Humboldt County
Location and importance
This town on Humboldt and Arcata Bay was founded in 1850 as a port, and is today still the only port of any size between San Francisco and the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. It was given the Greek name "Eureka" ("I have found it"), which also appears in the
coat-of-arms of the U.S. Federal State of California. The importance of Eureka today lies in the shipping of wood, especially redwood, from the surrounding forests.
Indian massacre
The town's early history has a few black spots. Here in 1853 Fort Humboldt was built on lands which belonged to the Wiyot Indians. In 1860 American troops carried out a fearful massacre of the Indian wives and children when most of the menfolk were out hunting. The exact number of dead has never been ascertained. 25 years later, as in so many other Californian towns, the Chinese were expelled by force. They were victims of the xenophobia emerging again and again in the United States.
Boat trips
One-hour boat trips on Humboldt Bay from the pier at the bottom of C. Street daily from April to October.
Print this page
Add to Favorites
