Sonoma
Salt Point State Park - Gerstle Cove
Gerstle Cove is in the center of an area where four creeks work their way down to the ocean. Some naturalists have called this area the richest in diversity among all mini-environments of the wild, California Coast.
Miller Creek is up north, then Squaw Creek, Warren Creek and lastly, in the south, WildcatCreek. These descending waterways outline an ecologically rich and unusually beautiful coastlne.
In earlier years, the Pomo Indians lived easily here on acorns, elk, fish, shellfish especially abalone, and in the leanest times, grasshoppers. They were unusually expert basket weavers and their work is on displaly in most California historical museums. Remnants of the tribe still live a few miles to the east at the Kashia Reservation. Their young people make many contributions to the area.
In 1846, this four stream area was the southern marker of the German Rancho grant which extends north to the Gualala River. Mexican Governor Pio Pico gave it as a reward to Captain Ernest Rufus, a German who served in the Mexican army.
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