History

“Gualala” was the name given to the site of today’s Gualala by the Pomo indigenous people. The name comes from ah kha wa la lee.The literal translation is “coming down water place”, or less literally, “riverside,” or “where the river meets the sea.”

Gualala is located on the  Mexican land grant received by Ernest Rufus in 1846. The American settlement of Gualala was first established by the construction of a hotel, saloon and a lumber mill in the 1860s. The first post office opened in 1862.Logging the local redwood trees became especially profitable after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake when huge amounts of lumber were needed to rebuild the city.

Today

A very scenic, three hour drive north of the San Francisco Bay Area, Gualala is on the Mendocino County side of the Gualala River offering the coastal visitor some of the most pleasant experiences on the West Coast.

Gualala has grown into a thriving commercial and business center for the North Coast.  Boasting  two large supermarkets, two hardware and building supply stores, a pharmacy, a well-staffed, medical clinic/health care complex and all the other small businesses that go into making up a complete, well-functioning small town, including a small airport

There are numerous art galleries and restaurants and many types of outdoor activities available. The new Gualala Arts Center is located on forested acreage that adjoins the Gualala River. The land was donated by Gualala Redwoods and the center has been built by the community.

The climate of the Gualala area, termed “banana Belt,” by local residents, is free from much of the coastal fog normally expected close to the ocean. Winter temperatures are quite moderate, while summers are mild with cooling breezes and plenty of sunshine.