The Great Russian River Revival

In the wake of last week’s , a couple other river-related activities have been announced that likewise call attention to one of our most important natural and recreational resources – the Russian River. These include a museum exhibit, a water race and fair, and a at county park.

First things first: On Wednesday evening, Feb. 16, the will open its new exhibit, “Russian River Good Old Days,” which will run through June 30. Curator Holly Hoods is putting together a display that celebrates the Russian River in its “glory days” before 1960.

Few of us living here now realize that at the turn of the century, and even into the 1950s, what is now called was a percolating scene of Water Carnivals and Harvest Festivals, boasted a diving platform and recreational ferry, a resort with an over-river deck, swimming contests, water-skiing and boat races, and other social and sporting events. (Check out the photos accompanying this story to see some of these bygone images.)

Elsewhere along the course of the Russian River as it passes around Fitch Mountain, and in the process encircles Healdsburg, were popular resorts such as Camp Rose, the Palomar dance hall and roller rink at Del Rio Woods. All of these will illustrated by photographs, paintings, artifacts and other materials from the Museum’s collection.

Cornerstone of the exhibit will be a scale model diorama of the 1908 Healdsburg Water Carnival at the NW Railroad Bridge – complete with passing train and tiny floats, boats and swimmers. An audio tour will be available with interpretative information about 12 to 14 of the artifacts and photos. The museum is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, 11 am – 4 pm; admission is free.

If you were fortunate to have lived in Healdsburg during those days, or have family photos of this lost era, you’re encouraged to bring them so they can be shared in a “community photo bulletin board.”

Almost as if by the sheerest coincidence, the to look into reviving these river traditions with a Fourth of July weekend festival at Memorial Beach. Councilman Gary Plass made the proposal at the council meeting of Feb. 8, and called upon the city to support Sonoma County’s interest in making holding the festival on Saturday, July 2. Attractions would include water flotillas, beach games like volleyball, barbecued food and ceremonies honoring local military veterans.

Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach is a county park, and it is estimated the festival would cost around $30,000; the county is asking Healdsburg to supply some of the money. The proposal met with a cautious reaction from Council members, who are expected to vote on the proposal during its Feb. 22 meeting.

But we don’t have to wait until Fourth of July weekend to witness the revival of the Russian River. On Saturday, May 7, the first Great Healdsburg Russian River Race will launch at Alexander Valley Bridge and conclude at Memorial Beach. The kayak-and-canoe competition and other related events are being organized among others by Don McEnhill, of Russian Riverkeeper (also a key sponsor of the ).

Other sponsors include River’s Edge Canoe and Kayak, located just south of Memorial Bridge, and Sonoma County Regional Parks; corporate sponsors such as Marmot in Santa Rosa and Healdsburg’s Lipton Environmental Group have offered support, and others are encouraged to do so as well.

At stake in the 15-mile Bridge-to-Bridge race is a $5,000 prize for the winner, while a less competitive 6-mile Rio Lindo Race will be aimed at fun and friendly competition for paddlers. The race begins at the Alexander Valley bridge at 11 a.m., and the first contestants are expected to reach Memorial Beach at noon.

For the rest of the afternoon, Memorial Beach will take on the trappings of a beach party, with food and beverages (including local beer and wine if ), educational booths, and live music. The event will be open to the public, though participants in the races will have to pay a modest entry fee.  

Expect to hear more about these events over the next several weeks on Healdsburg Patch and . But the first step is to immerse yourself in Russian River lore and legends at the Healdsburg Museum, with their year’s first special exhibit opening this week.