<P> The Mendocino Plateau is a part of the Franciscan Assemblage . </P> <P> The river was originally known among the Southern Pomo as Ashokawna (ʼaš: oʼkhawna), "east water place" or "water to the east", and as Bidapte, "big river". Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo and his expedition may have made it as far north as the Russian River in November 1542, before storms forced them to turn back south towards Monterey . The earliest Slavic name for the river, Slavyanka, appears on a Russian - American Company chart dated 1817 . In 1827 the Spanish called it the San Ygnacio, and in 1843 the Spanish land grant referred to it as Rio Grande . </P> <P> The river takes its current name from Russian Ivan Kuskov of the Russian - American Company, who explored the river in the early 19th century and established the Fort Ross colony 10 mi (16 km) northwest of its mouth . The Russians called it the Slavyanka River, meaning "Slav River". They established three ranches near Fort Ross, one of which, the Kostromitinov Ranch, was along the Russian River near the mouth of Willow Creek . The redwoods that lined its banks drew loggers to the river in the late 19th century . </P> <P> According to the USGS, variant names of the Russian River include Misallaako, Rio Ruso, Shabaikai, and Slavyanka . </P>

How did the russian river get its name
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