Eureka Things to Do

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Eureka, due to its former lumber wealth in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, has a large, attractive old town that has been rejuvenated. Still quiet, it is nevertheless fairly lively and clean and in good shape, unlike the way it was back in the early 90s, when it has derelict and half boarded up. It has lovely old buildings and a number of places to eat and shop, with great ice cream (see tip) and used bookstores.

The Carson Mansion was built by an early lumber baron named William Carson in 1885.The mansion took more than two years to build and it is the most photographed building in Eureka. The architecture is an elaborate combination of Queen Anne, Italianate and Eastlake styles. The Carson Mansion is prominate and can be seen from a distance around the town as well as from off shore.

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The Avenue of the Giants is just over 30 minutes drive from Eureka .The "Giants" are Redwood trees, the tallest trees in the world. The Redwoods are also some of the oldest trees in the world, called "the ambassadors from another time" by John Steinbeck .The Redwood forest is so beautiful and the misty air is filled with the scent of Cedar. Pictures really do not capture this awesome natural wonder.

The red color of the heart wood and bark are, how the giant trees got named "Redwoods". The average mature Coastal Redwood Tree is hundreds of years old, a Giant can live 2000 yrs. An average Redwood stands about 200 - 250 feet ,a Giant more than 350 feet tall. Redwoods average 8 feet to as giant as 20 feet in diameter and can weigh as much as 500 tons. It is pretty hard not to be humbled and awestruck by these Majestic Trees.

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Eureka stretches about six miles along Humboldt Bay. In 1996 the city decided to start a network of trails around the bay. One stretch of this trail is the downtown boardwalk which is located from the foot of F Street south past the new waterfront developments to the foot of C Street. In the future it is envisioned that this area will be a tourist destination, but today it is mainly a hangout for bums, homeless, and perhaps even the local druggies.

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Mission: To deliver troops and their equipment, (embarked for up to a week)
directly on enemy shores, through moderate surf, against enemy fire.
Length: 158' 5". Commissioned: Sep 21, 1944
First Cruise: Down the Mississippi River, through the Panama Canal, into the
South Pacific war.
First Combat: Apr 28 - Jun 30, 1945, assault and occupation of Okinawa.
Minesweeping: Sep 8 - 16, 1945, Honshu area, Japan. Sep 28 - Oct 25, 1945,
Nagoya, Japan.
After WWII, transported civilians between islands, Japan.
Served as a hospital and clinic ship, Japan.
Monitored health hazards in Japan.
Transported men and gear at Bikini atomic tests.
Monitored the effects of atomic bomb tests.
Transported diplomatic personnel along the coasts of Red China and Southern
Russia.
North Korean Aggression: Mar 13 - Apr 21, 1951. Communist China Spring
Offensive: Apr 22, 1951
United Nations Summer-Fall Offensive: Jul 19 - Nov 15, 1951.
Second Korean Winter Feb 9 - Mar 20, 1952.
1955: Placed on inactive reserve in Astoria, OR.
1961: Sold to an Alaskan fish company which reconfigured her as a processing
ship with equipment to cook and can fish; worked the waters of Alaska and
the Yukon River.
1989: Purchased by Dr. Ralph Davis, D.D.S., of McKinleyville, CA. & has been restoring her to approach her original design and appearance.
After WWII, some LCIs-mostly those damaged in combat were torn up for scrap.
Others were sold, leased, or given to countries around the world, including
Argentina, Cambodia, Philippines, and Thailand.
Donated to the Humboldt Bay Naval Sea/Air Museum at Eureka, CA. in December 2005.
The ship is currently the flagship of the USS LCI National Association and will be open to the public as a memorial in the spring of 2006 while she is undergoing restoration.
The LCIL1091 received two battle stars for World War II service and as LSIL 1091(Landing Ship Infantry Large) received four battle stars for Korean service.

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Running parallel to Highway 101, this scenic drive has many stopping points for those who want to hike through the redwood forests. Take your pick of trails; they're all worth it.

These trees often live thousands of years, and can grow to over 300 feet tall. That's largely because they are very hardy and resilient. Redwoods are highly resistant to parasites, and often regrow after a fire or lightning strike. A prime example of how tough they are is the Immortal Tree, which has survived fires, lightning, floods, and even attacks by loggers. Its age is estimated at nearly 1,000 years.

In death, the redwoods provide nourishment for new trees. So, the forest continually rejuvenates itself. Walking among these giant, ancient trees is a humbling experience, reminding us of how temporal we really are.

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The tallest trees on earth, these are something no California visitor should miss. The coastal redwood forests run from the Oregon coast all the way to Big Sur. They are related to the more famous Sequoias, which are not as tall, but much larger in circumference.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park includes many of the tallest trees, living in ancient groves along Highway 101. One of the best is the Rockefeller Forest, which is along Mattole Road. Another is Founders Grove, just off the highway.

Located across from the Carson Mansion, the pink lady was a wedding gift from the lumber magnate William Carson to his son.

I couldn't visit inside but it seems all preserved and well kept. Amazing sight.

To truly appreciate and see some of Eureka's finest Victorian homes, stop at the Eureka Chamber of Commerce on Broadway (right next to the bowling alley) and ask for a map for Eureka. You will see a bold outline of some streets. This is the driving tour of special homes. Some are Bed and Breakfast homes, others are normal residential homes. People take a lot of pride in owning these homes. They average 100-200 years old.

Unfortunately, I did not have the time to spend in Eureka to properly explore this small city. I did however, find this old courthouse/post office building interesting both historically and architecturally.

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Redwoods National Park is famous for its tall trees, but also for its Roosevelt elk, black bears, the endangered marbled murrelet, and being along the coast, Chinook salmon, gray whales, and sea anemones. We just passed through the park in June 2007 and were pleased to spot two small herds of Roosevelt elk right along Hwy 101.

Besides the trees and the elk, there are nearly 200 miles of walking and hiking trails numerous camping areas, and five visitor centers.

Redwoods National Park is free to visit!

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Besides historical Carson Mansion and Pink Lady, I feel this house is among the most impressive Victorian houses in Eureka. Though, I have been unable to find any information on its history. It should have been built about at the same time that the two afore mentionned, ie built between 1880 and 1900.

Photo 1 is a general view of the house
Photo 2 shows the main entrance
Photo 3 shows the entrance
Photo 4 is a close up on the delicate carvings on top of the entrance.

On 410 G street stands a modern style building. It was built in 1920 as the Sweasey Theatre and renamed in 1921 Loew's State Theatre. It offered vaudeville, motion pictures as well as musical comedies and its programs were not second to any other theatre in San Francisco or Los Angeles

Several fires damaged the inside of the building that was closed in 1973. After that, it was used Daly's Department store (my photo) until 1995. It remained empty and unattended until 2003 when it was finally restored. It is now the Arkley Center for the Performing Arts (look at their web site). It is now again a theater with an impressive program.

I felt that this house had a majestic look though it was not in good condition and seemed to wait for rehabilitation when I visited.

It was built in 1886 as a two stories hotel and restaurant at the corner of 2nd and C streets. In 1893, it was cut in two halves and each half was shifted 30 meters away. In the gap, the four stories building shown on the photo was built, that united the two halves. It was a restaurant until the 60’s. For almost 20 years, it was closed and almost abandoned. In the early 80’s (when I visited), a huge program of rehabilitation began and in 1984, it was open as the luxurious Eagle House Victorian Inn (see their website with a photo of its present days look) that had been partly rebuilt and entirely restored as it was at the turn of the century.