Fort Ross

Fort Ross (Russian: Крепость Росс, krepost Ross) was a Russian fort in California established in 1812 by the Russian American Company and sold to John Sutter in 1841. Located 50 miles north of San Francisco, it was the southernmost point in what was known as Russian America. This unique site in what is now Sonoma County has recently been the subject of intense archaeological research and is now a National Historic Landmark.

The only original structure remaining on the site is the Rotchev House, the residence of the man in charge. The chapel, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was damaged in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake but much of the wooded structure remained. The chapel was rebuilt in 1916. However, it was burnt down in October 1970. The present chapel was rebuilt identically.