Join us as we welcome Igor Polishchuk Director of External Relations for the Fort Ross Conservancy. He will present the history of Fort Ross and the work done by the Fort Ross Conservancy.

Fort Ross is a former Russian establishment on the Sonoma County coast. It was the center of the southernmost Russian settlements in North America from 1812 to 1841. Fort Ross was established as an agricultural base from which the northern settlements could be supplied with food and carry on trade with Alta California. Fort Ross was the site of California's first windmills and shipbuilding. Russian scientists associated with the colony were among the first to record California's cultural and natural history. By 1841 the settlement's agricultural importance had decreased. Fort Ross was no longer needed to supply the Alaskan colonies with food. The Russian-American Company consequently offered the settlement to various potential purchasers, and it was sold to John Sutter.

It has been the subject of archeological investigation and is a California Historical Landmark, a National Historic Landmark, and on the National Register of Historic Places. It is part of California's Fort Ross State Historic Park.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Ross,_California

Fort Ross Conservancy (FRC) is a public charity 501(c)(3) and California State Park Cooperating Association whose mission is to promote educational, environmental, and interpretive activities at Fort Ross State Historic Park and Salt Point State Park.

For more information about the Fort Ross Conservancy, please visit https://www.fortross.org/