EXHIBIT 99.1

Sacramento, CA - November 16, 2000

               AMERICAN RIVER HOLDINGS DECLARES 5% STOCK DIVIDEND

Sacramento, CA - On November 15, the Board of Directors of American River
Holdings (NASDAQ: AMRB), declared a 5% stock dividend on the outstanding shares
of Common Stock of the Corporation, issuable on December 19, 2000, to
shareholders of record as of December 4, 2000. No fractional shares will be
issued in connection with the Stock Dividend, but cash will be distributed to
each shareholder who would otherwise have been entitled to receive a fractional
share, at the per share price at the close of business on November 15, 2000
which was $14.00.

"This is the fourth consecutive annual stock dividend that has been declared,"
states David Taber, President & CEO of the company, "together with our
semi-annual cash dividends which have been declared since 1992, we believe this
to be an important part of our shareholder value strategy."

American River Holdings is the parent company of American River Bank, a business
bank in Sacramento with four offices, North Coast Bank, a business bank in
Sonoma County with three offices, and first source capital, a business equipment
lease financing company.

The combined assets of the Company were $269 million on September 30, 2000.

Related web sites: WWW.AMRB.COM, WWW.AMERICANRIVERBANK.NET,
WWW.NORTHCOASATBANK.COM, WWW.FIRSTSOURCECAPITAL.COM

November 16, 2000

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS NEWS RELEASE CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ABOUT AMERICAN RIVER
HOLDINGS' AND SUBSIDIARIES' FINANCIAL CONDITION, RESULTS OF OPERATIONS, PLANS,
OBJECTIVES AND FUTURE PERFORMANCE. A NUMBER OF FACTORS, ANY OF WHICH ARE BEYOND
THE CONTROL OF AMERICAN RIVER HOLDINGS OR ITS SUBSIDIARIES, COULD CAUSE ACTUAL
RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Page 4 of 4 Pages