===========================================================================


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



                          Date of Report: July 17, 1996



                             REDWOOD EMPIRE BANCORP
            (Exact number of Registrant as specified in its charter)



         California                File No. 0-19231           68-0166366
State or other jurisdiction of   (Commision File Number)     (IRS Employer
 Incorporated or organization)                             Identification No.)



  111 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa, California                 95404-4905
    (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)



       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (707) 545-9611





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<PAGE>



Item 5.  Other Events

Press release for the following (articles attached):

         1.   Redwood Empire Bancorp declares quarterly dividend on its 
preferred stock.













                                   SIGNATURES



         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



            7-18-96
Date:  ___________________             REDWOOD EMPIRE BANCORP
                                            (Registrant)


                                           /s/ Gale D. Bridgeman
                                       By:__________________________
                                           Gale D. Bridgeman
                                           Vice President/Controller and
                                           Principal Accounting Officer


<PAGE>






                                    FOR:         REDWOOD EMPIRE BANCORP

                            APPROVED BY:         James Beckwith
                                                 Chief Financial Officer
                                                 (707) 573-4988

                                CONTACT:         Morgen-Walke Associates
                                                 Doug Sherk, Jenifer Kirtland
                                                 (415) 296-7383
                                                 Emily Dupree, Elissa Grabowski
                                                 (212) 850-5600

For Immediate Release

                         REDWOOD EMPIRE BANCORP DECLARES
                      QUARTERLY DIVIDEND ON PREFERRED STOCK
SANTA  ROSA,  CA (July 17,  1996) -- Redwood  Empire  Bancorp  (AMEX:REB)  today
announced  that at its  meeting  yesterday,  the Board of  Directors  declared a
quarterly dividend on the Company's 7.80%  Noncumulative  Convertible  Perpetual
Preferred  Stock of 19.5 cents per share.  The dividend is payable on August 14,
1996 to shareholders of record on July 30, 1996.
         Redwood  Empire  Bancorp  is the  holding  company  for  two  operating
subsidiaries: National Bank of the Redwoods, a commercial bank, and Allied Bank,
F.S.B.,  a  savings  bank.  The  Company  operates  through  branches  and  loan
production offices in various California locations, as well as Portland, Oregon.

                             # # #
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "3RD QTR DIVIDEND PRESS RELEASE", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3538}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "REDWOOD EMPIRE BANCORP", "cik": "0000840007", "assigned-sic": "6021", "irs-number": "680166366", "state-of-incorporation": "CA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-10868", "film-number": "96596460"}, "business-address": {"street1": "111 SANTA ROSA AVENUE", "city": "SANTA ROSA", "state": "CA", "zip": "95402", "phone": "7075459611"}, "mail-address": {"city": "111 SANTA ROSA AVENU", "state": "CA", "zip": "95404-4905"}}
===========================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                          Date of Report: July 17, 1996

                             REDWOOD EMPIRE BANCORP
            (Exact number of Registrant as specified in its charter)

         California                File No. 0-19231           68-0166366
State or other jurisdiction of   (Commision File Number)     (IRS Employer
 Incorporated or organization)                             Identification No.)

  111 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa, California                 95404-4905
    (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (707) 545-9611

===========================================================================
Item 5.  Other Events

Press release for the following (articles attached):

         1.   Redwood Empire Bancorp declares quarterly dividend on its 
preferred stock.

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

            7-18-96
Date:  ___________________             REDWOOD EMPIRE BANCORP
                                            (Registrant)

                                           /s/ Gale D. Bridgeman
                                       By:__________________________
                                           Gale D. Bridgeman
                                           Vice President/Controller and
                                           Principal Accounting Officer
FOR:         REDWOOD EMPIRE BANCORP

                            APPROVED BY:         James Beckwith
                                                 Chief Financial Officer
                                                 (707) 573-4988

                                CONTACT:         Morgen-Walke Associates
                                                 Doug Sherk, Jenifer Kirtland
                                                 (415) 296-7383
                                                 Emily Dupree, Elissa Grabowski
                                                 (212) 850-5600

For Immediate Release

                         REDWOOD EMPIRE BANCORP DECLARES
                      QUARTERLY DIVIDEND ON PREFERRED STOCK
SANTA  ROSA,  CA (July 17,  1996) -- Redwood  Empire  Bancorp  (AMEX:REB)  today
announced  that at its  meeting  yesterday,  the Board of  Directors  declared a
quarterly dividend on the Company's 7.80%  Noncumulative  Convertible  Perpetual
Preferred  Stock of 19.5 cents per share.  The dividend is payable on August 14,
1996 to shareholders of record on July 30, 1996.
         Redwood  Empire  Bancorp  is the  holding  company  for  two  operating
subsidiaries: National Bank of the Redwoods, a commercial bank, and Allied Bank,
F.S.B.,  a  savings  bank.  The  Company  operates  through  branches  and  loan
production offices in various California locations, as well as Portland, Oregon.

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