Mendocino, Coastal settlement on cliffs in Northern California, United States
Mendocino is a settlement perched on headlands above the Pacific Ocean in Mendocino County, California. Wooden houses built in the Victorian style line streets that run parallel to the coastline, with waves visible from many windows and gardens.
The village began in 1852 when loggers established a camp and mill on the headland, naming it after their employer before residents changed the name a few years later. Spanish navigators had earlier referenced Antonio de Mendoza when mapping this stretch of coast.
Local galleries and studios display paintings and sculptures created by residents who settled here for the light and ocean views. Shops along the main street sell handmade ceramics and textiles that reflect the artistic community living in and around the village.
Highway 1 reaches the village from north and south, with parking available near shops and restaurants along the main street. Small hotels and guesthouses offer rooms within walking distance of the headlands, where trails follow the edge of the cliffs for about a mile.
The coastal setting appeared in nine episodes of a popular television mystery series during the 1980s and 1990s, standing in for a fictional New England village. Houses and streets became familiar to millions of viewers who recognized the white picket fences and ocean backdrop.
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