Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum facts for kids
The museum in August 2020
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| Location | 77 Cookhouse Rd Samoa, California, United States |
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| Type | Maritime museum |
The Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum is a cool place in Samoa, California. It's right across Humboldt Bay from Eureka. This museum is all about saving and sharing the amazing history of boats, ships, and everything related to the sea on California's North Coast. It has old artifacts, cool photos, and lots of historical papers. The museum started in 1977. It is located in what used to be the head cook's house next to the famous Samoa Cookhouse.
Contents
Exploring Humboldt Bay's Maritime History
The Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum helps us understand the important role the bay played. It shows how people used boats for work and travel. The museum's collection tells many stories from the past. You can learn about the ships, the people who worked on them, and how the area grew.
Meet the MV Madaket: A Historic Ferry
A very special part of the museum is its old boat, the MV Madaket. This ferry was built right here on Humboldt Bay in 1910. It was one of six similar boats. These boats were made to carry mill workers across the bay. They traveled between Eureka and the lumber operations.
The Madaket's Long Journey
The Madaket was first named "Nellie C." This was after a member of the Cousins family who built her. She worked as a ferry boat for a very long time. She carried people between places like Table Bluff, Fields Landing, Eureka, Samoa, and Arcata. She kept working until 1972.
The Madaket was the last ferry to stop daily service. This happened because the Samoa Bridge was built. The bridge made it much faster to travel by car. Today, the Madaket has been rebuilt. It is now the oldest passenger boat in the nation still carrying people.
Experience History on the Water
When you visit, you can ride the Madaket yourself. From her decks, you can see Eureka and the port. A guide will tell you stories about the history of the port and the city. You will learn how both were founded and became successful. The Madaket also has a small tavern onboard. It is known as the smallest licensed bar in California.
Discover More Maritime Stories
- Clarke Historical Museum
- List of Museums in the North Coast (California)
- Humboldt County Historical Society
- List of maritime museums in the United States
