Between 1812 and 1841, Fort Ross (just 24 miles away) became the southernmost Russian settlement on the American continent. The settlement was established to provide agricultural produce for other Russian settlements in Alaska and became the first shipbuilding site in California. Trappers based at Fort Ross made their way inland along the Russian River, hence its name. Fort Ross is now a California State Park and open year-round.

To learn more about the history of Guernenville, and the Russian River area, visit these links.

Russian River Historical Society
Wikipedia: Russian River History
Russian River Getaways
Russian River Chamber of Commerce