The days when thousands of visitors flocked to Sonoma’s coast to witness historical reenactments at Fort Ross State Historic Park are now gone. The traditional Fort Ross Festival—which for decades celebrated the 19th-century Russian-American Company’s presence in California—has been replaced by the so-called Ocean and Art Festival. Gone are the performances by Russian artists, frontier...
During their exploration of Northern California, millions annually come across a sign that reads “Russian River.” This prompts them, at some juncture during their travels in the heart of Sonoma’s wine county to ponder about the origins of the name of this splendid waterway. Why is this major artery, flowing southwest for 110 miles from...
May marked the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany—a turning point in world history that brought an end to the bloodiest war in Europe. Yet in the United States, the date passed with little notice, despite an official proclamation from President Donald Trump declaring May 8 as “Victory Day” in World War...