Guerneville, California
Encyclopedia
Guerneville is a town in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California
, USA. A popular vacation destination for couples and families as well as corporate retreats and family and friend reunions, Guerneville is well-known for its natural beauty, laid-back attitude, friendly population, good restaurants, proximity to wine-tasting and redwood forests, and liberal atmosphere. It was founded by the Guerne family in the 1850s.
. Redwoods grew in the riverbed with such vigor that just a few centuries ago, the valley had the greatest biomass density on the planet, according to local lore. The local Pomo
Indians used the area as a summer camp and called it "Ceola" (ˈ or cee-oh-lay) which meant "shady place." Except for a large, beautiful stand of truly ancient trees preserved in the Fife Creek watershed, now the centerpiece of Armstrong Woods Park
, many of the trees were logged in the 19th century, giving rise to the first English name for the place – "Stumptown." The annual town parade still commemorates the old place name by calling itself "Stumptown Days." The present name Guerneville was introduced to honor Swiss immigrant George Guerne, a local businessman of the 19th century who owned the town's sawmill. The extensive redwood forests on the surrounding mountains are less than 200 years old, having been replacement plantings for much of the logging done in the 19th century.
The area became popular with wealthy vacationers from San Francisco in the late 19th century. The San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad
linked the town to the Ferries of San Francisco Bay
in 1877. Even with the demise of train service in the late 1930s, the area's resorts remained popular with vacationers who came by automobile through the 1950s. A local movie theater, the River, was built near the beach and showed double features throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The coming of jet airplane travel in the 1960s marked a period of decline for many of the older resorts. Winter floods in 1964 caused a further decline in business conditions. Many housing units that were once summer-only cottages began to be used year-round by low-income households, and illegal drug use became more prevalent throughout the region. However, a renaissance took place in the late 1970s as large numbers of gay men and lesbians from San Francisco identified the area as a prime recreational destination for weekends. Many older resorts gained a new lease on life with the new visitors, and in general, the town's businesses began to thrive again.
HIV ended Guerneville's reputation as a primarily gay destination as more families and retirees moved into the area and resorts, once gay, turned to a straight or mixed clientele. Guerneville has continued to thrive with a very eclectic population and is one of the most gay/straight integrated communities in the country. There are still a few gay resorts, but the largest once gay resort is now very much a straight wedding destination, and by far the bulk of the tourist lodging lies in vacation rentals, welcoming all clienteles.
Modern Guerneville continues to exude small-town charm, from its plaza in the town center with permanent chess tables, to small shops, and a public beach area in the heart of town along the Russian River that is used for fishing, swimming, boating, and sunbathing. Just as in the past, the river is open to the public.
community).
Guerneville is also home to the Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
, which holds entertaining events in various venues along the Russian River
, including monthly bingo games.
There are several LGBT-friendly clubs and bars in Guerneville, such as Rainbow Cattle Company. Seth Montfort
, composer and classical pianist, performs both solo and with "The Mortuary Orchestra of Guerneville" (formerly San Francisco Concerto Orchestra) at the "Music Inside Out & Center."
Redevelopment in the town of Guerneville has been a controversial issue. Likewise, in the neighboring town of Monte Rio a waste-water sewer project is opposed by many, and there is a belief among some people that the two projects are inter-related and that both could possibly harm the environment.
can be filmed from the newer bridge, and made an appearance in the movie Mumford
as a location for people to walk and talk in idyllic settings.
Guerneville is the home of radio station KGGV-FM, 95.1 The Bridge, (www.kggvfm.org) a 24/7 non-profit, commercial-free, community-interactive radio station which features a wide variety of locally-produced programming, streaming live on the web.
The Russian River area occasionally appears in local and/or national news due to significant winter flooding, the worst of which occurred in 1986. Long-term residents treat floods as a very occasional headache, but a reasonable price paid for living in a beautiful place. Because much of the housing is elevated, thanks in large part to FEMA grants, floods no longer have the impact they once did and recovery for most residents and businesses is much faster than in earlier times. The effects of floods are mitigated by the extensive upstream floodplain
storage capacity of the Laguna de Santa Rosa
.
on State Route 116, between Monte Rio
to the west and Forestville
to the east. It is at 38.506349°N 122.990834°W.
The CDP has a total area of 9.88 sq mi (25.6 km²). Of that, 9.71 sq mi (25.1 km²) is land and 0.17 sq mi (0.4402979787 km²) (1.72%) is water.
Guerneville has cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers., the typical Mediterranean climate common to the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Although rainfall is rare during the summer months, fog often comes up the river from the Pacific Ocean, producing enough condensation to create "fog drip
", which sustains the numerous redwood trees, ferns, and other vegetation.
The National Weather Service
reports that Guerneville has an average annual rainfall of 49.15 inches (1,248.4 mm). Measurable precipitation occurs on an average of 73 days each year. The wettest year was 1970 with 70.2 inches (1,783.1 mm) and the driest year was 1949 with 31.34 inches (796 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 29.08 in January 1970. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 8.4 inches (213.4 mm) on February 8, 1960.
Although no official temperature records exist for Guerneville, the nearby town of Graton
has average January temperatures ranging from 35.7 °F (2.1 °C). to 56.1 °F (13.4 °C) and July temperatures from 48.4 °F (9.1 °C) to 83.5 °F (28.6 °C). There are an average of 28.7 days annually with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and 44.7 days annually with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The record high temperature was 113 °F (45 °C) on July 14, 1972, and the record low temperature was 14 °F (-10 °C) on December 22, 1990. Other nearby cooperative National Weather Service stations are in Occidental
, Cazadero
, and Fort Ross
.
was 458.9 people per square mile (177.2/km²). The racial makeup of Guerneville was 3,926 (86.6%) White, 31 (0.7%) African American, 68 (1.5%) Native American, 47 (1.0%) Asian, 12 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 226 (5.0%) from other races
, and 224 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 553 persons (12.2%).
The Census reported that 99.1% of the population lived in households and 0.9% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters.
There were 2,305 households, out of which 407 (17.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 583 (25.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 197 (8.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 112 (4.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 175 (7.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 176 (7.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 984 households (42.7%) were made up of individuals and 235 (10.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.95. There were 892 families
(38.7% of all households); the average family size was 2.74.
The population was spread out with 643 people (14.2%) under the age of 18, 306 people (6.7%) aged 18 to 24, 1,042 people (23.0%) aged 25 to 44, 1,932 people (42.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 611 people (13.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.2 years. For every 100 females there were 119.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.3 males.
There were 3,343 housing units at an average density of 338.4 per square mile (130.6/km²), of which 56.2% were owner-occupied and 43.8% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%. 56.2% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 42.9% lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 2,441 people, 1,097 households, and 523 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 743/sq mi (287/km²). There were 1,463 housing units at an average density of 445/sq mi (172/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.42% White, 0.70% African American, 1.07% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 4.51% from other races
, and 5.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.54% of the population.
There were 1,097 households out of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.4% were married couples
living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.3% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 19.7% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 108.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $37,266, and the median income for a family was $45,875. Males had a median income of $32,350 versus $31,429 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $22,793. About 13.5% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.6% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000 90% of people from Guerneville speak primarily English
while 10% do not. Of these, 6% speak Spanish
, 1% speak Russian
, 1% speak French
, 1% speak German
, 1% speak Portuguese
, less than 1% speak "other West Germanic languages
," Tagalog
and Thai
.
Guerneville is located in the 2nd Senate
District, represented by Democrat
Noreen Evans
, and in the 1st Assembly
District, represented by Democrat Wesley Chesbro
. Federally, Guerneville is located in California's 6th congressional district
.
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
, USA. A popular vacation destination for couples and families as well as corporate retreats and family and friend reunions, Guerneville is well-known for its natural beauty, laid-back attitude, friendly population, good restaurants, proximity to wine-tasting and redwood forests, and liberal atmosphere. It was founded by the Guerne family in the 1850s.
History
Guerneville is built adjacent to the Russian RiverRussian 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 ...
. Redwoods grew in the riverbed with such vigor that just a few centuries ago, the valley had the greatest biomass density on the planet, according to local lore. The local Pomo
Pomo people
The Pomo people are an indigenous peoples of California. The historic Pomo territory in northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point...
Indians used the area as a summer camp and called it "Ceola" (ˈ or cee-oh-lay) which meant "shady place." Except for a large, beautiful stand of truly ancient trees preserved in the Fife Creek watershed, now the centerpiece of Armstrong Woods Park
Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve is a state park of California, USA, preserving of Coast redwood trees . The reserve is located in Sonoma County just north of Guerneville, California....
, many of the trees were logged in the 19th century, giving rise to the first English name for the place – "Stumptown." The annual town parade still commemorates the old place name by calling itself "Stumptown Days." The present name Guerneville was introduced to honor Swiss immigrant George Guerne, a local businessman of the 19th century who owned the town's sawmill. The extensive redwood forests on the surrounding mountains are less than 200 years old, having been replacement plantings for much of the logging done in the 19th century.
The area became popular with wealthy vacationers from San Francisco in the late 19th century. The San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad
San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad
San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad provided the first extensive standard gauge rail service to Sonoma County and became the southern end of the regional Northwestern Pacific Railroad...
linked the town to the Ferries of San Francisco Bay
Ferries of San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay in California has been served by ferries of all types for over 150 years. Although the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge led to the decline in the importance of most ferries, some are still in use today for both commuters and...
in 1877. Even with the demise of train service in the late 1930s, the area's resorts remained popular with vacationers who came by automobile through the 1950s. A local movie theater, the River, was built near the beach and showed double features throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The coming of jet airplane travel in the 1960s marked a period of decline for many of the older resorts. Winter floods in 1964 caused a further decline in business conditions. Many housing units that were once summer-only cottages began to be used year-round by low-income households, and illegal drug use became more prevalent throughout the region. However, a renaissance took place in the late 1970s as large numbers of gay men and lesbians from San Francisco identified the area as a prime recreational destination for weekends. Many older resorts gained a new lease on life with the new visitors, and in general, the town's businesses began to thrive again.
HIV ended Guerneville's reputation as a primarily gay destination as more families and retirees moved into the area and resorts, once gay, turned to a straight or mixed clientele. Guerneville has continued to thrive with a very eclectic population and is one of the most gay/straight integrated communities in the country. There are still a few gay resorts, but the largest once gay resort is now very much a straight wedding destination, and by far the bulk of the tourist lodging lies in vacation rentals, welcoming all clienteles.
Modern Guerneville continues to exude small-town charm, from its plaza in the town center with permanent chess tables, to small shops, and a public beach area in the heart of town along the Russian River that is used for fishing, swimming, boating, and sunbathing. Just as in the past, the river is open to the public.
LGBT community
The town is a vacation destination for people throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, and hosts an annual Lazy Bear Weekend in late July or early August, and Polar Bear Weekend, in mid-January (gay bear charity events for the LGBTLGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community).
Guerneville is also home to the Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence , also called Order of Perpetual Indulgence in Australia and elsewhere, is a charity, protest, and street performance organization that uses drag and Catholic imagery to call attention to sexual intolerance and satirize issues of gender and morality...
, which holds entertaining events in various venues along 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 ...
, including monthly bingo games.
There are several LGBT-friendly clubs and bars in Guerneville, such as Rainbow Cattle Company. Seth Montfort
Seth Montfort
Seth Montfort is a pianist and founder of the "San Francisco Concerto Orchestra" which is a non-profit organization composed of classical musicians. He is also the brother of Matthew Montfort, musician and founder of Ancient Future.-History:...
, composer and classical pianist, performs both solo and with "The Mortuary Orchestra of Guerneville" (formerly San Francisco Concerto Orchestra) at the "Music Inside Out & Center."
Local politics
Guerneville is politically progressive, consistent with most of western Sonoma County politics.Redevelopment in the town of Guerneville has been a controversial issue. Likewise, in the neighboring town of Monte Rio a waste-water sewer project is opposed by many, and there is a belief among some people that the two projects are inter-related and that both could possibly harm the environment.
In the media
Guerneville's older metal truss bridgeTruss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
can be filmed from the newer bridge, and made an appearance in the movie Mumford
Mumford (film)
Mumford is a 1999 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan. It is set in a small town where a new psychologist gives offbeat advice to the neurotic residents...
as a location for people to walk and talk in idyllic settings.
Guerneville is the home of radio station KGGV-FM, 95.1 The Bridge, (www.kggvfm.org) a 24/7 non-profit, commercial-free, community-interactive radio station which features a wide variety of locally-produced programming, streaming live on the web.
The Russian River area occasionally appears in local and/or national news due to significant winter flooding, the worst of which occurred in 1986. Long-term residents treat floods as a very occasional headache, but a reasonable price paid for living in a beautiful place. Because much of the housing is elevated, thanks in large part to FEMA grants, floods no longer have the impact they once did and recovery for most residents and businesses is much faster than in earlier times. The effects of floods are mitigated by the extensive upstream floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
storage capacity of the Laguna de Santa Rosa
Laguna de Santa Rosa
The Laguna de Santa Rosa is a long wetland complex that drains a 254-square mile watershed encompassing most of the Santa Rosa Plain in Sonoma County, California, USA.-Description:...
.
Geography
Guerneville is located in western Sonoma County, along the Russian RiverRussian 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 ...
on State Route 116, between Monte Rio
Monte Rio, California
Monte Rio is a census-designated place in Sonoma County, California along the Russian River near the Pacific Ocean. The town of Guerneville lies east of Monte Rio, and Jenner is slightly north-west. The population was 1,152 at the 2010 census, up from 1,104 at the 2000 census...
to the west and Forestville
Forestville, California
Forestville is a census-designated place in Sonoma County, California, United States. The town came into existence during the late 1860s and was originally named Forrestville, after one its founders, but the spelling long ago became standardized with one "r". The population was 3,293 at the 2010...
to the east. It is at 38.506349°N 122.990834°W.
The CDP has a total area of 9.88 sq mi (25.6 km²). Of that, 9.71 sq mi (25.1 km²) is land and 0.17 sq mi (0.4402979787 km²) (1.72%) is water.
Climate
Fog drip
Fog drip is a type of precipitation that forms when fog droplets condense on the needles or leaves of trees or other objects, and drips to the ground....
", which sustains the numerous redwood trees, ferns, and other vegetation.
The National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
reports that Guerneville has an average annual rainfall of 49.15 inches (1,248.4 mm). Measurable precipitation occurs on an average of 73 days each year. The wettest year was 1970 with 70.2 inches (1,783.1 mm) and the driest year was 1949 with 31.34 inches (796 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 29.08 in January 1970. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 8.4 inches (213.4 mm) on February 8, 1960.
Although no official temperature records exist for Guerneville, the nearby town of Graton
Graton, California
Graton is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in west Sonoma County, California, United States. The population was 1,707 at the 2010 census. Graton's ZIP code is 95444.-Geography:...
has average January temperatures ranging from 35.7 °F (2.1 °C). to 56.1 °F (13.4 °C) and July temperatures from 48.4 °F (9.1 °C) to 83.5 °F (28.6 °C). There are an average of 28.7 days annually with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and 44.7 days annually with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The record high temperature was 113 °F (45 °C) on July 14, 1972, and the record low temperature was 14 °F (-10 °C) on December 22, 1990. Other nearby cooperative National Weather Service stations are in Occidental
Occidental, California
Occidental is a census-designated place in Sonoma County, California, United States. The population was 1,115 at the 2010 census, down from 1,272 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Occidental is located at...
, Cazadero
Cazadero, California
Cazadero is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in western Sonoma County, California, United States with a population of 354 as of the 2010 Census. Nearby towns include Jenner, Annapolis, Stewart's Point, Duncans Mills, Villa Grande, Rio Nido, Guerneville, Monte Rio, and The Sea Ranch...
, and Fort Ross
Fort Ross, California
Fort Ross is a former Russian establishment on the Pacific Coast in what is now Sonoma County, California, in the United States. It was the hub of the southernmost Russian settlements in North America in between 1812 to 1841...
.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Guerneville had a population of 4,534. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 458.9 people per square mile (177.2/km²). The racial makeup of Guerneville was 3,926 (86.6%) White, 31 (0.7%) African American, 68 (1.5%) Native American, 47 (1.0%) Asian, 12 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 226 (5.0%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 224 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 553 persons (12.2%).
The Census reported that 99.1% of the population lived in households and 0.9% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters.
There were 2,305 households, out of which 407 (17.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 583 (25.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 197 (8.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 112 (4.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 175 (7.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 176 (7.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 984 households (42.7%) were made up of individuals and 235 (10.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.95. There were 892 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(38.7% of all households); the average family size was 2.74.
The population was spread out with 643 people (14.2%) under the age of 18, 306 people (6.7%) aged 18 to 24, 1,042 people (23.0%) aged 25 to 44, 1,932 people (42.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 611 people (13.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.2 years. For every 100 females there were 119.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.3 males.
There were 3,343 housing units at an average density of 338.4 per square mile (130.6/km²), of which 56.2% were owner-occupied and 43.8% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%. 56.2% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 42.9% lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,441 people, 1,097 households, and 523 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 743/sq mi (287/km²). There were 1,463 housing units at an average density of 445/sq mi (172/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.42% White, 0.70% African American, 1.07% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 4.51% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 5.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.54% of the population.
There were 1,097 households out of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.3% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 19.7% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 108.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $37,266, and the median income for a family was $45,875. Males had a median income of $32,350 versus $31,429 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $22,793. About 13.5% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.6% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000 90% of people from Guerneville speak primarily English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
while 10% do not. Of these, 6% speak Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, 1% speak Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, 1% speak French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, 1% speak German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, 1% speak Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, less than 1% speak "other West Germanic languages
West Germanic languages
The West Germanic languages constitute the largest of the three traditional branches of the Germanic family of languages and include languages such as German, English, Dutch, Afrikaans, the Frisian languages, and Yiddish...
," Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
and Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Guerneville is located in the 2nd Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Noreen Evans
Noreen Evans
Noreen Evans is an American politician in the California State Senate. She is a Democrat representing the 2nd district, encompassing Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa counties, as well as parts of Sonoma and Solano counties....
, and in the 1st Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Democrat Wesley Chesbro
Wesley Chesbro
Wesley P. Chesbro is a Democratic politician from California. He is currently the Assembly member for the 1st Assembly district in California. Previously, Chesbro served as a State Senator from California's 2nd district from 1998 until 2006...
. Federally, Guerneville is located in California's 6th congressional district
California's 6th congressional district
California's 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that stretches up the Pacific coast north of the San Francisco Bay...
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External links
- Official website
- Guerneville library
- Area chamber of commerce
- Gay Russian River
- City Data profile – statistics and photo gallery