'We were here': Sonoma Co. historians look to preserve LGBTQ history in North Bay

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In the North Bay, local historians are working to preserve the past and answer why members of the LGBTQ community first flocked to Sonoma County and the Russian River.

"'It was the perfect time of year for romance,'" said Tina Dungan.

Dungan was reading a love letter written by North Bay lesbian poet, Martha Courtot.

It's one of several items being preserved at the Sonoma County History and Genealogy library. The region, world famous for its natural beauty, has a queer history which can't be ignored.

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"People often ask, 'Why does Sonoma County have so many gay people in it?'" Dungan said.

Dungan, a historian and instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College says the answer to that can be traced back to the 30s, through the 60s and 70s, when some of the first LGBTQ bars opened outside of San Francisco. There was tolerance and acceptance.

"In terms of walking down the street, holding hands with your girlfriend, you could do it," Dungan said.

Historian Adam Richmond is helping Dungan compile their private archive collections, which they'll donate to the library. It documents LGBTQ life in the Russian River Valley. Richmond says Guerneville quickly became the so-called "gay boom town of the West."

"All of a sudden, there were 30 to 40,000 gay and lesbian tourists in Guerneville. It was a scene. It was a total scene," Richmond said.

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During summer months, bars and resorts on the Russian River were hopping, including the Rainbow Cattle Company still open after six decades.

"It was quite the scene, endless drinks and cute bartenders," Richmond said.

Bob Frederick is Rainbow Cattle Company's longtime co-owner.

"In the city, men have their bars, woman have their bars. Here, we intermingle, and we're family," Frederick said.

The AIDS crisis would pause the music for years. Sonoma County's first LGBTQ newspapers would document the crisis and the fight for civil rights and recognition from local supervisors who, for years, declined to recognize the contribution gays and lesbians made to the region during Pride month.

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"The community just kind got fed up. We filled the board of supervisors meeting, outraged it wasn't happening," Richmond said.

That activism encouraged LGBTQ candidates to run for office. Dungan and Richmond hope history won't be forgotten. Their extensive collection will soon be available to all to view at library's archive collection.

"This is how I started. I felt like it was important to document those things we did, the political, the social, the cultural, so that people in the future would know we were here," Dungan said.

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