Mendocino County (; ''Mendocino'', Spanish for "of Mendoza) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located on the North Coast of the U.S. state of

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,601. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

is Ukiah. Mendocino County consists wholly of the Ukiah, CA Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA) for the purposes of the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

. It is located approximately equidistant from the

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area G ...

and California/

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

border, separated from the

Sacramento Valley , photo =Sacramento Riverfront.jpg , photo_caption= Sacramento , map_image=Map california central valley.jpg , map_caption= The Central Valley of California , location = California, United States , coordinates = , boundaries = Sierra Nevada (ea ...

to the east by the

California Coast Ranges The Coast Ranges of California span from Del Norte or Humboldt County, California, south to Santa Barbara County. The other three coastal California mountain ranges are the Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges and the Klamath Mountains. ...

. While smaller areas of redwood forest are found further south, it is the southernmost California county to be included in the World Wildlife Fund's Pacific temperate rainforests ecoregion, the largest

temperate rainforest Temperate rainforests are coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rain. Temperate rain forests occur in oceanic moist regions around the world: the Pacific temperate rain forests of North American ...

ecoregion on the planet. The county is noted for its distinctive

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...

coastline, its location along California's "

Lost Coast The Lost Coast is a mostly natural and undeveloped area of the California North Coast in Humboldt and Mendocino Counties, which includes the King Range. It was named the "Lost Coast" after the area experienced depopulation in the 1930s. In a ...

", Redwood forests,

wine production Winemaking or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over millennia. The science of wine and w ...

microbrew Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...

s, and liberal views about the use of

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...

and support for its legalization. In 2009, it was estimated that roughly one-third of the economy was based on the cultivation of marijuana. The notable historic and recreational attraction of the "

Skunk Train The California Western Railroad , AKA Mendocino Railway popularly called the Skunk Train, is a rail freight and heritage railway, heritage railroad transport railway in Mendocino County, California, United States, running from the railroad's he ...

" connects

Fort Bragg Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cu ...

with Willits in Mendocino County via a steam-locomotive engine, along with other vehicles. Mendocino is one of three Northern California counties to make up the "

Emerald Triangle The Emerald Triangle is a region in Northern California, named as such due to it being the largest cannabis-producing region in the United States. The region includes three counties in an upside-down triangular configuration: * Humboldt County, ...

", along with Humboldt and Trinity counties.

History

Mendocino County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Due to an initially minor settler American population, it did not have a separate government until 1859 and was under the administration of Sonoma County prior to that. Some of the county's land was given to Sonoma County between 1850 and 1860. The county derives its name from Cape Mendocino (most of which is actually located in adjacent Humboldt County), which was probably named in honor of either Antonio de Mendoza,

Viceroy A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning " ...

New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the A ...

, 1535–1542 (who sent the

Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo ( pt, João Rodrigues Cabrilho; c. 1499 – January 3, 1543) was an Iberian maritime explorer best known for investigations of the West Coast of North America, undertaken on behalf of the Spanish Empire. He was the firs ...

Expedition to this coast in 1542),https://archive.org/stream/bub_gb_m8FQAQAAIAAJ/bub_gb_m8FQAQAAIAAJ_djvu.txt Cape Mendocino was named in honor of Antonio de Mendoza, the first Viceroy of New Spain. He was appointed by the emperor, and, arriving in the city of Mexico in 1535, ordered a survey of the coast of California, wherein the cape was discovered. The county was named after the cape. ''History of Northern California'', p. 138. or Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza, Viceroy from 1580 to 1583. ''Mendocino'' is the adjectival form of the

family name In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name, ...

of Mendoza. Neither Spanish nor Mexican influence extended into Mendocino County beyond the establishment of two Mexican land grants in southern Mendocino County:

Rancho Sanel Rancho Sanel was a Mexican land grant in present-day Mendocino County, California, given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Fernando Feliz (or Felix). The grant extended along the Russian River and encompassed present-day Hopland. I ...

in Hopland, in 1844 and

Rancho Yokaya Rancho Yokaya privately owned by Sophia Charity Piceno of the Little Lake and Kon kow tribes to current date 2022, (also called "Llokaya") was a Mexican land grant in present day Mendocino County, California given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico t ...

that forms the majority of the

Ukiah Valley Ukiah Valley is a valley located in Mendocino County, California, United States. It contains the Mendocino County seat of Ukiah. It also is home to the unincorporated towns of Redwood Valley, Calpella, Potter Valley and Talmage. Lake Mendocin ...

, in 1845. In the 19th century, despite the establishment of the

Mendocino Indian Reservation Mendocino Indian Reservation, a former Indian reservation in Mendocino County, one of the early Indian reservations to be established in California by the Federal Government for the resettlement of California Indians. It was established in the sp ...

and Nome Cult Farm in 1856, the county witnessed many of the most serious atrocities in the extermination of the Californian Native American tribes who originally lived in the area, like the Yuki, the

Pomo The Pomo are an Indigenous people of California. Historical Pomo territory in Northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point. One small ...

, the Cahto, and the

Wintun The Wintun are members of several related Native American peoples of Northern California, including the Wintu (northern), Nomlaki (central), and Patwin (southern).Pritzker, 152Mendocino War in 1859, where hundreds of Indians were killed. Establishment of the Round Valley Indian Reservation on March 30, 1870, did not prevent the segregation that continued well into the 20th century. Other tribes from the Sierra Nevada mountains were also relocated to the Round Valley Indian Reservation during the "California Trail Of Tears", where the Natives were forced to march in bad conditions to their new home in Round Valley. Many of these tribes thrown together were not on good terms with the other tribes they were forced to live with on the reservation, resulting in tensions still evident today.

Geography

According to the

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (9.6%) is water.

Adjacent counties

* Humboldt County - north * Trinity County - north *

Tehama County Tehama County ( ; Wintun for "high water") is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,829. The county seat and largest city is Red Bluff. Tehama County comprises the ...

- northeast *

Glenn County Glenn County is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,917. The county seat is Willows. It is located in the Sacramento Valley, in the northern part of the California Central Valley. Th ...

- east * Lake County - east * Sonoma County - south

Rivers

* Russian River (inland) *

Gualala River The Gualala River is a river on the northern coast of California. Most of the river is in Sonoma County, but a portion is in Mendocino County. The headwaters of the river (measuring via its South Fork)U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography ...

Garcia River The Garcia River is a river on the northern coast of California, in southern Mendocino County. The river's watershed covers and its mainstem is long. The watershed receives of precipitation per year near the coast and inland. The watershed's ...

* Elk Creek * Navarro River *

Albion River The Albion River is an river in Mendocino County, California. The river drains about on the Mendocino Coast and empties into the Pacific Ocean near the town of Albion, California, where California State Route 1 crosses it on the Albion River Br ...

* Little River * Big River * Big Salmon Creek * Little Salmon Creek *

Noyo River The Noyo River ( Pomo: ''Chemli-bida'') is a river on the north coast of California in Mendocino County. The river's headwaters are in the steep Mendocino Range, but downstream the river flows through gently sloping marine terraces before dra ...

* Pudding Creek * Virgin Creek * Ten Mile River *

Usal Creek Usal Creek is the southernmost drainage basin unbridged by California State Route 1 on California's Lost Coast. The unpaved county road following the westernmost ridge line south from the King Range crosses Usal Creek near the Pacific coast, b ...

* Eel River (inland)

Beaches

* Big River Beach *

Caspar Headlands State Beach Caspar Headlands State Beach is a protected beach in the state park system of California, United States. It is located in Northern California in Mendocino County near the village of Caspar. The park was established in 1972. History In the ...

* Van Damme Beach *

Greenwood State Beach Greenwood State Beach, also known as Elk Beach, is a state-protected beach of California, United States. It is located in the unincorporated village of Elk in Mendocino County. It is located about north of Point Arena on Highway 1. The park ...

* Seaside Beach * Westport-Union Landing State Beach * Manchester State Beach * Navarro Beach * Portuguese Beach *

Schooner Gulch State Beach Schooner Gulch State Beach is a public beach located in Mendocino County, California. It is located approximately 50 miles northwest of Santa Rosa. The park is famous for Bowling Ball Beach, where visitors can view natural spherical sandstone c ...

* Long Valley Creek * 10 Mile Creek * Glass Beach

National and state protected areas

* Admiral William Standley State Recreation Area * Caspar Headlands State Recreation Area * Hendy Woods State Park * Jug Handle State Reserve * MacKerricher State Park * Mailliard Redwoods State Reserve * Manchester State Park *

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens are located on 47 acres (19 hectares) in Fort Bragg, California, United States between California's Highway One and the Pacific Ocean. The garden property includes canyons, wetlands, coastal bluffs, and a clo ...

* Mendocino Headlands State Park * Mendocino National Forest * Mendocino Woodlands State Park * Montgomery Woods State Reserve *

Navarro River Redwoods State Park Navarro River Redwoods State Park is a state park in Mendocino County, California, consisting of of second-growth redwood forest in a narrow stretch long on both banks of the Navarro River, from the town of Navarro to the river's confluence ...

* Point Arena State Marine Reserve & Point Arena State Marine Conservation Area *

Point Cabrillo Light Station Point Cabrillo Light is a lighthouse in northern California, United States, between Point Arena and Cape Mendocino, just south of the community of Caspar, California, Caspar. It has been a federal aid to navigation since 1909. It is part of the ...

* Reynolds Wayside Campground * Round Valley Indian Reservation *

Russian Gulch State Park Russian Gulch State Park is a California State Park in coastal Mendocino County, California, north of Mendocino and south of Fort Bragg. Park features The park features of rocky ocean shores; it is approximately wide from north to south a ...

* Saunders Reef State Marine Conservation Area * Sea Lion Cove State Marine Conservation Area *

Sinkyone Wilderness State Park Sinkyone Wilderness State Park is a state park in Mendocino County, California. The wilderness area borders the Pacific Ocean to the west and the King Range National Conservation Area to the north. The nearest settlement is the unincorporate ...

* Smythe Redwoods State Reserve * Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area *

Van Damme State Park Van Damme State Park is a public beach consisting of about of land in Mendocino County, California, near the town of Little River on State Route 1. It was named for Charles F. Van Damme (1881–1934), who was born in the area and purchased the ...

Flora and fauna

Demographics

2020 census

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

2011

Places by population, race, and income

2010 Census

The

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...

reported that Mendocino County had a population of 87,841. The racial makeup of Mendocino County was 67,218 (76.5%)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 622 (0.7%)

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 4,277 (4.9%) Native American, 1,450 (1.7%) Asian, 119 (0.1%)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 10,185 (11.6%) from other races, and 3,970 (4.5%) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 19,505 persons (22.2%).

2000

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 86,265 people, 33,266 households, and 21,855 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 25 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 36,937 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 80.8%

, 0.6%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

, 4.8% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.2%

, 8.6% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. 16.5% of the population were

or Latino of any race. 12.2% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 10.8%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

, 8.6% Irish, 6.1% Italian and 5.6%

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

ancestry according to Census 2000. 84.4% spoke

and 13.2% Spanish as their first language. There were 33,266 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,996, and the median income for a family was $42,168. Males had a median income of $33,128 versus $23,774 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $19,443. About 10.9% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

As of 2022, the

District Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a ...

of Mendocino County is C. David Eyster, the elected

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

Coroner A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into the manner or cause of death, and to investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within the coroner's jur ...

is Matthew C. Kendall and the Chief Executive Officer is Darcie Antle. Mendocino County is legislatively governed by a board of five supervisors, each with a separate district. The first district is represented by Glenn McGourty, and serves the central-eastern region of the county, including

Potter Valley Potter Valley is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California, United States. It is located north-northeast of Ukiah, at an elevation of at the headwaters of the East Fork Russian River. The CDP population was 665 at the 2020 ce ...

, Redwood Valley, Calpella, and Talmage. The second district, represented by Maureen Mulheren, serves Ukiah. The third district, in the northeastern quadrant of the county from Willits north to Laytonville and Covelo, is represented by John Haschak. The fourth district covers the northwestern quadrant of the county, including the coast from

Caspar Caspar is a masculine given name. It may refer to: People * Caspar (magus), a name traditionally given to one of the Three Magi in the Bible who brought the baby Jesus gifts * Caspar Austa (born 1982), Estonian cyclist * Caspar Badrutt (1848–190 ...

northwards through

; its supervisor is Dan Gjerde, who previously served on the Fort Bragg City Council. The supervisor for the fifth district is Ted Williams; his district covers the southern portion of the county, including the coast from Mendocino to Gualala, the

Anderson Valley Anderson Valley is a sparsely populated region in western Mendocino County in Northern California. Located approximately north of San Francisco, the name "Anderson Valley" applies broadly to several rural, unincorporated communities in or near ...

, the western outskirts of Ukiah, and portions of the Russian River valley near Hopland.

Politics

Voter registration statistics

Cities by population and voter registration

Overview

Mendocino is a strongly Democratic county in Presidential and congressional elections. The last Republican to win a majority in the county was Californian

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

. However, in the 2016 election, Mendocino County gave Hillary Clinton a reduced margin of victory of any Democratic since Al Gore (though support for third-party candidates more than doubled from 2012). In 2020 the county was won by Joe Biden with an increased margin of victory from the previous election. Federally, Mendocino County is in . In the

state legislature A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...

Mendocino is in , and . As of February 2021, the

California Secretary of State The secretary of state of California is the chief clerk of the U.S. state of California, overseeing a department of 500 people. The secretary of state is elected for four year terms, like the state's other constitutional officers; the officeh ...

reports that Mendocino County has 54,505 registered voters. Of those, 26,648 (48.9%) are registered Democratic; 11,387 (20.9%) are registered Republican; 4,389 (8.1%) are registered with other political parties, and 12,082 (22.1%) declined to state a political party. In 2000, Mendocino County voters approved Measure G, which calls for the decriminalization of marijuana when used and cultivated for personal use. Measure G passed with a 58% majority vote, making it the first county in the United States to declare prosecution of small-scale marijuana offenses the "lowest priority" for local law enforcement. Measure G does not protect individuals who cultivate, transport or possess marijuana for sale. However, Measure G was passed at the local government level affecting only Mendocino County, and therefore does not affect existing state or federal laws. The city of Berkeley has had a similar law (known as the Berkeley Marijuana Initiative II) since 1979 which has generally been found to be unenforceable. In 2008, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors placed Measure B on the June 3 county-wide ballot. After three months of hard-fought campaigning and national attention, voters narrowly approved "B", which repealed the provisions of 2000's Measure G. However, opponents of Measure B intend to continue the challenge in court, as the wording of Measure B relies heavily on S.B. 420's state limitations which were recently ruled unconstitutional by the California supreme court. On July 3, the Sheriff and District Attorneys offices announced that they would not be enforcing the new regulations for the time being, citing pending legal challenges and conflicts with existing state law. In April, 2009, Sheriff Tom Allman issued his department's medical marijuana enforcement policy, which includes the provisions of Measure B and also cites the California Supreme Court Ruling narrowly defining "caregiver" in the state's medical marijuana law. In 2004, Measure H was passed in Mendocino County with a 56% majority, making it the first county in the United States to ban the production and cultivation of

genetically modified organism A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. The exact definition of a genetically modified organism and what constitutes genetic engineering varies, wit ...

s. On Nov. 4, 2008, Mendocino County voted 63.1% against Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

Crime

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

Cities by population and crime rates

A coroner's jury ruled that the 2018

Hart family crash The Hart family murders was a murder–suicide which took place on March 26, 2018, in Mendocino County, California, United States. Jennifer Hart and her wife, Sarah Hart, murdered their six adopted children: Ciera (aged 12), Abigail (14), Jerem ...

in Mendocino County was deliberate.

Media

Mendocino County is considered part of the

television market, and primarily receives the major Bay Area TV stations. The county is also served by local and regional newspapers as well as a community radio stations. Community radio stations include

KZYX KZYX (90.7 FM), is a National Public Radio member station in Philo, California. The studios are located at 9300 Highway 128 in Philo, CA, and the transmitter is located on Cold Springs Mountain (near Philo, CA) in the State of California Departm ...

, operating out of Philo, and KLLG, operating out of the Little Lake

Grange Grange may refer to: Buildings * Grange House, Scotland, built in 1564, and demolished in 1906 * Grange Estate, Pennsylvania, built in 1682 * Monastic grange, a farming estate belonging to a monastery Geography Australia * Grange, South Austr ...

in Willits. The Humboldt County-based KMUD is also receivable in large parts of the county. Local independent newspapers include the online news service The Mendocino Voice, and The Laytonville Observer, the

Anderson Valley Advertiser The ''Anderson Valley Advertiser'' is a small weekly tabloid published in Anderson Valley, California. It was founded in 1955 as a local, community-based paper. The ''AVAs masthead features mottoes borrowed from the French Revolution and the I ...

, the Willits Weekly and the Independent Coast Observer. Four formerly independent newspapers are now owned by the national conglomerate media company

Digital First Media MNG Enterprises, Inc., doing business as Digital First Media and MediaNews Group, is a Denver, Colorado-based newspaper publisher owned by Alden Global Capital. The company has been growing its portfolio and as of May 2021, owns over 100 newsp ...

, they are: The Ukiah Daily Journal, The

Mendocino Beacon ''The Mendocino Beacon'' is a weekly newspaper for the community of Mendocino, California, owned by MediaNews Group. History ''The Mendocino Beacon'' was founded on October 6, 1877 by W. H. Meacham and William Heeser,. an immigrant from Germany ...

, the Willits News, and The Fort Bragg Advocate. These four papers have seen a precipitous decline in the size of editorial staff and in coverage over the past several years, in keeping with the nationwide tactics of DFM. The Sonoma County-based Press Democrat also covers the area.

Education

Community colleges

* Mendocino College: ** Main campus, Ukiah ** North County Center, Willits ** Coast Center, Fort Bragg *

Pacific Union College Pacific Union College (PUC) is a private liberal arts college in Angwin, California. It is the only four-year college in Napa County. It is a coeducational residential college with an almost exclusively undergraduate student body. PUC is accre ...

Albion Biological Field Station The Albion Biological Field Station is a research and education facility near the Pacific coast of Mendocino County, California that is operated by Pacific Union College, a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Adventist Church and lo ...

Universities

Dharma Realm Buddhist University Dharma Realm Buddhist University (DRBU) is an American private nonprofit university located in Ukiah, California, just over 100 miles north of San Francisco, in Mendocino County. It was established in 1976 by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua. It is sit ...

K-12 education

School districts include: Unified: * Anderson Valley Unified School District *

Fort Bragg Unified School District Fort Bragg Unified School District, a public school district in Mendocino County, California, Mendocino County, oversees public primary and secondary education in Fort Bragg, California and the surrounding area, accountable to both the local voter ...

* Laytonville Unified School District * Leggett Valley Unified School District *

Mendocino Unified School District Mendocino Unified School District is a public school district in Mendocino County, California, United States. Schools Secondary schools High schools * Mendocino High * Mendocino Alternative * Mendocino Community High * Mendocino Sunrise H ...

* Potter Valley Community Unified School District * Round Valley Unified School District * Southern Humboldt Joint Unified School District * Ukiah Unified School District * Willits Unified School District Secondary: * Point Arena Joint Union High School District Elementary: * Arena Union Elementary School District * Manchester Union Elementary School District

Transportation

Major highways

State Route 1 * US 101 (1961 cutout)

U.S. Route 101 U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101 (US 101), is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States. It is also known as (The Royal Roa ...

State Route 20 * California 128

State Route 128 * California 162

State Route 162 * California 175

State Route 175 * California 222

State Route 222 (unsigned) * California 253

State Route 253 * California 271

State Route 271

Public transportation

Bus

The

Mendocino Transit Authority The Mendocino Transit Authority (MTA) is a public bus system that serves Ukiah, the Mendocino Valley, and coastal regions of Mendocino County, California. MTA began service in 1976 under a joint powers agreement between the County of Mendoc ...

provides local and intercity bus service within Mendocino County. Limited service also connects with transit in Sonoma County. Greyhound Bus Lines currently serves Ukiah.

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...

's operates connecting bus service to Ukiah, Willits and Laytonville. The historic

is a

heritage railway A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...

that connects

Fort Bragg, California Fort Bragg, officially the City of Fort Bragg, is a city along the Pacific Coast of California along Shoreline Highway in Mendocino County. The city is west of Willits, at an elevation of . Its population was 6,983 at the 2020 census. Fort ...

with Willits using steam locomotives.

Airports

* Ukiah Municipal Airport is a general aviation airport owned by the City of Ukiah. It is located south of downtown Ukiah. * Little River Airport is a general aviation airport serving the Mendocino coast. * Willits Municipal Airport is a general aviation airport serving the Willits / Little Lake Valley area. Located in the Brooktrails subdivision area west of Willits. * Round Valley Airport is a general aviation airport serving the Covelo / Round Valley area. * Boonville Airport (California) is a general aviation airport serving the Boonville / Anderson Valley area. * Ocean Ridge Airport is a privately owned general aviation airport serving the Gualala area. For commercial service, passengers in Mendocino County need to go to Eureka, one county to the north in Humboldt County, or to Sonoma County Airport in

Santa Rosa Santa Rosa is the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish name for Saint Rose. Santa Rosa may also refer to: Places Argentina * Santa Rosa, Mendoza, a city * Santa Rosa, Tinogasta, Catamarca * Santa Rosa, Valle Viejo, Catamarca *Santa Rosa, La Pampa * S ...

, Sonoma County, one county to the south. More comprehensive service is available from

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

to the east or

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

, well to the south. Emergency services for the largely unincorporated county are coordinated through Howard Forest Station, a local Cal Fire station just south of Willits.

Communities

Cities

Point Arena Point Arena, formerly known as Punta Arena (Spanish for "Sandy Point") is a small coastal city in Mendocino County, California, United States. Point Arena is located west of Hopland, at an elevation of . The population was 460 at the 2020 cen ...

* Ukiah (county seat) * Willits

Census-designated places

Albion Albion is an alternative name for Great Britain. The oldest attestation of the toponym comes from the Greek language. It is sometimes used poetically and generally to refer to the island, but is less common than 'Britain' today. The name for Scot ...

* Anchor Bay * Boonville * Brooktrails * Calpella *

* Cleone * Comptche * Covelo * Hopland (formerly Sanel) * Laytonville * Leggett * Little River *

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...

* Mendocino *

Philo Philo of Alexandria (; grc, Φίλων, Phílōn; he, יְדִידְיָה, Yəḏīḏyāh (Jedediah); ), also called Philo Judaeus, was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria, in the Roman province of Egypt. Philo's de ...

* Redwood Valley * Talmage

Unincorporated communities

* Branscomb * Dos Rios * Elk * Gualala * Inglenook * Longvale * Navarro * Noyo * Old Hopland * Piercy * Pine Grove * Rockport * Wanhala * Westport * Yorkville

Indian reservations

Mendocino County has nine

Indian reservation An Indian reservation is an area of land held and governed by a federally recognized Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not to the state government in which it ...

s lying within its borders, the fourth most of any county in the United States (after

San Diego County, California San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634, making it California's second-most populous county and the f ...

; Sandoval County, New Mexico; and

Riverside County, California Riverside County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most populous county in California and the 10th-most populous in the Uni ...

). * Coyote Valley Reservation * Guidiville Rancheria *

Hopland Rancheria The Hopland Band of Pomo Indians of the Hopland Rancheria is a federally recognized tribe of Pomo people in Mendocino County, California, south of Ukiah.

* Laytonville Rancheria * Manchester-Point Arena Rancheria * Pinoleville Rancheria * Redwood Valley Rancheria * Round Valley Reservation (partly in Trinity County) * Sherwood Valley Rancheria

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Mendocino County. † ''county seat''

In popular culture

"Mendocino" by The Sir Douglas Quintet was released in December 1968 and reached No. 27 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 by early 1969, spending 15 weeks in the chart. Kate McGarrigle's song "(Talk to Me of) Mendocino," is one of the songs on the McGarrigles' 1975 debut album; it has been covered by

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...

on her 1982 album ''Get Closer'', and by the English singer-songwriter John Howard on his 2007 E.P., and also by

Bette Midler Bette Midler (;'' Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received numerous accolades, including four Golden ...

on her 2014 album '' It's The Girls''. A song written by Matt Serletic and

Bernie Taupin Bernard John Taupin (born 22 May 1950) is an English songwriter, singer and visual artist. He is best known for his long-term collaboration with musician Elton John, a songwriting partnership that is one of the most successful in history. Tau ...

, "

Mendocino County Line "Mendocino County Line" is a song written by Matt Serletic and Bernie Taupin, and recorded as a duet by American country music artists Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack. It was released in January 2002 as the lead-off single from Nelson's album '' ...

" which was released in 2002, is about a love that could not last and cites the 'Mendocino County Line' in the chorus.

Notes

Footnotes

External links

*
Mendocino County Tourism Commission website

Mendocino County and Coast Travel Directory

Mendocino County Museum

Mendocino's Movie History - Information and Video
* Hiking trails in Mendocino County at WikiSpot {{authority control California counties 1850 establishments in California Populated places established in 1850