Mendocino County has a rich and varied past, and the people here feel a strong connection to their history. For thousands of years Pomo, Yuki and other Native American tribes were nurtured by the natural resources of the forests, mountains, rivers and ocean.

In the 1800s, explorers and settlers began to arrive from Russia, China and Europe. Inland, the valleys hosted the northernmost Mexican ranchos. After the gold rush of 49, many would-be miners also established ranches inland. Today, cowboys celebrate their way of life at California’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo in Willits every Fourth of July.

Lumberjacks came from New England and timber drove the County’s economy for many years. The fishing industry grew and still plays a vital part in Mendocino County life. 

Italians and Greeks moved north from San Francisco and found the ideal climate for growing wine grapes, fruit and olives. Our County still benefits from their bounty and organic grape growing and winemaking techniques, making Mendocino County America’s Greenest Wine Region™. 

In the late 1950s, artists moved north to Mendocino County, bewitched by the breathtaking natural beauty and peace of the area. Today, Mendocino boasts more artists per square mile than any other County in the US and artists’ studios and galleries can be found in most of our small towns and villages.

Artifacts of our Native American, timber, fishing, agricultural, and cultural heritages can be discovered throughout the County, and are preserved in our many museums.