The largest collection of photographs related to Northern Californian history in the world - the Humboldt County Historical Society collection includes hundreds of panoramic photographs, more than any other archive in the state of California.
Topically Organized Photographs
CAT 5.00 AGRICULTURE
Orchards & Fields, Farm Equipment & Machinery, Livestock & Farm Animals
CAT 10.00 INDIGENOUS Portraits, Structures, Activities, People, and Communities
Portraits, Structures including Requa, Baskets, Brizards Company Parade Floats, Fishing, Hupa People, Fort Gaston, Klamath River People, White Deerskin Dance, Dorothy Allen of Klamath River, Wiyot People, Yurok People, Redwood Highway Indian Marathon
CAT 20.00 EVENTS
Circus Parades, Fraternal Order Parades, Sweet Pea Carnival Parade, Rhododendron Parade, California State Centennial Celebration, Ferndale Centennial Celebration, Hydesville Centennial Celebration, Petrolia & Mattole Centennial Celebration, Beauty Pagents, Ribbon Cuttings, Grand Openings, Dedications, Carnivals, World Fairs, State Fairs, Redwood Acres, Ferndale Fairgrounds, Fortuna Rodeo, Days of General Grant, Halloween, Christmas, Craft & Art Fairs, Other Community Gatherings, Railroad Events, Fourth of July, Logging Conferences & Shows, McKinley Memorial, Memorial Day, Public Dances, Picnics
CAT 20.00 DISASTERS
Fires, Floods, Earthquakes including Edna Garrett's Ferndale Earthquake Album, Tsunamis, Expulsions (Japanese & Chinese people in Eureka)
CAT 25.00 GROUPS
Family Portraits, Informal Family Photos, Public Servants, Clubs & Organizations, Veterans & Military Groups, Scouts, Church Groups, Performance Arts
CAT 30.00 INDIVIDUALS
Portraits, Animals, Veterans & Military Personnel
CAT 35.00 LOGGING
Camp & Mill Structures, Logging Sites, Worker Portraits
CAT 40.00 MARITIME
Timber Industry Shipping, Barges, Coast Guard, Commercial Fishing Boats, Diesel Ships, Dry Docks, Ferry Boats, Navy Vessels, Recreation Boats, Sailing Ships, SS Donbass Power Station, Tug Boats, Steamships, Launches, Shipbuilding & Repair, Maritime Structures including Wharfs and Marinas, Wrecks & Salvage, SS Milwaukee Wreck, Eureka Waterfront & Humboldt Bay, Lighthouses & Lifesaving Stations, Commercial Fishing, Steamship Advertisements
CAT 45.00 MINING, DRILLING, WATER TRANSPORTATION
CAT 50.00 COMMUNITY SITES
Parks, Sequoia Park, Fort Humboldt
CAT 60.00 RECREATION
Sports, Camping, Swimming & Boating, Horseback Riding & Racing, Automobile Racing, Kinetic Sculpture Racing, Hunting, Trapping, Sport Fishing
CAT 70.00 RURAL
Tourist Attractions, Landscapes, Humboldt Bay, Communities, Rivers & Creeks, Mountains, Prairies, Ranches, Forest
CAT 75.00 STRUCTURES
Rio Dell, Arcata Plaza, Street Scenes, Aerials & Obliques, Rural Barns & Cabins, Residences, Carson Mansion & Carson Homes, Barnum House, Industrial & Commercial, Theaters, Saloons & Card Rooms, Hotels, Schools, Churches, Hospitals, Cemeteries, Halls, Museums, Government Buildings, Construction, Demolition, Relocation
CAT 80.00 TRANSPORTATION
Horse & Oxen, Railroads, Trucks, Tractors, Pack Trails, Delivery Wagons, Ferries, Stages, Street Cars, Buses, Airplanes & Airfields, Helicopters, Blimps, Police, Fire, Emergency, Military, Public Works, Wrecks, Bridges, Road Beds
Stand Alone Collections
LLOYD STINE COLLECTION
Contains over 1000 images of Eureka streets and buildings, and over 300 images of Humboldt County structures and places. These photos were taken in the 1930s-1950s by Lloyd Stine. Each image is carefully dated with its exact location given.
SOUTHERN HUMBOLDT LIFE AND TIMES COLLECTION
Photographs taken by Margaret Brown of events in Southern Humboldt between 1988 and 1994. Events covered by this collection include Reggae on the River and the Summer Arts Festival.
HOBART BROWN COLLECTION
Photographs of Hobart Brown, the Kinetics community, and the Kinetic Sculpture Races from the 1980s through the early 2000s.
RESEARCH SERVICES
We offer research services for researchers who are not able to visit us in person. For $25/hour ($15 for members) our research assistant is available to find photographs that are relevant to your specific research questions. Digital copies of photographs may be purchased for research or personal use at $5.25. Digital images may also be purchased for commercial ($25) and non-profit ($20) publication. Submit a Media Use Request.
Other Research Materials