Larabee (formerly, Larrabee and Laribee) is a

locality Locality may refer to: * Locality, a historical named location or place in Canada * Locality (association), an association of community regeneration organizations in England * Locality (linguistics) * Locality (settlement) * Suburbs and localitie ...

in Humboldt County,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. It is located on the

Northwestern Pacific Railroad The Northwestern Pacific Railroad is a mainline railroad from the former ferry connections in Sausalito, California north to Eureka, with a connection to the national railroad system at Schellville. The railroad has gone through a complex h ...

east-northeast of Redcrest, at an elevation of . Larabee only has seasonal access across the Eel River; alternatively there is a former lumber road through

Larabee Ranch Larabee may refer to: * Larabee, California, United States * Larabee, Louisiana, United States * Agent Larabee, a character in the TV show ''Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the Spy fiction, secret a ...

, and on through

Pacific Lumber Company The Pacific Lumber Company, officially abbreviated PALCO, and also commonly known as PL, was one of California's major logging and sawmill operations, located 28 miles (45 km) south of Eureka and 244 miles (393 km) north of San Francisc ...

property, that connects to Shively Road approximately five miles northwest. This road is only open during the winter when the temporary summer bridge is washed away by the rain-engorged Eel River.

History

Larabee, a historic settlement and community from the 1800s through today, is named after an early pioneer rancher of the area, Henry P. Larrabee (1830-1906). Also known as Hank Larrabee, he was a 49er and a local rancher, and a

militiaman A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary Military organization, force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of Regular army, regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of nee ...

in the

Bald Hills War The Bald Hills War (1858–1864) was a war fought by the forces of the California Militia, California Volunteers and soldiers of the U.S. Army against the Chilula, Lassik, Hupa, Mattole, Nongatl, Sinkyone, Tsnungwe, Wailaki, Whilkut ...

, believed to have been among the perpetrators in the Indian Island Massacre. The settlement that later developed near his ranch at its peak had a blacksmith shop, stable, general store, school house, and productive farms and orchards. When the Northwestern Pacific Railroad was constructed residents had more ready access to the rest of the county and points south. All of the considerable low-lying community that was within reach of the river was swept away by the great floods of 1955 and 1964; the buildings that remain today were left untouched by the waters given their elevation just out of reach of the Eel River. Today Larabee is a quiet settlement with a handful of residents, well bypassed by Highway

U.S. 101 U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101 (US 101), is a major north–south highway that traverses the states of California, Oregon, and Washington on the West Coast of the United States. It is part of the United States Numbered Highway Syst ...

and on the abandoned Northwestern Pacific Railroad. The Laribee post office operated from 1888 to 1891, and from 1892 to 1899. The Larabee post office operated from 1921 (having been transferred from Dinty) to 1943. Larabee has regular mail delivery but is within the

Redcrest, California Redcrest is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located north of Weott, at an elevation of 377 feet (115 m). The population was 89 at the 2010 census. The Redcrest post office was established in 1965. The greater R ...

postal zip code.

References

Former settlements in Humboldt County, California {{HumboldtCountyCA-geo-stub

History

See also

References