Fort Humboldt State Historic Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Humboldt State Historic Park |
|
|---|---|
View of Fort Humboldt
|
|
 Fort Humboldt State Historic Park
Location in California
Fort Humboldt State Historic Park
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Humboldt County, California, USA |
| Nearest city | Eureka, California |
| Area | 18 acres (7.3 ha) |
| Established | 1955 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
| Reference #: | 154 |
Fort Humboldt State Historic Park is a special place in Eureka, California, United States. It's a California state park that helps us understand the past. The park shows what life was like at a U.S. Army fort from 1853 to 1870.
You can learn about how European Americans and Native Americans interacted during that time. The park also teaches about the history of logging and narrow-gauge railroads in the area. You'll see old trains, logging tools like a working Steam Donkey engine, and a real Native American dugout canoe. The fort sits high on a bluff, giving amazing views of Humboldt Bay. The main office for California State Parks in this region is also here.
Contents
History of Fort Humboldt
Why Was Fort Humboldt Built? (1853–1860)
In May 1849, gold was found in the Trinity River. This brought many gold seekers and settlers to northwestern California. It also led to conflicts with the Native American tribes living there. Tribes like the Yurok, Karuk, Wiyot, and Hupa fought back against the settlers. The U.S. Army was sent to try and bring peace.
Fort Humboldt was officially started on January 30, 1853. The Army built it to keep peace between Native Americans, gold seekers, and settlers. Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Buchanan led the fort. Many soldiers from his unit had fought in the Mexican–American War. Around 1853, Seth Kinman was hired to hunt elk for the fort's food. The fort was built in a great spot, high above Humboldt Bay and the town of Bucksport.
The fort was also a supply center for other army posts. These included Fort Gaston in Hoopa and Fort Bragg in northern Mendocino County.
At its busiest, the fort had 14 buildings. They were all made simply from wood planks. The fort was designed like most army camps, with a large open area in the middle called a parade ground. There were two buildings for soldiers to live in, plus homes for officers. Other buildings included an office, a hospital, a bakery, a store, a guardhouse, a blacksmith's shop, and a stable.
The years before the Civil War saw many small fights between settlers and local tribes. One big conflict was the Red Cap War, near today's Weitchpec and Orleans. Soldiers from Fort Humboldt helped calm things down. However, settlers often criticized the fort's leaders for not being harsh enough with Native Americans.
A very sad event happened on February 25, 1860. It was called the Indian Island Massacre of the Wiyot people. The fort's commander, Major Gabriel J. Rains, reported that a group of settlers had decided to kill all peaceful Native Americans. These settlers were also known as the "Humboldt Volunteers, Second Brigade."
The 1860 U.S. census gives us a peek into life at the fort. Major Rains lived there with his wife and six children. Other officers like Captain Charles Lovell and Lieutenants Alex Johnson, James Dodwell, and Edward Johnson also lived there with their families. The fort's doctor, Lafayette Guild, lived in the Surgeon's Quarters with his wife. In the barracks, 47 soldiers lived without their families.
Many famous soldiers served at Fort Humboldt. A young captain named Ulysses S. Grant was there for five months in 1854. He later became a U.S. President. Charles S. Lovell became a major and led soldiers in big Civil War battles. Robert C. Buchanan became a general during the Civil War. Other famous Civil War generals, George Crook and Lewis C. Hunt, also served here. Gabriel J. Rains later became a general for the Confederate Army. Dr. Lafayette Guild became a top medical director for General Robert E. Lee's army.
Fort Humboldt During the Civil War (1861–1865)
By the summer of 1861, the American Civil War had started. This national conflict brought big changes to Fort Humboldt. Federal soldiers were called back to fight in the east. They were replaced by units of the California Volunteers. These volunteers were local settlers who often took a very tough approach toward Native Americans.
During the Civil War, Fort Humboldt was the main base for the District of Humboldt. This district was part of the Department of the Pacific. It included posts like Fort Bragg and Fort Wright in northern Mendocino County. It also stretched north through Humboldt County to Fort Gaston in Hoopa and Fort Ter-Waw near Klamath. After a big flood in 1862, Fort Ter-Waw moved to Camp Lincoln near Crescent City. Other posts included Camp Curtis in Arcata, Camp Iaqua, Fort Seward, and Camps Baker, Lyon, and Anderson.
The Fort's Last Years (1865–1867)
The end of the Civil War brought more changes to Fort Humboldt. The California Volunteer units were sent home in 1865. U.S. regular troops returned to the fort from eastern battlefields. On November 8, 1865, the first Regular Army unit, Company E of the 9th Infantry Regiment, arrived. It had one officer and 49 soldiers.
In October 1866, 178 soldiers were stationed at the fort. A month later, almost all soldiers left Fort Humboldt. The fort became a small supply depot, mainly for Fort Gaston in Hoopa. On April 25, 1867, army property was sold off. This included wood, boats, a heavy wagon, and an ambulance wagon.
On September 14, 1867, the last army unit left Fort Humboldt. The post was officially closed. However, a journalist named Andrew Genzoli noted that Sergeant Antoine Schoneberger was still on duty there until 1870. The Humboldt Times newspaper reported more government property sales on August 10, 1870. This included 32 buildings for $655 and 13 mules for $602.
Commanding Officers at Fort Humboldt
Here are some of the leaders who commanded Fort Humboldt:
- 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
- Captain Charles Swain Lovell, 6th Infantry Regiment, July 1860-September 1861
- Colonel Francis J. 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)
Fort Humboldt Cemetery
We know that ten soldiers were 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
- 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
- Wilson Alexander Shaw; 1814–1864; A Co, 1st Battalion Mountaineers
- Cecil E. Winters; 1st Battalion Mountaineers
In May 1894, the remains of these U.S. soldiers were moved. They were reburied in the Grand Army of the Republic plot at Myrtle Grove cemetery in Eureka.
The Cooper Family and Fort Humboldt (1893–1928)
After the military left, the land was given to the Department of the Interior on April 6, 1870. The fort buildings slowly fell apart. However, the California National Guard used the area one last time in August 1893. About 135 soldiers arrived by steamboat and marched to Fort Humboldt.
In 1893, the land and its one remaining building were sold to W. S. Cooper. He divided the property into smaller lots, calling the new area "Fort Humboldt Heights." Cooper's daughter said her father fixed up the remaining building twice. He knew it would be important in the future.
In 1894, a sentry box from Fort Humboldt was shown at a fair in San Francisco. A newspaper article said it "stirs the heart of every patriot." It was special because General Grant had used it when he was stationed there. The old cavalry barn at the fort was destroyed by fire on October 21, 1895.
On February 7, 1925, the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a bronze plaque at the fort. It says, "Fort Humboldt. Occupied by U.S. troops from 1853 to 1865. General U. S. Grant was stationed here in 1853." This plaque is still at the park, though it's now hidden by trees. The original plaque was stolen, but the Daughters of the American Revolution replaced it.
In 1929, the "Fort Humboldt Post" of the American Legion spent several days working to restore fort buildings.
The first wireless radio station in Humboldt County was at Fort Humboldt. The United Wireless Telegraph Company started it around 1900. This was many years before Humboldt County had a "wired" telegraph. The Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company took over from 1911 to 1917. During this time, the hospital building was also restored.
When W. S. Cooper died in 1928, his wife gave the land to the city of Eureka.
Restoring Fort Humboldt
Fort Humboldt was one of the first places in Eureka to be recognized and saved for its history. Mr. Cooper knew how important the fort was. He spent $1,500 to restore the old hospital building. Cooper even worked with a California State Senator to try and get the state to buy Fort Humboldt for $32,000. However, some local people were against this idea.
For example, a newspaper editorial said the plan was "silly" and a "laughing stock." It argued that spending $32,000 for land only good for a "potato patch" was too much. Public opinion against the purchase won out. But the Cooper family continued to protect the fort site. After W.S. Cooper's death, his wife and daughter gave the land and the last building to the City of Eureka. The City accepted it, and the site became a public park.
In the 1930s, local groups of veterans became interested in restoring the fort. They took pictures and sent them to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. to get the fort's original plans. They started restoring the area and creating a museum. The job was too big for them alone. Soon, the Works Progress Administration joined the project.
Fort Humboldt was named a California Historical Landmark on January 11, 1935.
Also in the 1930s, a four-day celebration called "Days of General Grant" was held around the Fourth of July. Local businesses decorated their shops to look like pioneer times. Men grew beards, and both men and women dressed in 19th-century clothes. This celebration happened for four or five years in a row. Before the 1939 celebration, a local newspaper said it could become a famous pioneer event, like the Salinas Rodeo.
By the 1940s, the fort had become a Eureka city museum. It was dedicated to General Grant and local history. At some point, wooden statues of General Grant and General Robert E. Lee were placed in the park. They were still there in 1947.
In 1952, Robert Madsen became mayor of Eureka. During his time, more progress was made to restore the fort. The city council was very interested. They talked with the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. They decided to ask the State Division of Beaches and Parks if they were interested in the fort.
In the summer of 1952, State representatives came to Eureka. They said they wanted to make the fort a state monument. They explained that they would eventually restore it to look like it did originally.
In 1955, the land was given to the State of California. The State agreed to rebuild the historic buildings and tell the story of how northern California was settled. Ranger C. D. Thompson was the first Monument Supervisor. He started living at the fort in 1956. He first changed the old building into an office for the Division of Beaches and Parks.
An archaeological study was done in the late 1950s. The Timber Heritage Association's website says the current logging display at the park was set up in 1962.
Fort Humboldt was named a State Historic Park in 1963. It was nominated to the National Register of Historical Places in September 1970. Some restoration work followed. The hospital is the only original building left. A plan made in 1978 by California State Parks calls for rebuilding the entire fort. The Surgeon's Quarters was rebuilt in 1985, but the full plan has been slow to happen. Several archaeological digs were also done. A bronze plaque marking the fort as California Historical Landmark #154 was placed near the parking lot around 1980. In 1986, exhibits were put in the hospital to tell the fort's story and the conflicts between cultures.
Fort Humboldt in Recent Times
In the 1990s, several Civil War re-enactments were held at the fort. In 2000, students planted a historic garden next to the hospital. It has plants that were common in 19th-century gardens. This garden won an award in 2001.
The park celebrated Fort Humboldt's 150th anniversary in January 2003. A color guard from Eureka High School raised a replica American flag with 36 stars. The original flag, first raised in 1853, was also on display. A soldier named Private Joseph Snedden had kept this flag. He later gave it to Mrs. Vera O'Conner-Berry. She gave it to the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1923. This group worked to preserve the flag in the 1990s.
In October 2008, permanent information panels were put up in the nearby Bayshore Mall. These eight panels tell the story of early life at Fort Humboldt and Buck's Port. This was a team project between California State Parks and the North Coast Redwood Interpretive Association.
In 2009, Fort Humboldt was one of 48 California state parks planned for closure. This was due to the state's budget problems. But because of public support, the parks were not closed.
What You Can See at Fort Humboldt
The hospital building has displays about military life and a vintage cannon. It also has powerful stories about the Native American experience with European settlers. You can see a real dugout canoe made from a redwood tree.
Even though they aren't directly related to the fort's military history, you can see working trains. These trains were used on local railroads in the early days of logging. The logging exhibit includes a Donkey engine. This machine was invented in the 1880s by John Dolbeer. It is shown with other logging equipment that highlights how logging changed over 150 years.
Visiting Fort Humboldt
Besides the permanent displays, the park hosts special events throughout the year. From the bluff, you get amazing views of Humboldt Bay, the Samoa peninsula, and parts of Eureka. The park entrance is just one block off U.S. Route 101, near the Bayshore Mall in Eureka.
Images for kids
-
Advertisement, The Morning Call (San Francisco), September 1, 1894, page 8.
-
Abandoned buildings
-
Abandoned buildings
-
Abandoned buildings
-
Abandoned hospital building
-
Abandoned building
