LOUIS W. RIDENHOUR HOME
The Ridenhour home as seen from Westside Road. Originally, Westside Road ended at the Ridenhour house.
When he first came to California in 1851, he made $10,000 ($160,000 in 2018) at a gold mine in the Sierras before coming to Russian River. Ridenhour had originally hired a “partner” to look for land to buy. This guy was from the Mississippi Valley and selected the Russian River land because he knew river valley value. This guy went to Missouri to buy cattle for Ridenhour. But he stole the money, probably. Was not seen again.
Ridenhour didn’t have cows as a result of that robbery, so instead of stock, Ridenhour planted 5 acres of Muscats in 1862. Ten acres of other grapes. Twenty-four acres of corn. Forty acre alfalfa. 480 trees of prunes in1886.
When he first came to California in 1851, he made $10,000 ($160,000 in 2018) at a gold mine in the Sierras before coming to Russian River. Ridenhour had originally hired a “partner” to look for land to buy. This guy was from the Mississippi Valley and selected the Russian River land because he knew river valley value. This guy went to Missouri to buy cattle for Ridenhour. But he stole the money, probably. Was not seen again.
Ridenhour didn’t have cows as a result of that robbery, so instead of stock, Ridenhour planted 5 acres of Muscats in 1862. Ten acres of other grapes. Twenty-four acres of corn. Forty acre alfalfa. 480 trees of prunes in1886.
Louis W. Ridenhour, his wife, Mary Elizabeth Heald, and the family in 1883.
The grandchildren.
I have been told that some of the original house is part of this current (2018) structure on River Road half a mile west of Hacienda.