Guerneville, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Guerneville
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Downtown area along Main Street
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Location in Sonoma County and the state of California
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Sonoma |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.879 sq mi (25.587 km2) |
| • Land | 9.709 sq mi (25.147 km2) |
| • Water | 0.170 sq mi (0.440 km2) 1.72% |
| Elevation | 59 ft (18 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,552 |
| • Density | 460.78/sq mi (177.903/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
95446
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| Area code(s) | 707 |
| FIPS code | 06-31470 |
| GNIS feature ID | 277527 |
Guerneville is a small town in Sonoma County, California, United States. It's located in the Russian River Valley. The town started in the late 1800s as a place for logging. The Guerne family founded it in the 1850s.
Today, Guerneville is known for its beautiful nature. People also visit for wine-tasting and to see the giant redwood forests nearby. It has a very open and welcoming atmosphere.
Contents
History of Guerneville
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Guerneville grew up next to the Russian River. Long ago, huge redwood trees grew so thickly here. The local Pomo Indians used this area as a summer camp. They called it "Ceola," which means "shady place."
Many old trees are protected in Armstrong Woods Park. But many trees were cut down in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This logging gave the town its first English name: "Stumptown." A lot of wood was needed to rebuild after the big 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
The town still remembers its old name with an annual "Stumptown Days" parade. The name Guerneville honors George Guerne. He was a Swiss immigrant and businessman in the 1800s. He owned the town's sawmill. By 1870, Guerneville had its own U.S. Post Office.
In the late 1800s, rich people from San Francisco loved to vacation here. A railroad connected the town to San Francisco in 1877. Even after train service ended in the 1930s, people still came by car. A local movie theater, The River, showed movies through the 1950s and 1960s.
Travel by jet airplanes in the 1960s made some old resorts less popular. Big floods in 1964 also hurt local businesses. But in the late 1970s, many new businesses opened. This brought more visitors, and the town started to do well again.
Geography and Climate
Guerneville is in western Sonoma County. It sits along the Russian River. You can find it on State Route 116. It's between Monte Rio to the west and Forestville to the east.
The town covers about 9.88 square miles (25.6 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. Only a small part, about 0.17 square miles (0.44 square kilometers), is water.
Climate in Guerneville
Guerneville has cool, wet winters. Its summers are warm and dry. This weather is common for northern California's coast. It doesn't rain much in summer. However, fog often rolls in from the Pacific Ocean. This fog helps the redwood trees and other plants grow.
The area gets about 49 inches (1248 mm) of rain each year. It usually rains about 73 days a year. The most rain in one month was 29.08 inches (739 mm) in January 1970. The most rain in 24 hours was 8.4 inches (210 mm) on February 8, 1960.
Temperatures in January usually range from 35.7°F (2.1°C) to 56.1°F (13.4°C). In July, they range from 48.4°F (9.1°C) to 83.5°F (28.6°C). It gets above 90°F (32°C) about 28 days a year. It freezes (below 32°F/0°C) about 44 days a year. The hottest day ever was 113°F (45°C) on July 14, 1972. The coldest day was 14°F (-10°C) on December 22, 1990.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 363 | — | |
| 1940 | 1,089 | — | |
| 1980 | 1,525 | — | |
| 1990 | 1,966 | 28.9% | |
| 2000 | 2,467 | 25.5% | |
| 2010 | 4,534 | 83.8% | |
| 2020 | 4,552 | 0.4% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 4,764 | 5.1% | |
| U.S Census 1880, 1940, 1980-2020 | |||
In 2020, Guerneville had a population of 4,552 people. The town has grown quite a bit over the years. For example, in 1880, only 363 people lived here. By 2010, the population was 4,534.
Most people in Guerneville speak English. About 10% of people speak other languages. Spanish is the most common of these other languages.
Economy and Tourism
Guerneville has a town center with chess tables and small shops. There's a public beach along the Russian River. People go there for fishing, swimming, boating, and sunbathing.
Guerneville is a popular vacation spot. It hosts events like the Russian River Pride Parade and Celebration. There are also special weekends and charity events. Many welcoming clubs and bars are found in Guerneville.
Parks and Recreation
There are many fun places to visit in Guerneville. These include Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Next to it is the Austin Creek State Recreation Area. The Russian River itself is great for exploring.
Johnson's Beach is a popular spot for summer swimming and boating. In the past, it hosted the Russian River Jazz and Blues festival. The Pacific Ocean is also very close by.
Education
The Guerneville School District serves the area. It includes the Guerneville School. This school teaches students from kindergarten through 8th grade. It was started in 1949.
Media
News about Guerneville and the lower Russian River area is often covered. The Santa Rosa Press Democrat newspaper has an online section for local towns.
Guerneville is also home to a non-commercial radio station. It's called KGGV-FM and broadcasts at 95.1 MHz.
The Russian River area sometimes appears in the news because of winter floods. The worst flood happened in 1986. Now, many homes are built higher up. This helps them recover faster from floods.
Filmed in Guerneville
Guerneville's old metal bridge has been featured in movies. It appeared in the film Mumford. The independent movie Deep Dark Canyon was also filmed here. Nearby areas were used for the 1960s TV show Combat!.
See also
In Spanish: Guerneville (California) para niños
