Anderson Valley

The dominant natural vegetation is a mixed forest of Coast Redwood, various native oak varieties, and Douglas fir.

They practiced subsistence farming and expanded into resource extraction economies based on timber harvesting and livestock ranching.

[1] The first wave of European American settlers included the Ornbaun, Hutsell, Barnett, Clow, Gschwend, McAbee, Rector, Horse, Burgess, Rawles, McGimsey, Witherell, Irish, Holgooden, Hiatt, Ball, Prather, Smelley, McSpadden, Wallace, Conrad, O'Barr, Bowen, Nunn, Vines, Buster, Farrer, Counts, Shields, Lawson, Williams, Donelly, Plaskett, Leonard, Hawkins, Stephens, Robinson, Tift, Perkins, Elliott, Ponad, Gasklii, Brayton, and Connard families.

Commercial production of apples and hops began before the turn of the century, along with the development of Boontling, the local folk language.

The 1940s and 1950s were boom years, when industrial automation and modern highway transportation enabled rapid liquidation logging of the remaining redwood forests.

The wine industry is currently the dominant contributor to the Anderson Valley economy, and major producers include Lazy Creek Vineyards and Roederer Estate.

The pleasant natural environment and rural lifestyle attracts artists, writers, musicians and a variety of skilled crafts people.

As in similar pastoral regions dependent upon a low-paid work force in the farm, hospitality and service sectors, degraded tenant housing is available for local employees, while upscale real estate inventory is generally priced beyond the typical household budget of resident unskilled laborers.