They cleared several acres and built a crude cabin to shelter them from the winter. Soon more settlers began to arrive.

After several years, Steven Shaw sold his claim, moved to San Francisco, and became an artist. Seth remained and built the first large house in the area. He named his home Fern (space) Dale, and years later when this house became the first post office, the town adopted the name, but without the space.

Soon it became evident that the cleared land was ideally suited for dairying and cattle raising. By 1890 there were eleven separate creameries operating in the immediate Ferndale area. Ferndale butter was considered the finest in the state.

Dairying gave Ferndale a stable industry, but it was not the sole reason for the town's growth and prosperity. During the last part of the 19th century, Ferndale became an important transportation center and the largest city in Humboldt County. It had a port for sea-going vessels on the Salt River and was the terminus for stagecoach lines to Bear River and Mattole River to the south, with other stages going north and east.

In 1884 a better road was built inland, largely through the use of Chinese labor. Still known by its historic name, Wildcat Road leaves the south end of Ferndale to climb into the hills at about the site of the original Shaw cabin. In 1911 Fernbridge was constructed connecting Ferndale with the rest of the county. An engineering marvel of its day, it was the world's longest concrete arch span ever built to that date, and is one of only two still in use in the world today.

Like many rural towns of the late 19th century, Ferndale had its own racetrack on the northern edge of town. It was used for spirited local horse racing contests, fairs, and on several occasions, was host to county agricultural exhibits. In 1897 it became the permanent home of the Humboldt County Fair, the longest uninterrupted county fair in California.

The development of Humboldt Bay, the completion of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad between San Rafael and Eureka in 1915, and the later completion of Highway 101 marked the end of Ferndale's importance as a transportation Center. Today Ferndale is five miles off the beaten path, with dairying as its single largest industry.

Back to the Norcal Home Page...