creek and other tributaries to the Navarro River
.
(located on Anderson Creek) and Philo
(located on Indian Creek) to Navarro
(located on Soda Creek). Rancheria, Anderson, Indian and Soda creeks are tributaries to the Navarro River
, which flows north and west through the coastal range to the Pacific Ocean
; Dry Creek flows south into the Russian River
watershed in Sonoma County. The main stem of the Navarro River begins less than a mile south of Philo at the confluence of Anderson Creek and Rancheria Creek. The mouth of the Navarro is 10 miles (16 km) south of Mendocino, California
. Encompassing 315 square miles (816 km²), the Navarro River watershed is the largest coastal basin in Mendocino County.
The area is not seismically active, though a minor fault runs along the Valley floor.
The climate is tempered by cool marine air. Steep hills and mountains surround rolling to nearly level alluvial terraces. The dominant natural vegetation is a mixed forest of Coast Redwood, various native oak varieties, and Douglas-fir
. Elevation ranges from sea level to 2,500 feet (760 m). The average annual precipitation ranges from 35 to 80 inches (900 to 2000 mm). The average annual temperature is about 53 °F (12 °C), and the average frost-free season ranges from 220 to 365 days. Towards the coast the summers are cool and moist with frequent fog, while the interior Anderson Valley proper features a warm to hot summer climate similar to nearby interior regions, with daytime highs occasionally in excess of 100 °F (38 °C).
The early European American settlers of Anderson Valley arrived after 1850. They practiced subsistence farming and expanded into resource extraction economies based on timber
harvesting and livestock
ranching. Some of the first European American settlers included Henry Beeson (who took part in the Bear Flag Revolt), his brother Isaac Beeson and William Anderson, their stepbrother, for whom the valley was named. The first wave of European American settlers included the Ornbaun, Hutsell, Barnett, Clow, Gschwend, McAbee, Rector, Burgess, Rawles, McGimsey, Witherell, Prather, Irish, Holgooden, Hiatt, Ball, Prather, Smalley, McSpadden, Wallace, Conrad, O'Barr, Bowen, Nunn, Vines, Buster, Farrer, Counts, Shields, Lawson, Williams, Donelly, Plaskett, Leonard, Hawkins, Stephens, Robinson, Tift, Perkins, Elliott, Ponad, Gasklii, Brayton, and Connard families.
John Gschwend established the first water powered lumber mill along the Navarro River in 1857, and Thomas Hiatt built the first steam powered lumber mill in 1877 near present day Boonville. In 1880 a human population of around 1,000 maintained 75,000 head of sheep and 20,000 head of cattle. Commercial production of apple
s and hops
began before the turn of the century, along with the development of Boontling
, the local folk language. The 1940s and 1950s were boom years, when industrial automation and modern highway transportation enabled rapid liquidation logging of the remaining redwood forests. Many commercial lumber mills were established to work the brief timber boom.
By the 1960s the sheep, timber and apple sectors of the economy were in decline. Large tracts of land were removed from production and subdivided. The first commercial vineyards for wine grapes were planted. Marijuana production flourished with the influx of many new residents from the urban counterculture in the 1970s. By the 1980s the timber industry was reduced to two small specialty mills (lath and decorative fencing), the sheep industry to four working ranches of modest size, and the apple industry to a small fraction of its former planted area. In 1989 Sean Donovan of Boonville established KZYX
, a community-based non-commercial, National Public Radio affiliated station.
A wine boom began in the 1980s. This led to the establishment of the Anderson Valley AVA
, specializing in Alsatian varietals, Pinot Noir and sparkling wine. The wine industry is currently the dominant contributor to the Anderson Valley economy. The major annual wine events are the Pinot Noir
Festival the third weekend in May and the International Alsace Varietals Festival in late February (go to http://www.avwines.com for more information). In addition to wine, there is a successful microbrewery
, the Anderson Valley Brewing Company
, on the outskirts of Boonville. Like much of Mendocino County, the hospitality industry is a natural adjunct to boutique alcohol production. Fine restaurants and quality lodging are in good supply. The pleasant natural environment and rural lifestyle attracts artists, writers, musicians and a variety of skilled crafts people. As in similar pastoral regions dependent upon a low-paid work force in the farm, hospitality and service sectors, degraded tenant housing is available for local employees, while upscale real estate inventory is generally priced beyond the typical household budget of resident unskilled laborers.
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
. Located approximately 100 miles (160 km) north of San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, the name "Anderson Valley" applies broadly to several rural, unincorporated communities in or near the alluvial terraces along Anderson Creek and other tributaries to the Navarro River
Navarro River
The Navarro River is a river in Mendocino County, California. It flows northwest through the Coastal Range to the Pacific Ocean. Encompassing , its watershed includes the Anderson Valley, a well-known wine-growing region in Mendocino County. The main stem of the Navarro River begins less than ...
.
Geography
The name "Anderson Valley" applies to a region stretching from Yorkville (located in a highland meadow straddling the upper Rancheria Creek and upper Dry Creek watersheds) through BoonvilleBoonville, California
Boonville is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California. It is located southwest of Ukiah, at an elevation of 381 feet . The population was 1,035 at the 2010 census.-History:...
(located on Anderson Creek) and Philo
Philo, California
Philo is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California. It is located northwest of Boonville, at an elevation of 331 feet . The population was 349 at the 2010 census....
(located on Indian Creek) to Navarro
Navarro, California
Navarro is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, California. It is located west of Ukiah, at an elevation of 269 feet...
(located on Soda Creek). Rancheria, Anderson, Indian and Soda creeks are tributaries to the Navarro River
Navarro River
The Navarro River is a river in Mendocino County, California. It flows northwest through the Coastal Range to the Pacific Ocean. Encompassing , its watershed includes the Anderson Valley, a well-known wine-growing region in Mendocino County. The main stem of the Navarro River begins less than ...
, which flows north and west through the coastal range to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
; Dry Creek flows south into the Russian River
Russian River (California)
The Russian River, a southward-flowing river, drains of Sonoma and Mendocino counties in Northern California. With an annual average discharge of approximately , it is the second largest river flowing through the nine county Greater San Francisco Bay Area with a mainstem 110 miles ...
watershed in Sonoma County. The main stem of the Navarro River begins less than a mile south of Philo at the confluence of Anderson Creek and Rancheria Creek. The mouth of the Navarro is 10 miles (16 km) south of Mendocino, California
Mendocino, California
Mendocino is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California, United States. Mendocino is located south of Fort Bragg, at an elevation of 154 feet...
. Encompassing 315 square miles (816 km²), the Navarro River watershed is the largest coastal basin in Mendocino County.
The area is not seismically active, though a minor fault runs along the Valley floor.
The climate is tempered by cool marine air. Steep hills and mountains surround rolling to nearly level alluvial terraces. The dominant natural vegetation is a mixed forest of Coast Redwood, various native oak varieties, and Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
. Elevation ranges from sea level to 2,500 feet (760 m). The average annual precipitation ranges from 35 to 80 inches (900 to 2000 mm). The average annual temperature is about 53 °F (12 °C), and the average frost-free season ranges from 220 to 365 days. Towards the coast the summers are cool and moist with frequent fog, while the interior Anderson Valley proper features a warm to hot summer climate similar to nearby interior regions, with daytime highs occasionally in excess of 100 °F (38 °C).
History
Early Native American inhabitants of Anderson Valley were speakers of two of the seven Pomoan languages. The Late Pomo of what is now the Yorkville area spoke the central Pomo language. The Tabahtea (Tah-bah-tay) Pomo of the Boonville area west to Navarro spoke the Northern Pomo language. These residents occupied nineteen known village sites, with an estimated population of 600 in 1855. By 1900 no Native Americans resided in Anderson Valley.The early European American settlers of Anderson Valley arrived after 1850. They practiced subsistence farming and expanded into resource extraction economies based on timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
harvesting and livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
ranching. Some of the first European American settlers included Henry Beeson (who took part in the Bear Flag Revolt), his brother Isaac Beeson and William Anderson, their stepbrother, for whom the valley was named. The first wave of European American settlers included the Ornbaun, Hutsell, Barnett, Clow, Gschwend, McAbee, Rector, Burgess, Rawles, McGimsey, Witherell, Prather, Irish, Holgooden, Hiatt, Ball, Prather, Smalley, McSpadden, Wallace, Conrad, O'Barr, Bowen, Nunn, Vines, Buster, Farrer, Counts, Shields, Lawson, Williams, Donelly, Plaskett, Leonard, Hawkins, Stephens, Robinson, Tift, Perkins, Elliott, Ponad, Gasklii, Brayton, and Connard families.
John Gschwend established the first water powered lumber mill along the Navarro River in 1857, and Thomas Hiatt built the first steam powered lumber mill in 1877 near present day Boonville. In 1880 a human population of around 1,000 maintained 75,000 head of sheep and 20,000 head of cattle. Commercial production of apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s and hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
began before the turn of the century, along with the development of Boontling
Boontling
Boontling is a folk language spoken only in Boonville in Northern California.-History and description of Boontling:Although based on English, Boontling's unusual words are unique to Boonville, California. Scottish Gaelic and Irish, and some Pomoan and Spanish, also influenced the vocabulary of the...
, the local folk language. The 1940s and 1950s were boom years, when industrial automation and modern highway transportation enabled rapid liquidation logging of the remaining redwood forests. Many commercial lumber mills were established to work the brief timber boom.
By the 1960s the sheep, timber and apple sectors of the economy were in decline. Large tracts of land were removed from production and subdivided. The first commercial vineyards for wine grapes were planted. Marijuana production flourished with the influx of many new residents from the urban counterculture in the 1970s. By the 1980s the timber industry was reduced to two small specialty mills (lath and decorative fencing), the sheep industry to four working ranches of modest size, and the apple industry to a small fraction of its former planted area. In 1989 Sean Donovan of Boonville established KZYX
KZYX
KZYX , is a National Public Radio member station in Philo, California.It maintains co-channel booster KZYX-FM1 in Ukiah, as well as satellite station KZYZ 91.5 FM in Willits, and repeater K201HR 88.1 FM in Fort Bragg....
, a community-based non-commercial, National Public Radio affiliated station.
A wine boom began in the 1980s. This led to the establishment of the Anderson Valley AVA
Anderson Valley AVA
The Anderson Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered around the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County, California. It is known primarily for its Pinot Noir and sparkling wine production. Lying to from the Pacific Ocean, the AVA is prone to wide diurnal temperature variation of between...
, specializing in Alsatian varietals, Pinot Noir and sparkling wine. The wine industry is currently the dominant contributor to the Anderson Valley economy. The major annual wine events are the Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
Festival the third weekend in May and the International Alsace Varietals Festival in late February (go to http://www.avwines.com for more information). In addition to wine, there is a successful microbrewery
Microbrewery
A microbrewery or craft brewer is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer, and is associated by consumers with innovation and uniqueness....
, the Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Anderson Valley Brewing Company is a regional brewery founded in 1987 in Boonville, California, USA. The brewery takes its name from its Anderson Valley location in Mendocino County.-History:...
, on the outskirts of Boonville. Like much of Mendocino County, the hospitality industry is a natural adjunct to boutique alcohol production. Fine restaurants and quality lodging are in good supply. The pleasant natural environment and rural lifestyle attracts artists, writers, musicians and a variety of skilled crafts people. As in similar pastoral regions dependent upon a low-paid work force in the farm, hospitality and service sectors, degraded tenant housing is available for local employees, while upscale real estate inventory is generally priced beyond the typical household budget of resident unskilled laborers.
Anderson Valley winemakers
- Breggo Cellars
- Christine Woods
- Claudia Springs
- Foursight Wines
- Goldeneye Winery
- Greenwood Ridge Vineyards
- Handley Cellars
- Husch Vineyards
- Lazy Creek Vineyards
- Navarro Vineyards
- Roederer EstateRoederer EstateRoederer Estate, founded in 1982 by Jean-Claude Rouzaud, then president of the parent company Champagne Louis Roederer, is a well-known California winery. It produces estate-bottled sparkling wines from Mendocino County's cool, fog-shrouded Anderson Valley...
- Scharffenberger Cellars
- Standish Wine Company
- Phillips Hill
Communities
- BoonvilleBoonville, CaliforniaBoonville is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California. It is located southwest of Ukiah, at an elevation of 381 feet . The population was 1,035 at the 2010 census.-History:...
- NavarroNavarro, CaliforniaNavarro is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, California. It is located west of Ukiah, at an elevation of 269 feet...
- PhiloPhilo, CaliforniaPhilo is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California. It is located northwest of Boonville, at an elevation of 331 feet . The population was 349 at the 2010 census....
- YorkvilleYorkville, CaliforniaYorkville is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, California. It is located southwest of Hopland, at an elevation of 922 feet ....
External links
- Anderson Valley AdvertiserAnderson Valley AdvertiserThe Anderson Valley Advertiser is a small but well-known weekly newspaper published in Anderson Valley, California. It was founded in 1955 as a local, community-based paper...
http://www.theava.com/ (the Valley's weekly newspaper) - Anderson Valley Chamber of Commerce
- Anderson Valley Historical Society
- Anderson Valley Unified School District
- Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association
- KZYX (Mendocino County Public Broadcasting)
- Anderson Valley Brewing Company
- Overnight in Anderson Valley - slideshow by The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...