roadhound

I'll have to get some more information from my mother. She has a photo of the road taken while it was under construction. Next time I have a chance I'll scan and post it so that maybe someone will recognize where it is. Roadhound

Interesting find mobilene. My Great-Grandfather, on my mothers side, was the superintendant of a section of the Kings Road as it was being built somewhere in the Toronto area during the 1930's. I haven't been able to pin down exactly where but according to my mother there was a summit on the road named after him.

Nice shots Dale, you captured the essence of the old road. That's a section I hope to drive someday. Where you able to make it all the way into Ely or did you have to double back? When you're out in the middle of nowhere its nice to have those Lincoln markers to confirm that you're on the right road, isn't it? Roadhound

Dale, I was out in that area last summer and while I didn't get as specific as you are in you're search there was a few things that I did discover. I doubt very much that you will find Ruth. That area is all open pit copper mines that have expanded greatly over the last 70 years. From the east the road ends at a mining operation and from the west I suspect that you would have the same result. If Ruth is there it is not in its original location at the time of the Lincoln. We did explore the area around Hamilton and were on gravel roads that were marked as Lincoln Highway. We didn't make it to Belmont Mills though. Good luck and good hunting, I look forward to hearing what you find. Roadhound

You're absolutely right. Time to wrap this report up. Day 4 was the day to do something that my daughter wanted to do. She is horse-crazy and wanted a horse ride included in the trip. Before leaving home I located a stable just north of Trinidad and set the time for our ride. Unfortunately the stable had a weight limit that I was slightly over so I was left to explore on my own while the family went riding through the redwoods near Humboldt Lagoons State Park. My daughter on horseback. I first went out to the highway. In a meadow not far from the horse stables I happened upon a herd of Roosevelt Elk grazing. At first all I could see were the cows and fawns. As I made my way out to the herd with my 400mm lens and tripod I could hear a young boy calling me from the direction of a nearby campground. I thought he was going to tell me I couldn't go out in the field but instead he wanted to join me. I didn't mind and told him he could tag along as long as he didn't spook the elk. Well, Troy decided that my pictures would look better if he yelled and got their attention so that they were looking at me. As he was making loud noises I saw a pair of antlers rise from the deep grass and start heading my way. The buck was definitely in a defensive mode and Troy suddenly got quiet. We kept about 50 yards distance as he slowly escorted his herd further away. After the family returned from their horse ride we headed further north toward Orick. Along the way we did find the Old State Highway that goes towards Orick. I knew it was the right road because there was a sign that said "Old State Highway." Sorry, no pictures. As I posted in the planning thread for this trip we did find the Orick Inn after having lunch at the local diner in Orick.As we ventured north we made a stop in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and hiked Fern Canyon. I could have sat on a log all day and watched the ferns move in the breeze and listen to the water flow. Truly peaceful. The guide at the visitors center said that parts of Jurassic Park were shot here. It certainly had that feel to it. Our final destination for the day was Crescent City. I didn't know much about Crescent City before arriving there but have since learned that its biggest industry is the State Prison just north of town and it is susceptible to tsunamis. There have been 17 of them to hit between 1943 and 1994. The most devastating was in 1964 when 289 buildings were destroyed. Ironically, the Surf Motel survived and is still standing today. Just before sundown I ventured out to the Battery Point Lighthouse. What is interesting about this lighthouse is that there is a landbridge at low tide that allows access to the island. One has to be careful about getting stuck on the island when the tide is rising. Lets just say I got a bit carried away shooting pictures of the pelicans in flight and leave it at that. Our final day was spent with a day trip north of the Oregon border to the town of Brookings. We found a great beach to relax on and spend the day playing in the sand and taking more pictures of pelicans. Brookings is considered part of the Oregon banana belt with mild temperatures. In a previous posting the comment was made about post trip research. The building of the road north to Crescent City is an interesting one that involves erratic ferry service, floods, and the use of redwood planks as a roadbed. As I learn more I will share it.

So why am I putting a picture of the Coast Guard Cutter Eagle in the middle of this trip report? As part of my post trip research I stumbled upon a little factoid about the Redwood Empire Association that I wasn't aware of. The Redwood Empire Association was formed in 1920 as a response to losing federal funding to Southern California with the goal of raising funds to improve the roadways in Northern California. One of their biggest accomplishments was the funding for the bridge in the background of this picture, probably one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. So, while I prep a few more pictures to wrap up this trip report please enjoy this photo that was taken upon my return from this trip. Roadhound

Ahhhh, you know the hand wave I am talking about. Very friendly and somewhat comforting when your driving out in the middle of nowhere. I did get a few head nods too. Maybe it was due to driving in the truck. The settlement in the first picture is a ranch that I assume runs most of the cattle we saw grazing along the side of that stretch of the road. Most of the land in that area is private property and used for grazing cattle. Its not until you get south of the Mattole River that it becomes conservation area. I have to confess to being a bit neglegient and slightly inept when it comes capturing the feel of these small towns. I didn't take any pictures of the General Store and the only thing I did shoot in Petrolia was the Catholic Church on the hillside. The town of Petrolia consists of only a few dozen dwellings that I could see. I did see some children in front of their homes but I don't recall seeing a schoolhouse. I would hate to think that they had to travel to Ferndale every day to get to school. The building that housed the General Store was nothing spectacular, flat roof, glass door, about 60 feet square. It didn't look like a particularly old building and I guess it could have been built any time in the last 40 or 50 years.The inside of the General Store had a bit of everything, groceries, hardware, and the other basic necessities that a person might need to purchase when your 45 winding miles from the next town. The lady behind the counter was friendly, asked us where we were from, and gave us directions to the beach. I don't recall seeing any newspapers from the previous week lying around or a dog either. Maybe because we were there on a Wednesday and everyone was working. >>edit I found this on Wikipedia after posting the above. Petrolia is located on the Mendocino Triple Junction, where three fault lines meet. It is thus at the center of frequent earthquake activity. The last large earthquake to affect the area was a 7.1 earthquake in 1992 [11] which resulted in a fire that destroyed the Petrolia General Store. The store was rebuilt in a more modern architectural style than the 100 year old landmark that it replaced. As usual I find out more about a place after I return from a trip. Now I can go back armed with a little bit of knowledge ;-) << Roadhound

Thanks Mobiline. It is a land untouched by CalTrans. I may have neglected to mention that the whole region is called the Lost Coast, and there is a reason for that. Its a rugged landscape that gets between 120-200 inches of rain a year. Fortunately much of the area is now protected by the Kings Range National Conservation Area and Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Roadhound

The third day of our journey was the big adventure day of the trip. We started the morning in Fortuna and got an early start heading out through Ferndale towards the coast. If KTSoTR will allow me I would like to redisplay the map that he posted when I was gathering information to plan this trip. The route we followed is identified as 335 on the map and I would say with a fair level of confidence that the only thing that has changed since that map was printed in 1915 was a short section that was realigned near Petrolia, maybe a slight bit of road widening, and it does now have asphalt. We followed 335 to Petrolia and then took the road, Lighthouse Road, that goes to the beach. Mattole Road rises, dips, winds, sways, and shimmies its way over the coast mountains that lie southeast of Ferndale and finally emerges at the Pacific Ocean at Cape Mendocino. Mattole Road at Cape Mendocino Petrolia is primarily an agricultural community with ranches in the surrounding area. Although, it is also the site of California's first oil well which was drilled in the 1850's. We stopped at the General Store in Petrolia for sandwich fixins before continuing onto Lighthouse Road and Mattole Beach. Mattole Beach After lunch at Mattole Beach we got back in the truck and took a single lane dirt road over the hill towards the location of the Punta Gorda Lighthouse. The 4x4 wasn't needed but comforting to have anyway. The last section of road wound down a steep hill to the trailhead of the hike to the lighthouse. We parked on a bluff overlooking the ocean where my wife and daughter stayed and read a book while enjoying the million dollar view of the ocean while my son and I went for a hike. Rocky at Punta Gorda Looking Down the Bluff at Punta Gorda I estimate that the winds blowing on the top of the bluff were gusting in the 50's range. My son and I hiked down the trail to the beach which was easy and I didn't allow myself to think about the 500 feet that I would eventually hike back up. The lighthouse, or what remains of the lighthouse, is a mile further south. Rusted Buoy on the Beach with the Punta Gorda Lighthouse in the Background The Punta Gorda Lighthouse was built in 1912 and shut down in 1951 when it was deemed no longer necessary. There are foundations for the three lightkeepers quarters which were burned down to prevent squatters in the 60's. Punta Gorda Lighthouse Overlooking the Pacific Ocean We hiked back along the beach, up the bluff, and drove back out towards civilization the way we had come. I realized on the drive back through Petrolia and along Mattole Road that I was getting a wave from the drivers of the cars that we were passing. It was just a slight raise of the hand with the palm still resting on the steering wheel. I found it very friendly and to make sure I fit in I started reciprocating the gesture. It was much different than the gestures I get driving the freeway at home. We did stop for a few minutes to walk through the Victorian town of Ferndale on the way back. Unfortunately it was late in the day and most of the shops were closing up. We were also tired and hungry and ready to get to a motel room in Eureka. Roadhound

The Eel and the Klamath are both notorious for tremendous flooding and have done quite a bit to shape that region of California. I suppose you are right about the bridge but I figured by the time the floodwaters got high enough to start carrying logs down the river it would be well above the top of that bridge. Looks like it would be easy enough to rebuild though. I've read that about Pacific Lumber as well. Even though Scotia is no longer a company town it is still clean and well taken care of, especially in contrast to Rio Dell, the town on the north side of the bridge. If you're in the area the Scotia Inn is worth a stop. Roadhound

We took a detour off of the Avenue of the Giants and took the Dyerville loop through Fruitland and then followed the Eel River back to the highway. From Fruitland and along the unpaved section of road in the picture below, was part of the auto route that pre-dated US 101. It would have been part of the original Redwood Empire Road. The road to Devil's Elbow When the kids have extra energy to burn give them a 10 second head start then chase them across a bridge. This bridge crosses the Eel River and I believe it was used either as part of a quarry or logging operation. We used it to get across the river and find a place to picnic. The bridge isn't high above the river level so it must be able to withstand lots of water flowing over it considering that the Eel has flooded numerous times with water levels in the 70 foot range. Before we got back to the US 101 we passed through this redwood grove. We stopped and just listened to the wind rocking the 320' tall trees back and forth. After the driving through more redwood groves we stopped in the company town of Scotia before continuing on to our lodgings in Fortuna. Scotia is worth a visit if for no other reason than to see what a company owned town looks like.

Great trip report Denny. It's always interesting seeing someone else's perspective on someplace that you had just been. In addition to the Avenue of the Giants and California's North Coast, we took the family to the Legion of Honor and spent two days in San Francisco as part of the staycation during the second week of our vacation. I do regret not getting my pictures of the Crescent City area up before you traveled through but it looks like you were able to see as much as you could given the time you had. Roadhound

What would a road trip through the Redwood Empire be without a few pictures of old roads lined with magnificent trees? This stretch of road lies just south of Benbow. This section was likely bypassed in the 60's when a new bridge was built at Smith Point and the highway realigned. Approximate location 40° 3'23.45"N 123°47'13.68"W The Benbow Inn. This looks like a great place for a romantic getaway if I ever saw one. The interior is nicely done and the entire facility has been well maintained. A small river runs behind and under an arched bridge. On the other side of the road, to the left in the picture, is the Eel River. The roadway in the foreground is the old US 101 roadbed. 40° 4'2.92"N 123°47'25.03"W Avenue of the Giants near Phillipsville. Approximate location 40°15'13.16"N 123°49'19.36"W More to come... Roadhound

You know what we need? Somebody to write a really good "Greetings From the Redwood Highway" book and have these questions already answered. If such a book exists I haven't found it yet. Rick

We have a match! Thanks for clearing that up. I am still curious about why the 1915 add looks so much different. Perhaps they did some extensive remodeling between then and when the postcard drawing was made. I wish I had known to look for the auto court. I saw some structures that may have come close a little further north on 101 at the other end of town but there were no signs indicating what they were that I could see. One thing that I did notice throughout the Orick-Crescent City area was a number of auto courts that were still standing. Some were in better shape than others but there seemed to be more than I usually see on a road trip. The "complete report" is probably going to be shared in bits and pieces. Think of it as an extended after vacation slide show. I'll post pictures as I process them with a little description of what they are. Hopefully they will be in some sort of order and right side up. The Chandelier Tree is located in a redwood grove near Legget. As you can see it was a tight squeeze and Mrs. Roadhound did a good job of guiding Rocinante straight through the base of the 315 foot tall coastal redwood. The antenae was scraping the inside of the tree and the mirrors are folded back to make it through.

Is it or isn't it? The owner of the diner just down the street told me that the structure pictured in my photo above was once the Orick Inn. The size looks to be close but there are some obvious differences in the structure and window configuration. I could not get a good angle of the backside without going on private property but there was a peaked roof jutting out. The owner of the diner also said that somebody was rebuilding it. I did walk along the side of the building and there is a lot of work needed. Roadhound

Last month I took a journey with the family into California's Redwood Empire. While I am just beginning to prep the photos for posting there was one in particular that I wanted to share sooner rather than later. Before the journey started somebody shared with me a picture from this same location taken a couple of years earlier. I tried to recreate the image as closely as I could from memory. I'll post my view of the shot and let him decide if he wants to post the link to his. The roadside attraction is located at 39°54'57.25"N 123°45'59.23"W and was closed on the Sunday afternoon when we stopped there. More images to follow in the near future. Roadhound

I think a classic family road trip would need to have at least the following components: • Stop at some tourist attraction along the way The more obscure and unique the better • Stay in a motel with a connected diner • Take some pictures How much is some? I may go overboard on this one • Have kids in the back seat Sadly I may not have many more of those road trips left • Require a map be brought along detailed, not one of those cheap ones that only show the interstates, and if possible a scanned copy of select pages from an old road guide

What is\was the definition of the classic family road trip? Growing up our family road trips where always with a purpose of one sort or another. Typically it was to get from our home to someplace else to see someone or something. I can only recall one time when traveling with my parents where the road was a focus on our journey and that was because a slower, more scenic route, was chosen to get us somewhere to see someone. The roads we traveled "back in the day" are probably some of the same 2 lane roads I choose to drive today for pleasure but I don't recall my father thinking of them from a historical perspective. We never stopped to look for a cut in the hill that had been bypassed or forgotten section of pavement like I make my kids look at. More often he was looking for a break in the oncoming traffic so that he could pass the slow moving truck in front of us. Today the old road is nearly empty and you do have time to contemplate the history while driving. I think those of us that participate on this forum and still have a family to lug around are in the minority when we avoid the I-roads. Most people just want to get where there going and don't think to enjoy the journey, that's too bad. I am not saying that I completely avoid the Interstates altogether. My trips always have a defined end date and sacrifices have to be made in order to enjoy the attractions and people that we do want to see along the way. Sometimes making time on the Interstate is necessary. KTSOTR is right on in his portrayal of families speeding along at 75 MPH and only stopping for gas but he forgot to mention the kids in the back seat watching movies or playing with their Game Boy's. I used to enjoy sitting in the back seat, staring at the scenery passing by, picking a point up the road and guessing how far away it was then watch the odometer to see how closely I guessed. More frequent stops were probably a necessity back then too since there was less to keep the passengers amused plus not as many cars would have had the comforts of today's vehicle. I have tried to generate an appreciation of the land were traveling through, and the time we are together as a family, in my children. Stopping in the small town and getting a chocolate dipped soft serve at a Foster Freeze, with the requisite melted ice cream running down your arm, will always be more memorable than a soda and box of Zours at the Shell Station at exit 279. Bottom line IMHO is that the family road trip isn't dead as long as there are some of us that will still take the time and journey at the roads pace. Let those that want to get from A-B quickly stay on the Interstate, it just means more open road for me. Roadhound

Thanks for sharing that Dave. I know I'm repeating myself but I feel fortunate to have seen it before the earthquake and actually know that I was looking at a place with some history. I doubt that many of the folks zooming by on I-80 had any clue what was there. I don't see how they will be able to recover and restore without state or federal assistance. Sad.

There are a couple of candidates on the west side of the river, opposite the the side that the road is currently on, but nothing I could find labeling the rock by name or matching the distance out of Calpella. If Black Bart rock was on the east bank of the river it is very likely that it was removed at some point during highway construction. There is a significant cut in the hillside at almost the five mile mark.

Denny, A couple of things that may be worth seeing while you are passing through Leggett: The Chandelier Tree is on the old alignment of 101 and provided you aren't in a massive RV you can drive through it. It is well marked(My Tundra made it through, just barely, with the mirrors folded back and the antenae scraping the inside of the tree). Also, further south on the old alignment after it crosses back over 101 are a pair of concrete arch bridges within 1/4 mile of each other. I only caught a glimpse of them, as we had just gotten back on the highway, but they may be worth taking a look at. There is not much in the way of lodging in the Legget area so you should plan on either Garberville or Fort Bragg. Cheers, Roadhound

Dave I think it is the support for a 1923 bridge but I don't think it is the one just south of the County Line. Based on the alignment of the river I think it was the next bridge south of the Fish Crk bridge. I now wish I had followed the road on the west side of the river a bit to see if there were any more signs. Hope your picture hunting was a success. I took a lot of pictures under foggy conditions over the last few days. Roadhound

Dave, I am pleased to note that the hill south of Orick is driveable and extremely easy to find. Just look for the sign stating "Old State Highway." There are some houses tucked away along the road so the road is maintained...somewhat. I also inquired with the locals about the Orick Inn and was directed to a building that looked similar to the picture you had posted, but not exactly. Its close enough that without the scanned image for reference you might think it was the same building but I walked around the building as much as I could trying to find the same angle but wasn't able to match it up. I'll post the image as soon as I go through my images and let you decide. Based on the Google Earth image you posted I followed the 1921 alignment. In fact, right where you put "1921" was a section of road that had obviously been washed out by the river at some point and a single lane gravel road was graded into the hillside. I'm not so sure about the bridge you labeled as "1934." That bridge is not much more than a single lane wide and goes to a campground. It is also far to close to the water level to be a highway bridge. The bridges I was referring to in my previous post were further south. #1 is the current 101 roadway north and south. #2 is the 1934 Smith Point Bridge #3 is the approximate location of the bridge pier. The picture below is taken from the east bank of the river and the pier is on the west bank of the river. Roadhound

Hey Keep (or anyone else that can answer), I was doing some early morning exploring 2 days ago in the area of Benbow along the Eel River. I found a bridge behind the Benbow Inn dated 1931 and then further South (about 5 miles) I found the Smith Point Bridge dated 1934. The original Smith Point Bridge is directly parallel to the current 101 bridge but about 20 feet lower. (on Mapquest it shows as Benbow Drive) Approximately 1/2 mile north of those 2 bridges, on the western side of the Eel River is a large support for another bridge with a corresponding landing on the east side of the river. There is also a footing in the river bed near the east side. I am sure that the eastern landing can't be seen on google earth because their is a tree growing up through the middle of it. Of course, there is no bridge there now. My question to you sir is: Was their a predecessor to the 1934 Smith Point Bridge? I will share pictures as soon as I can. Sorry I don't have exact coordinates for you but it should be easy to spot on Google Earth. Roadhound