Press Release
Mendocino Area Parks Association adds Navarro River Redwoods State Park to their Cooperating Association Agreement with California State Parks Sonoma Mendocino Coast District
On September 1st, 2020, the Partnership office of the California Department of Parks and Recreation completed an amendment to the Mendocino Area Park Association’s (MendoParks) cooperating association agreement, adding the Navarro River Redwoods State Park to their list of supported park units. Since 1984, MendoParks has supported State Parks in Mendocino County with park improvements, educational activities, and operations of visitor centers and park units. Navarro Redwoods State Park comprises 660-acres along a 14-mile contiguous river corridor, preserving an intricately connected web of aquatic and terrestrial plants and wildlife, two historic structures from the original town of Navarro, and the Paul M. Dimmick campground. The park extends from the mouth of the Navarro River near Highway 1 and Highway 128, then upstream 14 miles along Highway 128. Day use is free and open to the public. Navarro Beach Campground is located at the mouth of the Navarro River on the Pacific ocean. The access road is located on the south side of the Navarro River Bridge. Navarro Beach Campground is open on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Paul M. Dimmick Campground (closed until further notice) is on Highway 128, 6 miles east of Highway 1.
Since 2001, Navarro-by-the-Sea Center for Riparian and Estuarine Research (NSCR), a 501c3 nonprofit, has been working with California State Parks Sonoma Mendocino Coast District to save the historic Captain Fletcher’s Inn (ca 1865) and the Mill Superintendent’s House (ca 1864) from the original town of Navarro at the mouth of the Navarro River, and reopen them for public education, interpretation, and research. Thanks to major grants from the California Cultural and Historical Endowment, Mendocino County, the Community Foundation of Mendocino County, California State Parks Foundation, Savings Bank of Mendocino County, and other generous private and public donors, NSCR has been able to navigate the complex 10-year permitting process and the expensive construction process to stabilize the Inn. This has included the preparation of comprehensive management guidelines for the Navarro-by-the-Sea area, securing National Register Nominations for both the Inn and Mill House, and preparation of architectural drawings to stabilize the historic Inn. In 2012, NSCR initiated the critical stabilization work on the historic Inn, including installation of a new foundation, earthquake retrofitting, residing, repainting, and restoration of the original front porch, among other important tasks.
In 2014 the Inn Stabilization Project received the 2014 Preservation Award from the California Preservation Foundation the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation. These are the two highest honors in historic preservation given in California, and the only award in historic preservation awarded by the State. They were given in recognition of the important preservation efforts in saving part of California’s history, and the strong grassroots effort and partnership with State Parks during challenging financial times that made saving the Inn possible. Considerable work has continued in completing the renovations of the Inn, including replacement of the electrical system, rebuilding the fireplace as the major source of heat in the building, lead paint abatement, ADA access improvements, progress on the floors, doors and other hardware, and installation of exterior and interior displays.
MendoParks will continue to work closely with NSCR and California State Parks to support historic preservation, interpretation, and the ecological restoration of this unique park unit and its vibrant local history. MendoParks would like to extend their sincere gratitude and appreciation to NSCR for their 20-years of volunteer-led initiatives which have saved the irreplaceable historic structures at Navarro River Redwoods State Park.
For more information on the Navarro-by-the-Sea-Center for Riparian and Estuarine Research, please visit: http://www.navarro-by-the-sea-center.org/ or visit their Facebook page “Navarro-by-the-Sea Center.” The Navarro River Redwoods State Park is open year-round and free of day use and parking fees. For park information, please visit: https://www.mendoparks.org/navarro-river-redwoods
About Navarro-by-the-Sea-Center: NSCR is an all-volunteer, 501c3 nonprofit organization that formed in 2001 to support California State Parks and share the rich cultural and natural histories of Navarro River Redwoods with the visiting public. The primary focus has been on saving and renovating the historic Inn and reopening it for visitor use and interpretation. As work has continued on the interior renovations of the Inn, NSCR has hosted annual events including Navarro-by-the-Sea Day in summer, an Earth Day Cleanup and volunteer barbeque in the spring, and for the past three years a King Tide Open House in the winter to share information on climate change and sea level rise. The Inn has been open to the general public on a limited basis for docent-lead tours, other special gatherings and private events. NSCR is working with California State Parks in preparing a Safe Reopening Plan to ensure the safety of volunteer docents and public visitors to the Inn, and looks forward to working with MendoParks to expand interpretive services at Navarro River Redwoods.
About the Mendocino Area Parks Association (MendoParks): MendoParks is the 501c3 nonprofit organization that supports State Parks in Mendocino County. Started in 1984, MendoParks’ purpose is to support State Parks with educational programming and park improvement projects that are beyond the scope of our budget-strapped district, and by operating State Parks Visitor Centers (the Ford House, MacKerricher, Van Damme, and Greenwood/Elk). MendoParks is an entirely self-sustaining organization--- No government funding or tax dollars are used for operations, and all monies raised to support State Parks stays local. Since 2004 alone, MendoParks has contributed over $1.4 million in support of State Parks in Mendocino County.
