Occidental

BOHEMIAN HIGHWAY CROSSROADS WITH ITALIAN ROOTS

Occidental grew in the late 1800s as a small West County service town tied to logging, ranching, and the flow of people and goods between the Russian River, the coast, and Santa Rosa. Its identity is closely linked to the Bohemian Highway, the winding redwood route that still carries travelers through town and helped make Occidental a natural stop for stage routes, nearby rail-era connections, and later the auto-age weekend crowd. A strong Italian immigrant presence shaped the community’s character—families put down roots, built businesses, and helped define the town’s food culture. That legacy lives on in Occidental’s famously old-school Italian restaurants, which became destinations in their own right and helped keep the town lively well beyond the resort era. Today Occidental remains a small, walkable village with deep local roots—part redwood crossroads, part culinary landmark—still drawing visitors for its historic charm and timeless West County feel.