Potter Valley, California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Potter Valley is an unincorporated town in Mendocino County, California, United States. It is located at the headwaters of the East Fork of the Russian River, approximately 10 miles northeast of Ukiah.
[edit] History
In 1852, when William and Thomas Potter and Mose Briggs first entered what would be known as Potter Valley, they were searching for the headwaters of the Russian River from their base in Sonoma County. The Pomo people called it Ba-lo Kai. They found three Pomo villages (each about 500 people strong), the Russian headwaters, and a lush valley with wild oats "stirrup high". Eventually the Potters returned to settle there, and the valley became known by the American ranchers' name.
Painter Grace Hudson was born in Potter Valley. [1]
In addition to his famous Ridgewood Ranch, Charles S. Howard, owner of Seabiscuit, owned a ranch in Potter Valley, where he ran cattle and occasionally secluded Seabiscuit when visitors became bothersome. [2]
(For a detailed history, see The Potter Valley Story by Mendocino County Historical Society, (c) 1972.)
[edit] Geography
Potter Valley is located just northeast of Ukiah and Lake Mendocino in Mendocino County, with the valley floor at roughly 1000' elevation. The headwaters of the East Fork of the Russian River originate in the valley. Additional water from the Eel River is pumped into the Russian River here via a controversial hydroelectric plant that tunnels through the mountains to take advantage of the relative proximity of these two waterways. This diversion supplies a significant amount of water to inland Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. Potter Valley is a rich agricultural region, with excellent soils, planted mostly in irrigated pasture, wine grapes, and pears, but supporting a wide variety of farms and ranches.
[edit] External links
- Potter Valley Bird Sightings
- Potter Valley American Viticultural Area
- Potter Valley Websites
- Historical weather data from the Potter Valley Pumping Station
Incorporated places: Ukiah (County seat) • Fort Bragg • Point Arena • Willits
Census-designated places: Covelo • Laytonville • Mendocino • Talmage
Other unincorporated communities: Albion • Boonville • Elk • Gualala • Little River • Philo • Redwood Valley • Potter Valley
State parks: Big River • Caspar Headlands • Greenwood Beach • Hendy Woods • Jug Handle • MacKerricher • Maillard Redwoods • Manchester • Mendocino Headlands • Mendocino Woodlands • Montgomory Woods • Navarro River Redwoods • Point Cabrillo • Russian Gulch • Schooner Gulch • Sinkyone Wilderness • Smithe Redwoods • Standish-Hickey • Standley • Van Damme • Westport Union Landing
