UPDATES
Fort Ross’ Global Village Links
Kids in Russia, Alaska, California
Global Village, a two-year
program studying life at Fort
Ross, has just received a coveted
sponsorship from UNESCO
(United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organiza¬
tion).
Archaeologists and students
from Santa Rosa Junior College,
Sonoma State University, and UC
Berkeley are joining State Parks
staff in exploring a number of
intriguing questions about the
community that grew up around
the Russian Fort.
Russians, Kodiak Islanders
from Alaska, and local Kashaya
Porno worked together and inter¬
married at the Fort Ross commu¬
nity, which lasted from 1812 to
1841. Archaeologists are piecing
together the details of their
shared life from the remains,
which include a warehouse,
cemetery, bath houses, and the
ship-building site in Fort Ross
Cove.
Students from 17 schools in
Northern California, Alaska and
Russia are participating in the
research, linking their studies to
the project through a web page on
the Internet.
According to Breck Parkman,
archaeologist for the State De¬
partment of Recreation and Parks,
UNESCO’s participaton doesn't
bring any funding from UNESCO
itself, but it gives the project
prestige when they apply for
grants from other sources.
Now that UNESCO has given
its sponsorship to the project,
State Parks hopes to receive
grants for teachers’ workshops at
the Fort. Other money would be
used to prepare classroom learn¬
ing kits containing maps, flags,
reference books and actual mate¬
rial recovered at the site.
Loose Cannon?
Among other things, State
Parks historians are trying to
locate a cannon they left behind
when the Russians departed.
Before they left, the Russians sold
much of their equipment to John
Sutter. But not all the cannons are
accounted for, and they believe
one may still be buried in the sand
in Fort Ross Cove.
Occi Tour Book
Hot Off the Press
Amie Hill’s guide to the historic highlights of
Occidental has just been published under the whim¬
sical name An Historical Anecdotal Walking Tour of the
Small (But Fascinating) Village of Occidental,
California.
Hill completed the book in cooperation with SCHS
Board Member Harry Lapham, whose family has had
ties to Occidental for over a century. Included in the
spiral-bound book are numerous historic photos,
many of them from the archives of the Sonoma County
Historical Society. The book is available at some
local bookstores for $1 1 and also will be displayed
for sale at SCHS events such as the up-coming
January banquet.
Clemente, Chauvet Get OK
In May the Board of Supervisors approved
zoning changes that make possible the renovation
of two historic buildings, the Clemente Inn in
Fetters Hot Springs and the Chauvet Hotel in Glen
Ellen.
Rick Deringer plans to refurbish the Chauvet,
creating six condominiums in the turn-Of-the-
century brick building. Jon Early, owner the
Clemente Inn, received a permit for a 12-room inn,
a lounge and restaurant.
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