Humboldt County’s first residents hailed from the Yurok, Karuk, Wiyot, Chilula, Whilkut and Hupa tribes, among others. They settled on the coast and along the banks of the Trinity and Klamath rivers. The county was created in May 1853 and derives its name from Humboldt Bay, which was “discovered” by a sea otter hunting party in 1806 and rediscovered in 1849. Douglas Ottinger and Hans Buhne entered the bay in 1850 and named it in honor of naturalist and explorer Baron Alexander von Humboldt.
Del Norte County has been home to the Yurok and Tolowa peoples for thousands of years. Legendary explorer Jedediah Smith is credited with being the first non-native to enter the region, in 1828. Gold strikes on the Klamath and Smith Rivers in the 1850s led to the settlement of the county, which was created in March 1857. Its name, meaning “the north,” is derived from its position in the northwest corner of the state.
Welcome to the Times-Standard’s sixth annual North Coast 101, our 2007-2008 regional almanac and business guide designed for residents as well as visitors.
It’s no secret that Humboldt and Del Norte counties are wonderful places to visit, with breathtaking beaches and rocky coasts, coastal giant redwoods and inland rivers and mountains. For generations, people have come from the far reaches of the world to play and fish in the ocean and rivers, and to take in the sights unique to northern California.
Now, more and more are discovering the region as an ideal place to live and work. Like many California communities the North Coast grapples with issues like the rising cost of living and housing. Despite its challenges, over the past 30 years the North Coast has become a hot bed for creative entrepreneurs who have successfully capitalized on their strengths and expertise. They are moving here at a time when the economy is in transition from traditional resource-based industries — wood products, fishing, agriculture — toward a new and challenging future in the value-added products emerging in niche manufacturing, technology and specialty agriculture.
This transition — which we call “Progress to Prosperity” — envisions an economy and workforce that leverages the region’s traditional assets in innovative ways. This vision means taking the North Coast’s remoteness from urban centers — and the problems that entails — and turning those problems into assets.
Our feature stories spotlight some of these innovators — a developer incorporating preservation of an old lumber town; a high-tech jewelry designer; a custom cabinetry factory; an environmentally aware recycler. At the same time, there is a rich menu of events for every interest, unique communities, fantastic restaurants, one-of-a-kind shops and art galleries, many parks and trails, and the tallest trees in the world.
North Coast 101 offers a cornucopia of details for the first-time visitor, for those thinking about living in this beautiful place, and for those already here who want to learn more about this endlessly interesting region.