A few years before there had been only about 50 web sites worldwide. The big debate was, "Who's going to be interested in this Internet Thing except for a bunch of computer nerds?   Besides,  I don't know anybody  hooked up to the Internet!"  And, as if to prove the prophets correct, that first April a grand total of only twelve geeks, er, visitors, checked out the decor.

Today, more than 160,000 visitors per year from many different countries crowd into the Sunny Fortuna site.

Some visitors have e-mailed nostalgic messages:

From Louisiana:  "I couldn't wait to get out of town after high school. I really enjoyed showing the hometown to the wife and the kids."
"But, um...  what's the job situation like in Fortuna?"

From Florida:  "Thanks to this web site I've been able to relive some of the things I treasured most in my childhood.  But I heard something and I have to know! Please, tell me, is it true?  Do you really have four traffic signals now?"

Gosh!  Sniff..  snort..  honk!   Sorry...

It's been a labor of love, and I'm very excited to be able to use this technology to bring to you the very things that drew me here in the first place, to raise my family here, to work here, to enjoy the friendly people and the incredible natural beauty of the area. But there's a lot more here in Northern California than just the five square miles that make up this wonderful city. 

There are lots of tourist stops and little places of interest to photograph, but the incredible vistas and scenes don't convert well to show on a monitor. The only way to experience the wonders of Northern California is to come here and drink it in for yourself. Stand in silent awe in ancient redwood cathedrals towering hundreds of feet into the sky and get a crick in your neck. Marvel at ocean waves thundering on the bedrock toes of the coastal cliffs, trying to take back the ancient headlands. Visit a canyon with a brook gurgling along the floor and walls carpeted in ferns. View the rich valleys from the sides of mountains and watch the eagles soaring in the updrafts. Share the rivers with wildlife or catch fish measured in feet. Let's let John Driscoll explain it, he's much more eloquent.

Fortuna is such a special little town. It has a laid back rural atmosphere, a low crime rate and an unsurpassed quality of living. But it also has excellent stores, first-class motels and quaint B&B's; quality restaurants and small cafes, many festivals and events, places to explore; and a multitude of other fun activities.

There are nearly seven thousand files at this site. A site is only as good as its information; many people have helped keep this thing rolling and here they are...    well, here's a bunch of them, anyway...

The members of the Fortuna City Council.

Duane Rigge, Fortuna City Manager.
John Crotty, Parks and Recreation Director.
Bruce Gehrke, Water Department Supervisor.
Wayne Yazzolino, Streets Department Supervisor.
Erin Dunn, Director of the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce.
The Fortuna Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

The Fortuna Historical Commission and the Fortuna Depot Museum and especially Miz Jenny, Caroline Weed.

David Reed, Coordinator for FBID, the Fortuna Business Improvement Department

Christine Sackey, Editor of the Humboldt Beacon, who has allowed me to copy articles from the paper.

Rob Blits, Bob Von Neumann, Marnie Nunnemaker, Garcia, Kurt and Pat Lindley, Rick Center, RGCardella, Hal Rattray and others, for permission to use their photos of Fortuna, its events and surrounding areas.

Joe, Frank and Lon, Christina and Sally, Elmer Forsleff and Farley!

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If you find something broken, please drop a note to the address below. Some of those 1995 pages are still on the site and newer browsers may not display them correctly.

Pictures...  Ah yes, pictures. The Internet is a very visual medium so if you have some local images you would like to share here or have the site link to, also drop a note to the address below.

You may have seen yourself in one of the pictures already on this site. Most of these digital images are resized and ruthlessly compressed before placement, but if they were taken in this millennium, ask, they are likely available to you in a much larger resolution. Also visit the fortunaphotos.com web site for thousands of local full-resolution images taken over the last few years, and don't forget to check out the gallery.  

I am deluged with e-mail and apologize profusely if I fail to respond immediately to messages you may send concerning this web site. But rest assured -- they are read and eventually answered, and the complimentary ones are saved and admired during periods of diminished ego.

Hans, webmaster
hans@sunnyfortuna.com

And finally, here's what the lawyer makes us say...
This website is authored by contributors who specialize in a variety of issues. The views expressed may not necessarily reflect those of the City of Fortuna.