This town on Humboldt and Arcata Bay was founded in 1850 as a port, and is 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.
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.
The Blue Ox Millworks Historical Park in Eureka contains vintage equipment from a Victorian mill works. Eureka boasts the largest number of Victorian homes per capita of any city in the United States. Blue Ox has been involved in the restoration and preservation of many architectural treasures.
Address: Blue Ox Millworks Historical Park, One X Street, Eureka, CA 95501-0847, United States
Phone: 1 (707) 444-3437, Fax: 1 (707) 444-0918
Located in the center of the partly-restored old town, the Clarke Historical Museum which is particularly rich in Indian basketwork and other artifacts, as well as documents on the history of Eureka and Humboldt County.
The Clarke Historical Museum is housed in a 1912 bank building with emphasis on the late 1800's with furniture, glassware and clothing on display.
Address: Clarke Historical Museum, 240 E Street, Eureka, CA 95501-0433, United States
Phone: 1 (707) 443-1947, Fax: 1 (707) 443-0290
Hours:
11am-4pm; Closed: Sun, Mon, Tue
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November ), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
The Eureka Inn is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The 100 room hotel is a blending English Tudor and contemporary design, made of redwood and was dedicated in 1922.
Address: Eureka Inn, 518 7th Street, Eureka, CA 95501-1890, United States
Phone: 1 (707) 442-6441, Fax: 1 (707) 269-2139
The Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum was founded in 1977. Bill Zerlang, a native of Humboldt Bay, was a collector of marine artifacts and he wanted to preserve the maritime heritage of region by opening a museum. The Humboldt Maritime Museum features artifacts, ships, models, and photos dedicated to North Coast maritime history.
Address: Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum, Box 282, Samoa, CA 95564, United States
Phone: 1 (707) 444-9440, Fax: 1 (707) 445-0249
Romano Gabriel arrived in America in 1913, served in WW I, then settled in Eureka as a carpenter and gardener. The Romano Gabriel Wooden Sculpture Garden was created with discarded crates and boards.
The men who worked in the lumber industry worked up quite a hunger. The Samoa Cookhouse Museum in Eureka shows how this hunger was satisfied with displays of cooking equipment, old relics, photographs and utensils.
Address: Samoa Cookhouse Museum, 79 Cookhouse Lane, Eureka, CA 95501, United States
Phone: 1 (707) 442-1659, Fax: 1 (707) 442-1699
Hours:
7am-10pm
Always closed on: Christmas - Christian (December 25)
The Sequoia National Park in Eureka is worth seeing. It is situated within the precincts of the town, with its little zoo in the middle of a redwood grove (Glatt and W. Street). The zoo is open every day except Monday.
The zoo is located on five acres northeast of Sequoia Park. It has been in operation since 1907. Playground and picnicking available.
Tips: Prices increase by $0.50 during summer (May - September).
Six Rivers National Forest is almost 1,000,000 acres located on the west slope of the Coast Range of Mountains. The forest offers a number of recreational opportunities including rafting, horseback riding and hiking. Animal lovers will find rare and endangered species such as the bald eagle and peregrine falcon.
Address: Six Rivers National Forest, 1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA 95501-3834, United States
Phone: 1 (707) 442-1721, Fax: 1 (707) 442-9242
Read More
Read Less
Read More
Carson Mansion
Read More
Read Less
Carson Mansion, Eureka
Eureka Old Town, Eureka
Eureka
