Pacific Coast Highway in California
Pacific Coast Highway in California
By Carina Monica Montoya. Naturally most of the books for sale at the Humboldt County Historical Society bookstore are largely about Humboldt. But some have a broader scope though with a strong Humboldt connection.
For Humboldters, this topic is very relevant since this highway is the scenic route that connects us with the rest of California. A "Images of America" book, it is illustrated with some 200 informatively captioned historic photographs. Many of them are from Caltrans and so are not generally available elsewhere.
We are told how from the early days of the automobile there was a search for a route that tied our large state together and gave access to our scenic coastline. The book then goes into the early stages of construction, detailing the engineering difficulties, and grand openings as different sections were completed. A part of the book highlights the many bridges along the route including the Golden Gate which at the time was the longest bridge in the world. Other chapters dwell on the many scenic lighthouses along the way as well as the historic landmarks, communities, popular beaches, and at Humboldt's end the magnificent redwoods. The ongoing maintenance problems are not neglected either including damage brought on by landslides and earthquakes.
This book tells a story that should interest any of us who have driven along this now-century old entrance to our Humboldt home.
In 2001, the Arcadia book series published its first Humboldt County book "Eureka and Humboldt County, California". Seven years later, it brought out "Eureka and Sequoia Park" by Dione Armand. Redundant? Not really. The reason the park and related matters deserve a whole book of their own is that it is a very special place. For over a century it has been the heart of our community, and even today our zoo is noted as the smallest accredited zoo in the country.
Through some 200 historic photographs with detailed captions, this book shows us how integrated Sequoia Park is with many aspects of Eureka's history and community identity. When Henrietta and Bartlin Glatt donated this portion of virgin forest to the City as a public park, it became part of the ongoing conflict between logging the redwoods for community prosperity and preserving these spectacular trees for community enjoyment and spiritual peace.
The book also illustrates how the park soon became the busy heart of the whole community with event and meeting places for men's fraternal groups, for women's social clubs and for children's cherished play areas. We also see how transportation and extensive trolley lines tied the park to Eureka's business and residential neighborhoods -- allowing quick and affordable escapes into a more peaceful and natural world. One chapter focuses on musical and theatrical performances taking place in the park then on the book, Valley of the Giants, and the Hollywood movies inspired by the dramatic history of the park's founding.
Perhaps the most powerful part of Sequoia Park's role in Eureka, captured in this book, is the warm memories evoked by pictures of the happy duck pond, favorite play areas, friendly zoo residents, and the peaceful environment of soaring redwoods. Today Sequoia Park's ongoing contribution to the soul of our community is emphasized by the fact that since the book's publication in 2008, the park has added its spectacular Skywalk. That literally gives us all a new perspective on what makes Eureka so special.
