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The Russian River has drawn tourists to its colossal redwoods, picturesque seashore and idyllic resorts for more than a century. This collection of John C. Schubert's'Stumptown Stories'columns relates the history of this California river valley through in-depth research and firsthand stories. Ride the first train to chug across the Hacienda Bridge and wave farewell to the town's last train in 1935. Swing around in the many dance halls to the big bands of the 1930s,'40s and'50s. Let the entertaining stories behind once stately, now hidden, landmarks carry you into Stumptown's past. Reconnect over coffee at Pat's Cafe and discover the rich history that formed the Russian River's communities.

The Russian River region has morphed from a lumber area, to a recreational paradise, to a retirement locale and a semi-bedroom community of Santa Rosa Valley, all the while sustaining itself as one of Northern California�s premier vacation destinations. Each resort region town has its own personality dictated by its environment: forest, river, fields, and hills. A self-proclaimed �River Rat,� Valerie A. Munthe has lived 20 years in Guerneville, where she and her husband, Jesse, raise their two children. John C. Schubert, who has lived on the Russian River for 55 years, is a former U.S. Marine, a retired deputy, and a local writer and historian of some note.