Fort Humboldt State Historic Park
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Fort Humboldt State Historic Park is a
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
state park, located in
Eureka, California Eureka (Wiyot: ''Jaroujiji'', Hupa: ''do'-wi-lotl-ding'', Karuk: ''uuth'') is the principal city and county seat of Humboldt County in the Redwood Empire region of California. The city is located on U.S. Route 101 on the shores of Humboldt Ba ...
,
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. Displays interpret the former U.S. Army fort, which was staffed from 1853–1870, the interactions between European Americans and Native Americans in roughly the same period, and both logging equipment and local narrow gauge railroad history of the region. Within the collection, there are trains, logging equipment, including a fully functional
Steam Donkey A steam donkey or donkey engine is a steam-powered winch once widely used in logging, mining, maritime, and other industrial applications. Steam powered donkeys were commonly found on large metal-hulled multi-masted cargo vessels in the later ...
engine, and an authentic Native American dug-out canoe. The Fort overlooks Humboldt Bay from a commanding position atop a bluff. The North Coast regional headquarters of the
California State Parks The California Department of Parks and Recreation, more commonly known as California State Parks, manages the California state parks system. The system administers 279 separate park units on 1.4 million acres (570,000 hectares), with over 280 ...
system is located onsite.


History


Early years, 1853–1860

With the discovery of
gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile me ...
in the Trinity River in Trinity County in May 1849, the stage was set for conflict between the Native Americans who lived in northwestern California and the settlers and gold seekers that flooded into the region. After repeated depredations by white settlers, Northern California tribes such as the
Yurok The Yurok (Karuk language: Yurúkvaarar / Yuru Kyara - "downriver Indian; i.e. Yurok Indian") are an Indigenous people from along the Klamath River and Pacific coast, whose homelands are located in present-day California stretching from Trinidad ...
,
Karuk The Karuk people are an indigenous people of California, and the Karuk Tribe is one of the largest tribes in California. Karuks are also enrolled in two other federally recognized tribes, the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad ...
, Wiyot, and Hupa retaliated and the Army was sent to attempt to restore order. Fort Humboldt was established on January 30, 1853, by the Army as a buffer between Native Americans, gold-seekers and settlers under the command of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Buchanan of the U.S. 4th Infantry Regiment. Like Buchanan, many of the soldiers of this unit were veterans of the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
. Starting about 1853, Seth Kinman was hired as a market hunter to supply elk meat to the fort. Fort Humboldt was sited on a strategic location on the bluff overlooking Humboldt Bay and Bucksport, a town named after David Buck, a member of the Josiah Gregg exploration party.Historic Spots in California
Stanford University Press, 2002 In addition to serving to protect the local inhabitants, it was also a supply depot for posts around the California and
Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...
borders such as Fort Gaston in Hoopa and Fort Bragg in northern
Mendocino County Mendocino County (; ''Mendocino'', Spanish for "of Mendoza) is a county located on the North Coast of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,601. The county seat is Ukiah. Mendocino County consists whol ...
. At its peak, the fort had 14 buildings all of crude plank construction. The fort was laid out in a typical military design with a quad at the center of the post which served as its parade grounds. Along with the two buildings that served as barracks for the enlisted men, there were quarters for the officers, an office, a hospital, a bakery, a storehouse/commissary, a guardhouse, a blacksmith's shop, and a stable. The period between the fort's establishment and the beginning of the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
was marked by many skirmishes between the settlers and the local tribes. One of the first major conflicts was the so-called Red Cap War, fought in the area around present-day Weitchpec and Orleans. Soldiers from Fort Humboldt were called into action to bring calm back to the area during this conflict. The leaders and soldiers of the fort were often criticized by settlers who sought a more violent response to Indian attacks. The infamous
Indian Island Massacre The Wiyot massacre refers to the incidents on February 26, 1860, at Tuluwat (on what is also known as Indian Island), near Eureka in Humboldt County, California. In coordinated attacks beginning at about 6 am, White settlers murdered 80 to 250 ...
of the
Wiyot people The Wiyot (Wiyot: Wíyot, Chetco-Tolowa: Wee-’at xee-she or Wee-yan’ Xee-she’, Euchre Creek Tututni: Wii-yat-dv-ne - "Mad River People“, Yurok: Weyet) are an indigenous people of California living near Humboldt Bay, California and a s ...
occurred at the end of this period on 25 February 1860. The fort's commander at this time, Major Gabriel J. Rains, reported to his commanding officer that "Captain Wright's Company f_vigilantes.html"_;"title="vigilante.html"_;"title="f_vigilante">f_vigilantes">vigilante.html"_;"title="f_vigilante">f_vigilantesheld_a_meeting_at_
f_vigilantes.html"_;"title="vigilante.html"_;"title="f_vigilante">f_vigilantes">vigilante.html"_;"title="f_vigilante">f_vigilantesheld_a_meeting_at_Eel_River_(California)">Eel_River_and_resolved_to_kill_every_peaceable_Indian_-_man,_woman,_and_child."__The_vigilantes_were_also_known_as_the_"Humboldt_Volunteers,_Second_Brigade,"_reported_to_have_organized_at_ f_vigilantes.html"_;"title="vigilante.html"_;"title="f_vigilante">f_vigilantes">vigilante.html"_;"title="f_vigilante">f_vigilantesheld_a_meeting_at_Eel_River_(California)">Eel_River_and_resolved_to_kill_every_peaceable_Indian_-_man,_woman,_and_child."__The_vigilantes_were_also_known_as_the_"Humboldt_Volunteers,_Second_Brigade,"_reported_to_have_organized_at_Hydesville,_California">Hydesville_ Hydesville_is_a_census-designated_place_(CDP)_in__Humboldt_County,_California,_United_States._Hydesville_is_located__southeast_of_Fortuna,_at_an_elevation_of_._The_population_was_1,237_at_the_2010_census,_up_from_1,209_at_the_2000_census. _Geograph_...
_and_the_town_called_"Eel_River"_in_1860_is_now_named_ f_vigilantes.html"_;"title="vigilante.html"_;"title="f_vigilante">f_vigilantes">vigilante.html"_;"title="f_vigilante">f_vigilantesheld_a_meeting_at_Eel_River_(California)">Eel_River_and_resolved_to_kill_every_peaceable_Indian_-_man,_woman,_and_child."__The_vigilantes_were_also_known_as_the_"Humboldt_Volunteers,_Second_Brigade,"_reported_to_have_organized_at_Hydesville,_California">Hydesville_ Hydesville_is_a_census-designated_place_(CDP)_in__Humboldt_County,_California,_United_States._Hydesville_is_located__southeast_of_Fortuna,_at_an_elevation_of_._The_population_was_1,237_at_the_2010_census,_up_from_1,209_at_the_2000_census. _Geograph_...
_and_the_town_called_"Eel_River"_in_1860_is_now_named_Rohnerville,_California">Rohnerville. The_1860_United_States_Census.html" ;"title="Rohnerville,_California.html" ;"title="Hydesville,_California.html" "title="Eel_River_(California).html" ;"title="vigilante">f_vigilantes.html" ;"title="vigilante.html" ;"title="f vigilante">f vigilantes">vigilante.html" ;"title="f vigilante">f vigilantesheld a meeting at Eel River (California)">Eel River and resolved to kill every peaceable Indian - man, woman, and child." The vigilantes were also known as the "Humboldt Volunteers, Second Brigade," reported to have organized at Hydesville, California">Hydesville Hydesville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Humboldt County, California, United States. Hydesville is located southeast of Fortuna, at an elevation of . The population was 1,237 at the 2010 census, up from 1,209 at the 2000 census. Geograph ...
 and the town called "Eel River" in 1860 is now named Rohnerville, California">Rohnerville. The 1860 United States Census">1860 U.S. census provides a snapshot of life on the fort. Among its residents that year were Major Rains, his wife Mary, and their six children (including 2 daughters age 19 and 16). Also living at the fort were Captain Charles Lovell, his wife Margeret, and their four children; Lieutenant Alex Johnson, his wife Elizabeth, and their four children; Lieutenant James Dodwell, his wife Johanna, and their two children; and Lieutenant Edward Johnson, his wife Christiana, and their two children. The fort's physician Lafayette Guild and his wife Martha occupied the Surgeon's Quarters. In the barracks were 47 soldiers, all apparently living without their spouses. Among the many well-known soldiers who served at the fort was a young captain,
Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...
, who was there for five months in 1854.
Charles S. Lovell Charles Swain Lovell was an American military officer and Brevet Brigadier General who commanded a brigade during several major battles of the American Civil War. Biography Lovell was born on February 13, 1811, in Hull, Massachusetts. He would e ...
was promoted to major and commanded a brigade during the Second Battle of Bull Run,
Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...
, and Fredericksburg. Robert C. Buchanan became a general during the Civil War. Other famous Civil War generals, George CrookCrook, George, General George Crook : his autobiography, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma, 15 April 1986. , 368 pages and Lewis C. Hunt, served here during this period. Gabriel J. Rains would become a brigadier general in the Confederate Army. Dr. Lafayette Guild would go on to serve directly under General Robert E. Lee as the Medical Director for the
Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...
for all its major campaigns.


Civil War years, 1861–1865

By the summer of 1861 the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
was well underway, and the resulting national conflict would bring major changes to Fort Humboldt. Federal soldiers were recalled to eastern battlefields and were replaced by units of the California Volunteers. These volunteers were drawn from local settlers who inaugurated a hard-line and violent policy toward the Native peoples. During the Civil War, Fort Humboldt was the headquarters of the District of Humboldt (also termed the Humboldt Military District), which was part of the
Department of the Pacific The Department of the Pacific or Pacific Department was a major command (Department) of the United States Army from 1853 to 1858. It replaced the Pacific Division, and was itself replaced by the Department of California and the Department of Or ...
. The District's posts included Fort Bragg and Fort Wright in northern
Mendocino County Mendocino County (; ''Mendocino'', Spanish for "of Mendoza) is a county located on the North Coast of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,601. The county seat is Ukiah. Mendocino County consists whol ...
, and extending north through Humboldt County to Fort Gaston in Hoopa and
Fort Ter-Waw Fort Ter-Waw is a former US Army fort that was located six miles from the mouth of the Klamath River in the former Klamath River Reservation and in the present town of Klamath Glen, California. It was a United States military post that was creat ...
near Klamath (after the Great Flood of 1862, moved to Camp Lincoln near Crescent City). Other posts included
Camp Curtis Camp Curtis, California State Historic Landmark #215, was located about one mile north of Arcata, California, and served as the headquarters and garrison of the 1st Battalion California Volunteer Mountaineers from 1862 to 1865. Before Camp Curt ...
(in
Arcata Arcata (; Wiyot: ''Goudi’ni''; Yurok: ''Oket'oh'') is a city adjacent to the Arcata Bay (northern) portion of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, California, United States. At the 2020 census, Arcata's population was 18,857. Arcata was first ...
), Camp Iaqua, Fort Seward (in southern Humboldt County), and Camps Baker, Lyon, and Anderson.


Final years and abandonment, 1865–1867

The end of the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
brought more changes to Fort Humboldt. The California Volunteer units were disbanded in 1865, and U.S. regular troops returned to the fort from battlefields in the east. Six months after Appomattox, the first Regular Army unit to return to Fort Humboldt was Company E, 9th Infantry Regiment, on November 8, 1865 Company E was one officer and 49 enlisted men. The fort was staffed by 178 soldiers in October 1866. A month later, all forces, except one small detachment of soldiers, were withdrawn from Fort Humboldt. The fort becomes a sub-depot maintained primarily to provide supplies to Fort Gaston in Hoopa. Property belonging to the Quartermaster was auctioned on April 25, 1867. Items sold included 120 cords of wood, 2 boats with oars and sails, a heavy wagon, and an ambulance wagon. On September 14, 1867, the last unit was withdrawn from Fort Humboldt and the post was abandoned, although the Humboldt County journalist Andrew Genzoli recorded that "January 1867 was the last Monthly Post Return for Fort Humboldt. Sergeant Antoine Schoneberger, Ordnance Sergeant, was on duty during the period 1866-1870." The '' Humboldt Times'' reported the sale of other government property on August 10, 1870, including 32 buildings ($655) and 13 mules ($602).


Commanding officers

* Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Buchanan, 4th Infantry Regiment, January 1853-February 1856 * 1st Lieutenant Francis H. Bates, 4th Infantry Regiment, February–June 1856 * Major Gabriel J. Rains, 4th Infantry Regiment, June 1856-July 1860 * Captai
Charles Swain Lovell
6th Infantry Regiment The 6th Infantry Regiment ("Regulars") was formed 11 January 1812. Zachary Taylor, later the twelfth President of the United States, was a commander of the unit. The motto, "Regulars, By God!" derives from the Battle of Chippawa, in which Brit ...
, July 1860-September 1861 * Colonel
Francis J. Lippitt Francis James Lippitt (July 19, 1812–September 27, 1902) was an American lawyer and veteran of the Mexican–American War, the Bald Hills War and the American Civil War. For the later he was made a brevet brigadier general. Early life Lippitt ...
, 2nd Infantry Regiment, California Volunteers, January 9, 1862 – July 13, 1863 * Colonel Stephen G. Whipple, 1st Battalion California Volunteer Mountaineers, July 13, 1863 – February 6, 1864 * Colonel Henry M. Black, 6th Infantry Regiment, California Volunteers, February 6, 1864–June 1864 * Colonel Stephen G. Whipple, 1st Battalion California Volunteer Mountaineers, June 1864–June 14, 1865 * Major John C. Schmidt, 2nd Infantry Regiment, California Volunteers, June 15, 1865 – March 28, 1866 * Major Andrew W. Bowman, 9th Infantry Regiment, March 26, 1866-November 1866 * 1st Lieutenant J. Hewitt Smith, Company E, 2nd Artillery Regiment, November 1866-???? (commanding the Humboldt Depot)


Cemetery

Ten soldiers are known to have been buried at Fort Humboldt: * John Blummer; C Co, 1st Battalion Mountaineers * John Briel; 1840–1866; E Co, 2nd U.S. Artillery * Patrick Carroll; 1838–1879; F Co,
4th California Infantry The 4th California Infantry was a volunteer infantry regiment recruited from northern California during the American Civil War. It was organized at Sacramento, Placerville, and Auburn in September and October 1861. 4th California Regiment of In ...
* R.F. Clark, * Thomas R. Evans; died 1865; A Co, 1st Battalion Mountaineers * J.D. Haskins, * John Henkin; 1834–1864 * Moses Hutchings; 1827–1865; F Co,
4th California Infantry The 4th California Infantry was a volunteer infantry regiment recruited from northern California during the American Civil War. It was organized at Sacramento, Placerville, and Auburn in September and October 1861. 4th California Regiment of In ...
* Wilson Alexander Shaw; 1814–1864; A Co, 1st Battalion Mountaineers * Cecil E. Winters; 1st Battalion Mountaineers In May 1894, the remains of the U.S. soldiers buried near the site of Fort Humboldt were relocated to the
Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Il ...
plot in the Myrtle Grove cemetery in
Eureka Eureka (often abbreviated as E!, or Σ!) is an intergovernmental organisation for research and development funding and coordination. Eureka is an open platform for international cooperation in innovation. Organisations and companies applying th ...
.


Cooper period, 1893–1928

After abandonment by the military, the lands were transferred to the Department of the Interior on April 6, 1870, and the fort fell into ruin. However, units of the California National Guard used the area one final time in August 1893. One hundred and thirty-five soldiers from the Second Artillery Regiment, California National Guard, arrived in the Steamer ''Pomona'' on August 17, and marched through Eureka to Fort Humboldt. In 1893, the land and its one remaining building were sold to W. S. Cooper. Cooper reportedly subdivided the property as soon as he acquired it, naming the new subdivision Fort Humboldt Heights. Cooper's daughter reported that on two occasions her father partially restored the remaining building as he realized its future importance. In 1894 a sentry box from Fort Humboldt was exhibited at a fair in San Francisco. According to a newspaper article, "Among the Humboldt exhibits there is one which stirs the heart of every patriot and awakens memories of the nation's great captain. It is the original sentry-box of Fort Humboldt, here General Grant did duty when he was there."An Outdoor View. The Mid-Winter Fair in its Larger Features," ''Los Angeles Times'', February 7, 1894, 3 The old cavalry barn was destroyed by fire on October 21, 1895. On February 7, 1925, the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a bronze plaque which reads - "Fort Humboldt. Occupied by U.S. troops from 1853 to 1865 . General U. S. Grant was stationed here in 1853." The plaque is still at the park, though hidden by trees. The tablet is bronze mounted on a huge rock blasted from Medicine Rock near
Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
. The original plaque was stolen and was later replaced by the Daughters of the American Revolution. In 1929, the "Fort Humboldt Post" of the American Legion spent several days restoring fort buildings. The first wireless radio station in Humboldt County was located at Fort Humboldt. The United Wireless Telegraph Company began operating the station around 1900 with the call sign "PM Eureka." This was many years before Humboldt County had a "wired" telegraph which ran south to
Petaluma Petaluma (Miwok: ''Péta Lúuma'') is a city in Sonoma County, California, located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Its population was 59,776 according to the 2020 census. Petaluma's name comes from the Miwok village nam ...
. The Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company took over from 1911 to 1917, changing the call sign to "KPM". Also during this era the hospital building received some restoration. Upon Cooper's death in 1928, his wife gave the land to the city of Eureka.


Restoration

Fort Humboldt stands out as one of the first sites in Eureka recognized and preserved for its historic value. According to one historian, "Mr. Cooper was aware of the importance of the lonely Fort. He spent $1,500 to restore the former hospital to a condition as near as possible to what it had been originally." Cooper eventually worked with California State Senator Selvage to pass a bill that would appropriate $32,000 for the State to purchase Fort Humboldt. However, the bid to purchase Fort Humboldt for the public met with local opposition. For example, an editorial in the '' Blue Lake Advocate'' stated: "The whole scheme is a silly outburst of a maudlin sentimentalism which is simply ridiculous and is the laughing stock of the community. To take $32,000 from the taxpayer for the state to buy a few acres of land suitable only for a potato patch or a truck garden will be paying too much" (4 February 1906). Public sentiment against the purchase won out, but the Cooper family continued to preserve the fort site until W.S. Cooper's death. At that time, his wife and daughter donated the land and the one remaining building to the City of Eureka. The City accepted the donation and the site was dedicated for use as a public park. In the 1930s, local veteran organizations became interested in restoration of the fort. They took pictures, sent to the National Archives in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
for plans and specifications of the fort, and began restoration of the area and development of a museum. The job turned out to be larger than they could do, and soon the
Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
was worked into the project. Fort Humboldt was registered as a
California Historical Landmark A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance. Criteria Historical significance is determined by meeting at least one of ...
on January 11, 1935. Also during the 1930s, the "Days of General Grant" was a four-day celebration centering on the
Fourth of July Independence Day (colloquially the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States ...
. Local businesses went all-out making storefronts look like pioneer days. The male citizens grew beards, and both men and women dressed in 19th century clothing. The celebration repeated four or five years in a row. Prior to the fourth annual celebration in 1939, the ''Humboldt Standard'' newspaper wrote that "it is an event which holds promise of becoming one of the lasting pioneer pageants of the West, comparable in importance to the Salinas Rodeo, the Pendleton Roundup, and the
Portland Rose Festival The Portland Rose Festival is an annual civic festival held during the month of June in Portland, Oregon. It is organized by the volunteer non-profit Portland Rose Festival Association with the purpose of promoting the Portland region. It inclu ...
." By the 1940s the fort had become a Eureka city museum devoted to General Grant and local memorabilia. At some point, statues of General Grant and General Robert E. Lee (which were apparently made of wood) were placed in the park and were still there in 1947 as can be seen in the Shuster aerial photographs from that year. In 1952 Robert Madsen was elected mayor of Eureka, and during his administration more headway was made toward actual restoration of the fort, as the city council showed a great deal of interest in the project. Through informal meetings with the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, it was decided to approach the State Division of Beaches and Parks to see if they were interested. In the summer of 1952 representatives of the State attended a luncheon meeting held in Eureka and there stated they were interested in setting the fort up as a state monument. They explained that they would eventually make an authentic restoration. In 1955 the area was deeded to the State of California with the understanding that the state would reconstruct the historic buildings and interpret the settlement of the northern California coast. Ranger C. D. Thompson was the first Monument Supervisor and began living at the fort in 1956. He first remodeled the old building into an office for District One of the Division of Beaches and Parks. The office was headquarters for the District Supervisor, whose staff consisted of the Assistant District Supervisor, a secretary, the Ranger-Monument Supervisor, district carpenter foreman, district accounting technician, and possibly a landscape architect and typist. An archeological survey was conducted during the late 1950s by Donald Jewell and John Clemmer. Th
Timber Heritage Association's
web site states that the present logging display at the park was established in 1962. Fort Humboldt was designated a State Historic Park in 1963. The park seems to have been nominated to the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in September 1970 (NPS Reference # 70000927). Some restoration ensued, with the hospital the sole remaining building of the original construction. The General Plan, created in 1978, developed by
California State Parks The California Department of Parks and Recreation, more commonly known as California State Parks, manages the California state parks system. The system administers 279 separate park units on 1.4 million acres (570,000 hectares), with over 280 ...
, calls for a re-creation of the entire fort complex. Although the Surgeon's Quarters was re-created in 1985, this General Plan has been slow to be implemented. Several archeological digs were also conducted during this period and a bronze plaque stating that the fort is California Historical Landmark #154, was placed near the parking lot about 1980. In 1986 exhibits were installed in the hospital to tell the story of the fort and the intercultural conflicts.


Late 20th century and a new millennium

In more recent years, several Civil War re-enactments were held at the fort in the 1990s, but were moved to
Fortuna Fortuna ( la, Fortūna, equivalent to the Greek goddess Tyche) is the goddess of fortune and the personification of luck in Roman religion who, largely thanks to the Late Antique author Boethius, remained popular through the Middle Ages until at ...
in 1998. In 2000, students from the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program planted a historic garden next to the hospital which contains medicinal, edible, and ornamental plants typically found in a 19th-century garden. This garden received a "Keep Eureka Beautiful" Award of Merit in 2001. The park marked Fort Humboldt's 150th anniversary in January 2003. A color guard from Eureka High School's Naval
Junior ROTC The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC -- commonly pronounced "JAY-rotsee") is a federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools and also in some middle schools across the United States and at US military ...
hoisted a replica American flag with 36 stars. The original flag that was first raised over the fort in 1853 was also on display. This flag was kept by the soldier (Private Joseph Snedden) who helped raise it. Snedden became a Humboldt County resident after he left the Army and eventually gave the flag to Mrs. Vera O'Conner-Berry. She, in turn, gave the flag to the Redwood Forest Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1923. This organization started a preservation project in 1990s to stabilize the flag. The flag is now kept by the Regent of the Redwood Forest Chapter. In October 2008 permanent interpretive panels went on display in the nearby Bayshore Mall's food court. These eight panels, part of a collaborative project between
California State Parks The California Department of Parks and Recreation, more commonly known as California State Parks, manages the California state parks system. The system administers 279 separate park units on 1.4 million acres (570,000 hectares), with over 280 ...
and the North Coast Redwood Interpretive Association, explore the early frontier life of Fort Humboldt and Buck's Port where the mall now sits. In 2009 Fort Humboldt was one of 48 California state parks slated for closure due to the state's budget crisis. Due to public opposition, the closures were not carried out.


Collections

In addition to various displays of the trappings of military service and a vintage mountain howitzer cannon, the hospital building houses artifacts and particularly rousing accounts (including extensive signage) of the Native American experience of European settlers. A culturally and historically correct dugout canoe constructed of the heart of a redwood tree is on display. Though not directly related to the military history of the site, fully operational trains that operated on local standard gauge railroads in the early days of logging are present on the site. The logging equipment exhibit includes a
Donkey engine A steam donkey or donkey engine is a steam-powered winch once widely used in logging, mining, maritime, and other industrial applications. Steam powered donkeys were commonly found on large metal-hulled multi-masted cargo vessels in the later ...
. Invented in the 1880s by John Dolbeer of the local Dolbeer and Carson Lumber Company, the machine is included among other logging equipment showcasing advances over the 150 years of local logging history.


Visitor information

Permanent displays are augmented by special events during the year. Of particular note are the prominent views of Humboldt Bay, the Samoa peninsula, and portions of Eureka from the bluff occupied by the park and structures. The park entrance is located one block off U.S. Route 101 near the
Bayshore Mall Bayshore Mall is an indoor shopping mall in Eureka, California. It is named for its close proximity to Humboldt Bay. The large shopping facility is the only major mall located on the coast north of the San Francisco Bay Area, securing Eureka as ...
in Eureka.


See also

*
List of California state parks This is a list of parks, historic resources, reserves and recreation areas in the California State Parks system. List of parks See also * California State Beaches *List of California State Historic Parks * Parks in California * California Dep ...
*
Clarke Historical Museum The Clarke Historical Museum (formerly the Clarke Memorial Museum) in Eureka, California contains the area's premier collection of California North Coast regional and cultural history. The facility houses a Native American wing, Nealis Hall, whic ...
*
Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum The Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum is located in Samoa, California, a small town across Humboldt Bay from Eureka. The focus of the museum is the preservation and interpretation of its collection of artifacts, photographs, library archives and materi ...
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Humboldt County Historical Society The Humboldt County Historical Society (HCHS) is a regional historical society, primarily focused on the history of Humboldt County, California. Offices, bookstore, collections, and research staff are located in Eureka Eureka (often abbrevi ...
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1860 Wiyot massacre The Wiyot massacre refers to the incidents on February 26, 1860, at Tuluwat (on what is also known as Indian Island), near Eureka in Humboldt County, California. In coordinated attacks beginning at about 6 am, White settlers murdered 80 to 250 W ...


References


Additional references

* Bledsoe, Anthony J, ''Indian Wars of the Northwest: A California Sketch'', Bacon and Company, 1885. * ''Humboldt Historian'', "The 'Days of General Grant' Recalled," Humboldt County Historical Society, July - August 1977, 3. * Kyle, Douglas E. (ed.), ''Historic Spots in California'', 4th ed., Stanford University Press, 1990. * United States Department of War, ''Report of the Secretary of War'', Government Printing Office, 1867. * State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation, ''Fort Humboldt State Historic Park: Resource Management Plan, General Development Plan, and Environmental Impact Plan'', August 1978.


External links


Fort Humboldt State Historic Park



Fort Humboldt State Historic Park Resource Management Plan
{{Protected areas of California, SP Humboldt California Historical Landmarks California in the American Civil War California State Historic Parks Buildings and structures in Eureka, California Closed installations of the United States Army Humboldt History museums in California Military and war museums in California Museums in Humboldt County, California Parks in Humboldt County, California Protected areas established in 1955 Wiyot tribe Tourist attractions in Eureka, California Forestry museums in the United States 1955 establishments in California