The village is called Jenner by the Sea. Like most land hereabouts, Jenner was part of one of the big Spanish land grants, divided into chunks and then resold as several ranches. It seems the village takes its name from one Charles Jenner, who arrived at the mouth of the Russian River about 1868, when the area was part of a ranch owned by a man named John Rule, who had purchased the land in 1867. The story goes that Jenner fancied himself a writer and was gathering material for a book. Wanting a quiet, secluded place to write, Jenner got permission from Rule to build a small house in the narrow canyon above the meadow. As his cabin was the only one there, this canyon became known as "Jenner Gulch."

There were Jenners around before Charles, though -- even before Mr. Rule bought the land. The first was Captain Will, who arrived around 1850, just as California was becoming a state. Eight or ten years later Elijah, a blacksmith and a dentist appeared on the scene. (Students of the old West will recall that smithies usually doubled as dentists, just as barbers were also surgeons.)

When the settlement grew large enough to become a town and give itself a name, it chose "Jenner by the Sea". Perhaps the Jenner Gulch had become a landmark for directions -- much like Jenner today is used to pinpoint locations on the Sonoma Coast.

Stillwater Cove Regional Park, located 16 miles (26 km) north of Jenner, features picnic facilities, beach access, and a historic one-room schoolhouse.