Rio Nido, California
Encyclopedia
Rio Nido, California is a small, unincorporated
resort community on the Russian River
, 1.3 mi (2.1 km) east of Guerneville, in Sonoma County. The town's name is meant to mean "river nest" in Spanish. One account has it that the name was originally the more grammatically correct "El Rio Del Nido," "referring to the nest of an eagle once seen in a tree on the banks of this stream."
Rio Nido's Post Office is a small unit on the side of its fire station. Its year-round population in 2000 was 296 persons and in 2010 it increased to 522 persons; typical of resort communities, the population increases in the summer. There were 179 housing units. The land area is only .1 square mile (.2 square kilometers).
Rio Nido consists of numerous summer homes and cabins, as well as a few small businesses- a bar/restaurant, public pool and a small resort hotel. Most of the homes are located in a redwood canyon which contains a small creek that flows into the Russian River, Rio Nido Creek. The main roads are named Canyons One, Two, Three, Four, Six and Seven. There is no Canyon Five, because of an accident that happened on Canyon Six (that was going to be Canyon Five).
The property comprising Rio Nido was purchased in 1908 as a single plot by the Eagle Lodge in San Francisco, and then it was broken up into parcels for Eagle Lodge members. The post office for Eaglenest, as the village was originally known, opened in 1908. The name was changed to "Rionido" in 1910. During World War II
a number of facilities were added to accommodate the huge crowds of sailors on liberty and soldiers and Marines in transit to the war in the Pacific. The Big Band era was in full swing and the Russian River area was a well-known recreation area. The "Rionido" post office was changed to "Rio Nido" in 1947. The San Francisco Chronicle once reported the extended appearance in Rio Nido by singer-actress Betty Hutton
. Rio Nido is about 5 miles (8 km) north of the famed Bohemian Grove
.
During the 1950s and the 1960s, a footbridge crossed the river to a public beach on the south shore. A small excursion boat regularly cruised between the Rio Nido beach and Johnson's Beach in Guerneville. A snack bar was maintained on the beach. Canoe rentals were available through Bob "W.C. Bob" Trowbridge, who also served as a Sonoma County sheriff's deputy and the head of the Sonoma County & State Democratic Central Committee for 38 years. Loudspeakers were set up around the square and on the beach, playing music from KSRO
in Santa Rosa
. A few cabins were available for rent. On summer evenings Dick Crest
, a teacher and band director at the College of San Mateo
, led a small orchestra in free concerts in the town square and at dances. By 1974, the beach had been abandoned and overgrown with weeds. The pedestrian tunnel (under the county highway) leading to the path down to the river has survived, but the path itself is virtually impassable.
reports that Rio Nido, as well as surrounding communities in the Russian River valley, has warm, dry summers with chilly night and morning fog, and cool, wet winters. Snow is extremely rare. It snowed once in 2004 and once in 1989, most recently. January temperatures average between 57 °F (13.9 °C) and 35.7 °F (2.1 °C). July temperatures average between 83.6 °F (28.7 °C) and 49.3 °F (9.6 °C). In the summer, fog often drifts up the river from the Pacific Ocean
during the late night and early morning hours; most summer afternoons are bright and very warm with light breezes. The highest recorded temperature in nearby Graton
was 113 °F (45 °C) in July 1972 and the lowest temperature was 14 °F (-10 °C) in December 1990. Average annual precipitation is 53.23 in (135.2 cm). Heavy winter rains have resulted in occasional flooding of the river.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
resort community on the Russian River
Russian River (California)
The Russian River, a southward-flowing river, drains of Sonoma and Mendocino counties in Northern California. With an annual average discharge of approximately , it is the second largest river flowing through the nine county Greater San Francisco Bay Area with a mainstem 110 miles ...
, 1.3 mi (2.1 km) east of Guerneville, in Sonoma County. The town's name is meant to mean "river nest" in Spanish. One account has it that the name was originally the more grammatically correct "El Rio Del Nido," "referring to the nest of an eagle once seen in a tree on the banks of this stream."
Profile
The property comprising Rio Nido was purchased in 1908 as a single plot by the Eagle Lodge in San Francisco, and then it was broken up into parcels for Eagle Lodge members. The post office for Eaglenest, as the village was originally known, opened in 1908. The name was changed to "Rionido" in 1910. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a number of facilities were added to accommodate the huge crowds of sailors on liberty and soldiers and Marines in transit to the war in the Pacific. The Big Band era was in full swing and the Russian River area was a well-known recreation area. The "Rionido" post office was changed to "Rio Nido" in 1947. The San Francisco Chronicle once reported the extended appearance in Rio Nido by singer-actress Betty Hutton
Betty Hutton
Betty Hutton was an American stage, film, and television actress, comedienne and singer.-Early life:Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg, daughter of a railroad foreman, Percy E. Thornburg and his wife, the former Mabel Lum . While she was very young, her father abandoned the family for...
. Rio Nido is about 5 miles (8 km) north of the famed Bohemian Grove
Bohemian Grove
Bohemian Grove is a campground located at 20601 Bohemian Avenue, in Monte Rio, California, belonging to a private San Francisco-based men's art club known as the Bohemian Club...
.
KSRO
KSRO is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Santa Rosa, California, USA, the station serves the Santa Rosa area. The station is currently owned by Maverick Media of Santa Rosa License LLC and features programing from CNN Radio, Premiere Radio Networks and...
in Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
. A few cabins were available for rent. On summer evenings Dick Crest
Dick Crest
Richard "Dick" Crest was a longtime member of the music department faculty at the College of San Mateo in San Mateo, California.-Life:After leading the college's concert band, Crest took over the leadership of the jazz band from Bud Young in the early 1960s. The San Mateo College Jazz Band won the...
, a teacher and band director at the College of San Mateo
College of San Mateo
College of San Mateo is a community college in San Mateo, California. It is part of the San Mateo County Community College District....
, led a small orchestra in free concerts in the town square and at dances. By 1974, the beach had been abandoned and overgrown with weeds. The pedestrian tunnel (under the county highway) leading to the path down to the river has survived, but the path itself is virtually impassable.
Weather
The National Weather ServiceNational Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
reports that Rio Nido, as well as surrounding communities in the Russian River valley, has warm, dry summers with chilly night and morning fog, and cool, wet winters. Snow is extremely rare. It snowed once in 2004 and once in 1989, most recently. January temperatures average between 57 °F (13.9 °C) and 35.7 °F (2.1 °C). July temperatures average between 83.6 °F (28.7 °C) and 49.3 °F (9.6 °C). In the summer, fog often drifts up the river from the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
during the late night and early morning hours; most summer afternoons are bright and very warm with light breezes. The highest recorded temperature in nearby Graton
Graton, California
Graton is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in west Sonoma County, California, United States. The population was 1,707 at the 2010 census. Graton's ZIP code is 95444.-Geography:...
was 113 °F (45 °C) in July 1972 and the lowest temperature was 14 °F (-10 °C) in December 1990. Average annual precipitation is 53.23 in (135.2 cm). Heavy winter rains have resulted in occasional flooding of the river.