In 1867, George E. Guerne, a young Swiss immigrant arrived in Stumptown. He purchased land and established a subdivision which became Guernewood Park. He constructed and operated a saw mill in Stumptown (later renamed Guerneville).
After the introduction of the railroad into the Russian River valley in the late 1800s, thousands of San Franciscans flocked to the region each summer. Soon, many of the famous big bands started to provide dance music at packed outdoor venues along the river even into the 1950s. Woody Herman, Tommy Dorsey and other famous names were frequent performers during the Big Band era. Hollywood stars were also frequent visitors.
