Larabee, California facts for kids

Larabee, also known in the past as Larrabee or Laribee, is a small community located in Humboldt County, California. It's found near the Eel River, about 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Redcrest. Larabee sits about 161 feet (49 m) above sea level.

Getting to Larabee can be tricky! You can cross the Eel River only at certain times of the year. There's also an old road that used to be for logging trucks. This road goes through Larabee Ranch and land owned by the Pacific Lumber Company, connecting to Shively Road about five miles northwest. This road is only open in winter when the temporary summer bridge over the Eel River is washed away by heavy rains.

Larabee's History and Name

Larabee is a historic settlement that has existed since the 1800s. It was named after an early rancher in the area, Henry P. Larrabee (1830-1906). He was also known as Hank Larrabee. Henry Larrabee was a "49er," meaning he came to California during the California Gold Rush in 1849. He was a local rancher and also served as a militiaman during the Bald Hills War, a conflict in the region.

At its busiest, the settlement near his ranch had many important places. There was a blacksmith shop, a stable for horses, a general store for supplies, a school house, and many productive farms and orchards. When the Northwestern Pacific Railroad was built, it became much easier for people in Larabee to travel to other parts of the county and to places further south.

Facing the Floods

However, Larabee faced big challenges. Much of the community was built close to the Eel River. In 1955 and 1964, huge floods swept away many of the buildings in the lower parts of the settlement. The buildings that are still standing today were saved because they were built on higher ground, just out of reach of the powerful river waters.

Today, Larabee is a quiet place with only a few residents. It is now bypassed by the main highway, U.S. 101, and the old Northwestern Pacific Railroad tracks are no longer in use.

Post Office History

Larabee has had a few post offices over the years. The "Laribee" post office operated from 1888 to 1891, and again from 1892 to 1899. Later, the "Larabee" post office opened in 1921 (it had moved from a place called Dinty) and stayed open until 1943. Even though it doesn't have its own post office anymore, Larabee still gets regular mail delivery. It shares the postal zip code with Redcrest, California.