“Outstanding Scenic Beauty”
Fort Ross State Historic Park is one of the oldest historical park units in the California State Park System. Fort Ross is a wonderful place to visit for its outstanding scenic beauty, recreational opportunities, and to learn about local, California, or world trade history. This park has been established to benefit the people by preserving, restoring, and interpreting the cultural and natural history of this place, and to make the resources accessible to all people. Today the fort has been partly restored to its former appearance. The settlement of Ross, the name derived from the word for Russia (Rossiia) was established by the Russian - American Company, a commercial hunting and trading company chartered by the tsarist government, with shares held by the members of the Tsar’s family, court nobility and high officials. Trade was vital to Russian outposts in Alaska, where long winters exhausted supplies and the settlements could not grow enough food to support themselves. Baranov directed his chief deputy, Ivan Alexandrovich Kuskov, to establish a colony in California as a food source for Alaska and to hunt profitable sea otters. After several reconnaissance missions, Kuskov arrived at Ross in March of 1812 with a party of 25 Russians, many of them craftsmen, and 80 native Alaskans from Kodiak and the Aleutian Islands. After negotiating with the Kashaya Pomo people who inhabited the area, Kuskov began construction of the fort. The carpenters who accompanied Kuskov to Settlement Ross, along with their native Alaskan helpers, had worked on forts in Alaska, and the construction here followed models of the traditional stockade, blockhouses and log buildings found in Siberia and Alaska.
Reviews
First I’d like to mention that the days and hours this place is open is incorrect as listed on this app. Check out the website first or call. But they are open everyday. Lots of history here. Check it out. Easy walking and cooler temps then inland
Great to visit. Nice old buildings and views are to die for!
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Fort Ross State Historic Park
Hours
- Sun, Mon, Fri, Sat: 10:00 am - 4:30 pm
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
- Sites Count
- 20
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Sites
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Fifty Amp
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Paved Sites
Campground
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