Did you know: 

Today’s throwback Thursday offering highlights the township of Gualala.  Just a few minutes north of Sea Ranch, Gualala is where you’ll find shopping, medical, gas, and restaurants (see our Shopping and Spa Information Page for more insights). 

Throwback Thursday: Gualala History*

“Gualala” was the name given to the site of today’s Gualala by the Pomo who had named the area ah kha wa la lee, meaning “coming down water place“

Land grant
In 1836, Governor Nicolás Gutiérrez granted General Rafael Garcia- 62.5 square miles (162 km2) of land between the Gualala River and Mal Paso Creek.[12] Gracie used the land to graze cattle. Shortly after he sold the land for $10,000, it was discovered that the grant was invalid.

Gualala History of Tourism 

About 1861 tourists began coming to Gualala to hunt and fish and get away from the crowded cities. Around that same time Cyrus Robinson filed a homestead for all of the area which is now Gualala where they built a hotel, a saloon and a ferry. They also supervised the Post Office (which was also the stage stop),[7] the Wells Fargo Express and the Western Union. By the end of the 1800s Gualala had become a major commercial hub for the entire area with a dancing school, the Gualala Municipal Brass Band, and an Opera House.

In 1902, Elizabeth Robinson, Cyrus’ wife, died; and their hotel burned down in a fire the following year. The hotel was later rebuilt to the south of where it had originally been at a cost of $6,000.

In 1907, Mark Pedotti and Antonio Ciapusci bought the Gualala Hotel property which included 636 acres and among them they divided the property with Antonio acquiring the area of Gualala who later died in 1932. His son George and wife, Ida inherited the land after his death.
Lumber

A year after Cyrus Robinson received the property, he sold part of the land in 1862 to a company so they could build a lumber mill at the mouth of Mill Gulch. The lumber-mill logged the redwood trees until it burned down in a fire on September 14, 1906

Cyrus Robinson died 2 months later.

*Resource: Wikipedia- Gualala, California