Cross & Crosses: Fort Ross

Chapel at Fort Ross
Photo, Russian Crosses
c. rebuilt 20th century

Russians founded a settlement at Fort Ross, along the northern coast of California in 1812. The crosses on top of the two steeples have a slanted footrest that is peculiar to Russia. The most likely explanation is that the footrest points up towards the good thief. John Sutter bought the place on credit and used the hardware for his settlement at Sutter's Mill, where gold was later found and ended up kicking off the Gold Rush. A number of the Russians remained in California, eventually establishing churches in San Francisco. Two Orthodox saints spent time nearby in San Francisco: St. Tikhon, who became the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox church after the February revolution, and St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, whose remains reside at the Holy Virgin Cathedral on Geary Street.

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