History of Humboldt County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, etc., from original drawings, including biographical sketches, Part 34

Author: W.W. Elliott & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: San Francisco : W.W. Elliott
Number of Pages: 344


USA > California > Humboldt County > History of Humboldt County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, etc., from original drawings, including biographical sketches > Part 34


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The other two towns made strenuous efforts to hudd up a trade with the mines, but in the case of Humboldt Point, was unsuccessful, trains invariably leaving and going to Arcata whenever there was no inducement held out to them to go to the former place, and iu July, 1851, the last train left Hum- boldt Point for the mines, and since that time Arcata has en- joyed that monopoly alnost alone.


BUCKSPORT.


Bucksport was laid out in 1851, by the lamented David A. Buck. It immediately took a position in the ranks of the then rival towns of the Bay. In 1854 the Masons erected a hand- somo hall, two-story, with school room on the first floor. Dr. J. Clark erected a handsome residence fronting directly on the Bay. At this time the four towns of the Bay were Bucks- port, Humboldt, Eureka, and Union. The first three had one store each and Union seven large stores.


Bueksport was made the port of entry, and in 1856 con- tained a church, two hotels, saw-mill, store and private resi- dences.


Fort Humboldt was erected on a bluff in the rear of the town site, commanding a view of the entrance to the Harbor.


HUMBOLDT POINT.


Early in the year 1850 it was the general impression that Trinity River emptied into the ocean and formed a hay at its month, and as the mines on that river were reported to he amazingly rich, it was but reasonable to suppose that if any man could find this bay and lay ont a town on it he could


make his fortune hy selling lots; and as it was the time when the speculative mania was at the meridian of life in California, there was no lack of men who were ready to embark their lives and property on a perilous voyage of discovery for the chance of becoming city proprietors, and consequently rich.


In January, 1850, several vessels were fitted out in San Francisco for the purpose of exploring the coast and searching for the mouth of Trinity River, as mentioned by Buhne, How- ard and others. Humboldt Bay and the mouth of Eel River were both discovered soon afterwards, and the party which discovered the latter thought it was the mouth of Trinity, got their vessels into the bay at its mouth and prospected some distance up for gold. These adventurers soon explored the country contiguous to the bay, occupied Humboldt Point and laid it out in 1850 for a town site.


Union was settled soon after, and Eureka sprang into exist- ence soon after her; each place claimed a large tract of land for its site, and thus hefore autumn the whole margin of the bay was claimed as city property and a great portion of it actu- ally surveyed and laid off into streets, hlocks, etc.


TRINIDAD VILLAGE AND HARBOR.


It is claimed hy the residents of this place that this is the best outside port on this part of the Pacific Coast, and it appears they have good grounds for such claims. Its position on the coast certainly would he a most favorable one for a port of ref- uge. It is easy of access from the open sea at all times. Those who have carefully watched the direction and break of the sea in heavy storms, assert that a hreak-water, extended from a cer- tain point on Trinidad Head to what is known as Pilot Rock, would completely and effectually shelter the mooring of the harhor.


Pilot Rock is over 300 feet across the base, and is 112 feet above high water. The whole length of break-water would he 2,600 feet, with an average depth from shore to rock of about seven to eight fathoms. This it is claimed, hy those who have watched the action of the heavy sea for years, would be all that is necessary to make this a perfectly safe harbor in any and all storms.


There are many reasons and arguments favorable to Trinidad heing an available open seaport. She has depths of water at her moorings to accommodate the largest vessel that floats, and thirty feet of water at her wharf at low tide. The cost of making a break-water would not be great, and the relative benefits which would accrue appear to he such as should justly hring about an early and serious consideration of this work.


The tonnage of this port may he estimated at 7,000 tons for last year. The number of cargoes about forty.


TRINIDAD EXPORTS IN LUMBER FOR 1881 :


Lumher, feet 18,000,000


Posts. . 38,000


Shingles. 8,000,000


Shakes. 800,000


Wool, pounds 15,000


SHEEP CORAL OF A -ROBERTSON.


HOME OF THE LATE ALEXANDER ROBERTSON, SEVEN MILES SOUTH OF BRIDGEVILLE, HUMBOLDT CD.CAL.


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DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES.


Trinidad is about twenty iniles ahove Eureka. It is the site of the extensive operations of the Trinidad Mill Company. composed of Messrs. Hooper Bros., of Stewart Street, San Francisco. They have an extensive saw and shingle inill ; they also have a railroad, and do all their logging by steam, which is well worth the whilo to see; the logs are hauled to the railroad track by a donkey stationary engine, then by lo- comotive to tho mills. The railroad is four miles long.


The town has 200 inhabitants, who are nearly all engaged in tho lumber business. The steamer Mary D. Homme wakes Trinidad her first call from San Francisco up on her way to Crescent City.


Gen. B. F. Butler's brother's buildings, which wore built in 1851, when the gold excitement was at the highest, are still here in a good state of preservation. Trinidad then had some 3,000 people ; twenty or thirty pack-trains went out daily to the mines at Sawyer Bar, Klamath, and Gold Bluff, and the Upper Trinity Country.


The town now has several stores and other business houses Our artist has given a good view of this town situated on au elevation and hueked up by the beautiful redwoods which ex- tond for soure twelve or fifteen miles into the interior. The lumber business is the chief support at present, although there is still considerable mining, and the pack-trains ean still be sven with their loads bound for the mines.


A Lodge of Good Templars is located here. They own their hall and lot upon which it is huilt, besides the two adjoining lots, aud both as a Lodge and as individuals havo done much noble charity work in the community.


The Occidental Hotel is kept by W. Walkins aud affords a pleasant stopping place.


ORLEANS HAR.


'The village bearing this name was selected as the county svat of Klamath County in 1856. Between the junction of Trinity River with the Klamath and the mouth of the Salmon, the mountains recede from the river somewhat, forming a ba- sin consisting in places of large bars at the river's edge, then successively bottoms, higher bunches, table-lands, and red hills rearing up into monutains. On one of these bottoms, on the right side of tho Klamath, about sixteen miles above the mouth of the Trinity, and right below that of the Salmon, stands the town of' Orleans Bar.


'The bar from which the place takes its name was christened by Captain Tompkins and Bob Williams, in 1850.


A party in the spring of the same year went up from the month of the Klamath, which had just previously buen discov- ered, by sea in canoes, aud two or three towns were laid off. The river being swollen, it was supposed to be a navigable stream and the party conelnded that " New Orleans Bar," as it was first called, would be about the head of navigation. As the season advanced the river dried np to a small stream and the town dried up also.


During the spring and summer of 1831, after the Gold Blull' bubble had bursted, the crowd of disappointed alventur- ers who had arrived ne Trinidad in search of golden sands. started for the Klamath and Salmon Rivers, Orleans during this winner was quite a prominent point but toward fall the whole region of country was abandoned, the alventurers just mentioned having gone to the mines without nny intention of hard labor, and not findling gold wattered about on the surface left for other svetions.


After 1852, the mining population in that section had, as a general thing, been stevlily on the increase, and confidence as to the richness and durability of the mines had also been in- creased in proportion to the experience in working them.


Orleans was a central point for the section of country men- tioned, and will yet become quite a flourishing inland town. It is pleasantly situatel and the climate, although warm in the summer, is not sultry ; there always being a cool ocean breeze sometime during the day. The dissolution of obl Klamath County, which demolished Orleans Bar as a county seat has not affected the place as much as many suspected it woukl. The mining, stock-raising, and farming industries make it about as flourishing as ever, if not so high-t med with official dlignitaries.


There is an abundance of good, riel paying mining ground in that section, which only neels capital and water ditches to develop. The place met with a serious disaster by the great fond of 1861, in the loss of many valuable mining improve- ments, from which it is now gradually recovering, the slowness of such recovery being dne to the disadvantages of having no wagon road, or other mode of communication, with the balance of the world, except on the hurricane deck of a mule.


HYDESVILLE.


Hydesville sprang up in 1858, on a place called by the enpho- nious name of Goose Prairie, on Van Duxun Fork of Eel River. It derived its name from Mr. Hyde who formerly owned the land upon which the town stands. Pine's Hotel was the first erceted there. The first general merchandise store in the place was built by Dr. M. Spencer, who kept it for many years.


In 1859, there was a wagon and carriage shop, a blacksmith, saddler, carpenter, shoemaker, a livery stable, and one store kept by I. Manheim & Co. The school was taught by W. H. Mills, and had thirty-four pupils. Cooper's Mills were turning out twenty-five barrels of four per day. They were located about three miles distant on Yager Creek and propelled by water-power.


Hydesville is now eonsilered the fifth town in the county, having a population of 300 people. It is situated on high table- land nearly 300 feet above the general level of Eel River Val- ley. It has a fine farming country to back it. Mr. J. W. Sweasey keeps the Pioneer Hotel. There are two general stores. S. F. Bullard, the General Superintendent of tbe Humboldt and


158


DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES.


Mendocino Stage Line, resides here. Stages pa» livre daily.


Samuel Strong's pleasure resort is located ahout nine iniles froin Hydesville, and is fitted up for the comfort and enjoy- ment of guests, and fully described elsewhere.


J. A. Coyle is the dealer in stoves, tinwarc, glassware, crock- ery, hardware, and a large general stock of agricultural imple- ments. His business place is located on the main street.


D. Gibson & Co. are the principal dealers in dry-goods, cloth- ing, boots and shoes, hats, caps, etc. They also keep a general line of ladies' and gents' furnishing goods and a large general merchandise stock, wholesale and retail. The members of the firm are David Gibson and Louis Hessing.


HOHNERVILLE.


The town obtained its name from Henry Rohner who still re- sides there and is a successful business man. In 1859, there was hut one store here, kept hy Roliner & Feigenbaum, and a ho- tel erected hy Brower & Woodruff. Now it has a population of 510 people. This town is situated twenty-two miles south- cast from Eureka, aud is pleasantly located in the rich valley of Eel River, one mile north of the stream. The principal wagon road of the county passes through the place. It has an excellent farming and grazing country on one side, and red- wood timber on the other, to back it.


A. M. Gill is the principal merchant having a large stock of general merchandise. It can he truthfully claimed that Roh- nerville has acquired as large, if not a larger.trade with Trin- ity, thau any other point in Humboldt County. Train loads of merchandise leave here weekly for trading points on tbe Trinity River, and to that portion of 'Trinity County lying he- tween Hay Fork Valley and the South Fork Mountain, to the south. A great portion of the furs and skins coming from Western Trinity find a market at Rohnerville.


The Rohnerville Herald is issued every week hy Charles E. Gordon, who publishes more local news for an inland town than any other paper. It is a live paper in a live town. There are two hotels, one extensive saw and grist-mill, churches, schools, and all needed business houses. Land in the vicinity is held at high prices. In the valley and improved, it is valued at from $30 to $75 per acre. Rolling hill-lands in the vicinity have a rich, dark, loamy soil, and are excellent grain lands, aud are valued at nearly the same price as the valley. St. Joseph's College, an institution of learning helonging to tbe " Society of the Precious Blood of Christ," is in the suhurhs.


There are four church societies, United Brethren, Congrega- tional, Methodist and Catholic. The Odd Fellows and Masons have large societies and halls. There is also a large public hall for meetings and exhibitions. An abundant supply of pure spring water is furnished hy the water-works.


FERNDALE.


Ferndale has a population of some 350. Francis Creek, a swift little stream runs through the town, affording splendid


facilities for drainage. It is connected hy daily stage with Eu- reka, and is located some eighteen miles south. It is heauti- fully situated on the south side of Eel River Valley, about one mile beyond Salt River, at the foot of the range of bills houud- ing Eel River on the south. This flourishing town is delight- fully situated, well huilt, public spirited, and is improving.


Ferndale is well situated for a business place, having the fariners on the south and west side of the valley, and on the other the settlers of the Bear River and Mattole sections. This valley is ahout twelve miles in length, and on an average from four to eight miles wide. This may properly be called the cream of Humboldt County as an agricultural district.


A post office was established in 1860, S. L. Shaw postmaster. The Ferndale Enterprise is ahly managed hy Dr. T. A. Alford.


A. Putnam is one of the substantial merchants of the place. His residence forms one of the illustrations for this work.


Messrs. Russ, Searls & Putnam have a fine brick building, and the largest store in the county. Mr. Joseph Russ, the sen- ior partner, has about 50,000 acres of land in this vicinity, and is the owner of over 2,000 dairy cows, which are rented to dairymen with land enough to support a certain number of cows. This firm are also in the forwarding and commission business and are one of the large dealers in hutter on the coast.


Roberts Hall is fitted up for general use, and is owned hy D. K. Roberts.


A. Bearding has a large store of merchandise and general agricultural implements and does a large trade.


Ferndale Hotel is kept hy W. J. Mccollum. It is a first- class stopping place and can easily accommodate fifty guests. Everything is conducted by an experienced proprietor who knows how to keep a good hotel.


There are now three fine churches in Ferndale, Methodist, Congregational, and Catholic. There is a free reading-room and library of 200 volumes, and an excellent school under charge of Prof. L. B. Lawson, who has introduced a method of teach- ing penmanship hy a new and shorter process than any now in use. He is ahout publishing a hook on this subject.


.


The village has several stores and business houses. The business of the town is rapidly increasing.


It has the usual quota of professional men. Among thein may be mentioned A. A. Glasscock, M. D., a skilled physician and surgeon, who has an office and residence on Church Street.


PORT KENYON AND SALT RIVER.


Salt River is a small stream hut is navigable for a short dis- tance for deep water craft. Ferndale is situated on this stream, and Port Kenyon is the shipping point. Centerville is at the mouth of Salt River. Port Kenyon is four miles from the mouth of the river. J. G. Kenyon, the original owner of the land upon which the shipping point known as Port Kenyon is situated, struggled long and hravely to establish the fact of tbe navigahility of the bar. He finally enlisted T. P. H.


159


DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES.


Whitelaw of San Francisco in the matter, and the result was a staunch and well-constructed steamor of excellent sca-going qualities, the ThoR. A. Whitelaw, which cost about $45,000. The Whitelaw made weekly trips for some two months, but was soon afterward withdrawn. Mr. Kenyon has lately started a store at a point called Washington Corners.


TABLE BLUFF, HOOKTON AND SPRINOVILLE.


Table Bluff is on higb rolling land overlooking the south end of Humboldt Bay and the Pacifie in the distance. It lias one good hotel, two general stores, and a Granger's hall. A inile north is the stage station of Salmon Creek, and the grain ware- houses uf Hookton, ail lumber yards aro near by.


Hookton is the shipping point for Ferndale, Rohnerville, Hydesville, Petrolia and Springville, where the farmers haul their grain, butter, ete., and lumber from the mills in the vicinity; the steamers Los Angeles and Humboldt coming down from Euroka for this freight.


The village of Fairhaven lies on the south end of Humboldt Bay, and has some oxtensive ship yards and lumber mills.


Springville is another small place between Rohnerville and Table Bluff, where the Springville saw and grist-mills are located. There is a hotel, kept by L. Gilligan, a livery stable and a goneral storo, ete.


GARBERVILLE.


This small villago is situated in the south end of the county, on tho east side of Eel River, on a healthy plateau about two hundred and fifty feet above the bed of tho river and a quar- ter of a quile distant from tho same, shaded with sociable, mossy old madrones and oaks. The business consists of one livory stable, two hotels, two blacksmith shops, one general store, two saloons, a shoemaker's shop, and last, but not least, just out of town a few steps, a newly-fledged tannery. The town has ono principal street, and standing at the southern end of the town proper, the course of Main Street lies in direct line with the north star, so strangers visiting the town may have the pleasure of knowing in advance that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.


A grist-mill has lately been constructed and also a bark- mill and a saw-mill. The town is named for J. C. Garher, Esq., one of the early settlers and principal merchant of this vicinity. He is an enterprising and influential citizen.


CENTERVILLE.


This place was located on the sand but a few steps from the ocean at a point formerly called False Cape. It was thus lo- cated on account of its proximity to the slough which passes along nearly parallel with the coast to the mouth of Eel River. As early as 1859 a store and hotel comprised the business.


A. Bearding, who was on tho" Cameo," whose career is given in poetry in another place, kept the hotel. Bearding was at oue time worth several hundred thousand dollars in town lots at the mouth of the Klamath River. (See Biography.)


BRIDGEVILLE


This town, situated on the Van Duzen, is some twenty-five miles east of Hydesville. It hay two hotels, blacksmith shop, store and a few dwelling houses, and has an air of thrift. Nat- ure has done her part toward making this place most favora- hle for spanning the streamn. The river is narrow, the banks high, and large rocks put on either side, forming perfeet but- tresses, from which the bridge rises in a graceful arch far re- moved from the dangers of high water.


This is the second bridge that has spanned the Van Duzen at this point, the former one was swept away by a freshet. There was a sad accident connected with its destruction. Sev- eral men and a lad were standing upon the bridge at the time watching the water as it rushed down the canon, when the hridge was struck by a large log, gave way and went erashing into the foaming torrent, the men made their escape but the poor lad went down with the bridge and was drowned.


BLOCKSBURG.


The town was named after the enterprising business man B. Blockburger. He has had our artist sketch the town so as to show the business of hoth sides of the street. The town shows a business thrift, and several new buildings have been erected during the last year. In the center of the view of the town may be seen the "pack-trains," which give a very good idea of the manner merchandise is transported into the inte- rior, where roads are poor. The town has a public hall and several stores and shops. A race track is laid out on a flat among the willows.


The business of general merchandise is conducted hy B. Blockhurger, who has an extensive trade in that locality, and is a popular and influential citizen.


A first class hotel is kept here by H. H. Tieknor, a promi- nent eitizen. Guests receive the best of attention.


SHELTER COVE.


This is at the extreme south corner of the county. It is the natural shipping point for southern Humholdt and north- ern Mendocino. It has a natural open port, easy of access and vessels often lay here in time of heavy northers. The improve- quents consist of an ample warehouse and two staunch light- ers. It is a strange, wierd place, and is well calculated for a seaside resort.


There are about 300 acres of good plowing land, consisting of tahle-land immediately on the beach and side hill, rising gently above it. Back of this rising higher and more abrupt, higher and higher the grassy hills ascend in a semi-circular form, having the little table flat on the beach for its center, till they reach the timber and chaparral-lined summits of the higb ridges.


The sea breaks with awful force upon the rocks north of tbe barhor and has played some singular freaks. In many


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DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES.


places it has eut underground chambers, and when the surf come rushing in. the angry, boiling and foaming waters may lwe heard roaring and bellowing through these salty caverns with sullen sound, while the ground quakes with the untold foren of the surklenly cheeked breakers.


Numerous and extensive shell mounds indicate many hun- dreds »l' years of feasting upon the shell-fish which abound on the rocks, by the aborigines. Shelter Cove was at one time thickly settlol by the Indians.


The fortieth degree of latitude passes five miles below the harbor, and the same forms the southern county boundary live of Humboldt County.


The harbor is a perfect shelter from the heavy north winds, but storms from the south have full play, though the expense would not be great to make a break-water that would shelter an ninple anchor ground.


The exports from Shelter Cove for 1881 were: 220,000 pounds of wool, 8 handles der skins, 2 bundles pelts, 13 cases merchandise, 2 boxes eggs, 1 bundle furs, 16 bundles leather, 1 box seeds, 11 kegs butter, 13 sacks dried fruit.


PETROLIA.


This little village is situated five miles from the beach. Its location is a quiet place with mild climate, while the pepper- woud, alder, cottonwood, madrone and buckeye form a pleas- ing background. Viewing the valley from Petrolia, there is no apparent outlet, the point of observation being entirely surrounded by an amphitheatre of hills. The hills are open on every side except looking south. It commands the trade of both Upper and Lower Mattole Valleys, whose fertility is as rich as any in the county. Within a few miles of the ocean beach, it is fanned by the cool sea-breezes, but escapes the southerly gales so prevalent in winter, and the barrier formed by the hills completely breaks the force of the " northers." The town is steadily growing, new business is springing up, and many and varied improvements are continually being made; there are two general stores, one hotel, two saw-mills, and a grist-mill, and other shops and business places. It has but one saloon, and it seems as if that was starving to death; a thing worthy of note in a California town. It has a fine large school house, attended by lu8 scholars. There is a church here, but we were unable to obtain any statistics.


On the river about a mile above town, is a saw-mill, run by water-power, having a sawing capacity of about 5,000 feet. The timber is pine and spruce, no redwood. On a branch of the Mattole, also about a mile above town, is a small flouring mill, known as Langdon's mill, which furnished flour for this section of the valley. About the only produce which can 'oe disposed of from this section is butter and ebeese, wool, becf, mutton and pork. The best fruit in the county grows on Bear River and the Mattole, but it is too great a distance from mar- ket for profit.


ARCATA VILLAGE.


The name of " Arcata" was given to this place, formerly called Union, in March, 1860. The Times of that date said :-


" No name could be more appropriate for a village containing such a sociable and fun loving people than that of Union. Some romantic people about there, ran away with the idea that ' Arcata ' is a legitimate digger word, and means ' Union.' This is not correct. It means a certain place in town where the diggers were once in the habit of congregating, which in our language would be about the same as 'dowu there' or 'over yonder.' To some, ' Union' may sound as sweet by any other name, but not so with us. Therefore, other people may call it what they like, but we sball call it 'Union.' " Not- withstanding the opposition to the new name, it casily stuck fast and became popular.




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