Monte Rio (Spanish: Monte Río, meaning "River Mountain") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sonoma County, California along the Russian River near the Pacific Ocean. The town of Guerneville lies northeast of Monte Rio, and Jenner is to the west. The population was 1,152 at the 2010 census, up from 1,104 at the 2000 census. Bohemian Grove is located in Monte Rio. [1]
Gedcom Index for Monte Rio, CA. . . . Link
Surnames: Barre
GenealogyOnline: About
the Town Monte Rio .
. . Link
Surnames: Hazlewood
Roadside Thoughts: Monte Rio
California . . . Link
Sonoma County Genealogical Society . . . Link
The web site "The Cockrill Family of Sonoma County" [Link] has a wonderful collection of
local genealogy including the following with ties to this
town: Andrew Stump
(see Nettie Stump),
Starting in the 1870s, Monte Rio was a stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad connecting Cazadero to the Sausalito, California ferry. Redwood lumber from local sawmills was shipped to build San Francisco. After the sawmills left, the area became known as Vacation Wonderland with trains transporting San Franciscans to summer cabins and even a seven-story hotel downtown. Portions of the 1942 Academy Award-winning film Holiday Inn were filmed at the Village Inn Resort in Monte Rio. The trains no longer run, and the area now is mainly inhabited by full year residents. Despite heavy logging during the second half of the 19th century, the Sonoma Lumber Company preserved a 160-acre (65 ha) grove of old-growth redwood trees, which was sold to San Francisco's Bohemian Club in 1899. The club purchased dozens of other parcels in the area, and now owns 2,712 acres (1,098 ha), which it uses for its summer retreats. [1]
Monte Rio
Monte Rio was developed as a tourist destination in the early 20th century when a broad gauge rail line was extended west from Guerneville, making it relatively easy for vacationers to travel from San Francisco to the Russian River Valley. Early construction supported the fluctuating visitor population and consisted mostly of resort hotels located south of the Russian River and adjacent to the Guerneville and Cazadero rail lines. The May 1911 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows two clusters of predominantly hotel and other commercial structures. To the north of the Guerneville line there was a movie theater, dance hall, bowling alley, bakery, newsstand, candy shop, grocer, restaurant, cigar shop, and a barber.
The Monte Rio train depot was located at the junction of the Guerneville and Cazadero lines. To the south of the Guerneville line, adjacent to the Cazadero line, two major hotels lined the street: Monte Rio Hotel and Hotel Russell. In the early 20th century, downtown Monte Rio was comprised almost entirely of one, two, and three-story commercial vernacular structures with ground-floor storefronts. The seven-story Monte Rio Hotel, constructed in 1901 was the sole exception. Gabled roofs were common and most exterior walls were clad with wide clapboards.
In the 1920s and 1930s, railroad tourism slowed due to the advent of the automobile. Consequently, new development in Monte Rio changed from large-scale resorts to small residential subdivisions and commercial strips. By the 1950’s, the southern section of Monte Rio became denser and served as the main downtown area while the buildings north of the rail line virtually disappeared. A bridge was constructed across the Russian River, connecting what is now Highway 116 with the historic center of Monte Rio. Small resort motels and a few small businesses were constructed along Highway 116, north of the Russian River. Historic downtown Monte Rio (Main Street) was comprised of one and two-story vernacular commercial buildings with street-facing gabled roofs hidden behind shaped parapets. Awnings and signage were set at relatively equal heights and buildings were set back equidistantly from the street abutting wide pedestrian sidewalks. . . [Permit Sonoma Link]
Monte Rio
The town was first called Ingram,
after it's first settler, Silas D. Ingram who came here in
1869 and built a resort hotel . . . [Archived
Website. Link]
American Towns . . . Link
"A look back: The origins of Bohemian Grove campground" [Article] . . . Link
Growth of Russian River Towns: Monte Rio [from: RUSSIAN RIVER HISTORY] . . . Link
Monte Rio Chamber of Commerce . . . Link . . . History
Monte Rio Today [Niche] (has a map of location) . . . Link
Monte Rio Wikipedia Page . . . Link
Permit Sonoma: Russian River Corridor . . . Link . . . Monte Rio Bridge. . . Link
Russian River Historical Society (Monte Rio) . . . Link . . . BuisnessDire.
Sonoma County Life Opens Up: Monte Rio . . . Link . . .
Welcome to Monte Rio [River View Garden Resort] . . . Link
WikiVoyage: Monte Rio . . . Link
Check Sonoma Historian (SCHS) for articles about the towns. . . . Link
Bartlett's Department Store (circa 1920-1950) . . . Link
Bartlett & Son General Merchandise (same as above?) (circa 1931) . . . Reference in Article
Carr's Hotel (circa 1911) . . . Link
Fred's Place . . . Link
Glen Rita Hotel (circa 1904-1913) . . . Link
Highland Dell Lodge . . . Link
Originally built in 1906, the Highland Dell Hotel in Monte Rio, California, was a popular destination for San Francisco and Bay Area families throughout the first half of the 20th century and it still is today.
Hotel Russell . . . Link
Johnny’s Casino (circa 1931) . . . Reference in Article . .
Johnny’s Casino was located at the downtown end of the old Monte Rio bridge and later was known as the Beach Club.
Madrona Mill (circa 1892) . . . Link
Monte Rio Bridge: Bohemian Highway Bridge . . . Link . . . BridgeHunter
Monte Rio Hotel . . . Link
In the early 20th century, downtown Monte Rio was comprised almost entirely of one, two, and three-story commercial vernacular structures with ground-floor storefronts. The seven-story Monte Rio Hotel, constructed in 1901 was the sole exception.
Monte Rios Nightingales, offered Donkey rides (circa early 1900's) . . . Link
Pink Elephant Cafe . . . Link
Riley Mill (circa 1890) . . . Link
Riverview Inn, since 1906 (now called Village Inn) . . . Link
San Francisco's Bohemian Club (1872 - ) . . . Link . . . Early Bohemian Grove, Monte Rio
The Bohemian Club of San Francisco started small when it formed in 1872 by newspapermen as an artistic, or bohemian, social outlet for men. Six years later, the group had its first midsummer retreat. The Monte Rio campground was purchased in 1899.
Sheridan Hotel (circa 1920) . . . Link
Sheridan
School (built 1890) . . . Link
Originally the one-room schoolhouse for Monte Rio, CA, Sheridan School was decommissioned in 1942 and had fallen into significant disrepair when we bought it in 2009.
Silas D. Ingram . . . Link . . The town was first called Ingram, after it's first settler, Silas D. Ingram who came here in 1869 and built a resort hotel
Sonoma Lumber Company . . . Link
Despite heavy logging during the second half of the 19th century, the Sonoma Lumber Company preserved a 160-acre (65 ha) grove of old-growth redwood trees, which was sold to San Francisco's Bohemian Club in 1899.
St. Catherine's church (circa 1951) . . . Link
The Bungalow . . . Link
The Highlands Resort (Highland Park Lodge) . . . Link
Highlands Resort has been around since the early 1920s when it was known as Highland Park Lodge. Like many of the resorts in the area, it began by offering platform tent camping and began adding cabins during the 1930s and 1940s.
The North Shore Land Co . . . Reference in Article
The North Shore Land Co had ads for the Monte Rio Addition (1905), “Sunny Summer Homes, with pure, soft spring water piped to every lot".
Monte Rio Variety Show . . . Link
The Monte Rio variety show began in 1911 to raise funds to build a Catholic Church in Monte Rio.
Maps
Map of Monte Rio, with boundaries [BingMaps] . . . Link
Map of Monte Rio [MapQuest] . . . Link
Monte Rio, Guernewood Park, From Sonoma County 1957 [Historic Map Works] . . . Link
GettyImages Monte Rio Collection . . . Link
Historic photos show Monte Rio 100 years ago [Article & Photos] . . . Link
Russian River HS: Monte Rio Photo Gallery . . . Link
[1] Wikipedia contributors. "Monte Rio, California." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 27 Jul. 2022. Web. Viewed on 31 Oct. 2022.. . . . Link
[2] "Historical and Descriptive Sketch Book of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino: Comprising Sketches of Their Topography, Productions, History, Scenery, and Peculiar Attractions", C.A. Menefee, 1873 . . . Link
[3] "Historical and Descriptive Sketch of Sonoma County, California" Robert Allan Thompson. L.H. Everts, 1877 - Sonoma County (Calif.) - 104 pages. [ ??? pp 100-101] . . . Link
[4] "History of Sonoma County: Including Its Geology, Topography, Mountains, Valleys and Streams ...."' United States, Higginson Book Company, 1880. (page ???.) . . . Link . . . Text at CAGenWeb
[5]
"An Illustrated
History of Sonoma County, California: Containing a
History of the County of Sonoma from the Earliest
Period of Its Occupancy to the Present Time",
Lewis Publishing, 1889
. . . Link