Northern California's Lost Coast

Tammy Durston

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2017
• Topic: History
• Print ISBN:
  9781467125444
• Subtopic: North American History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781439659878
• Index: History

The Lost Coast is one of the last undeveloped stretches of the California coastline, with mountains that rise thousands of feet from the sea. Located approximately 200 miles north of San Francisco, this remote area of pristine beauty is comprised of jagged cliffs, rocky shorelines, and black sand beaches. It is the only significant stretch of California without a highway. Rich in natural resources, the area was once a haven for Native Americans such as the Coast Yuki, Sinkyone, Mattole, and the Wiyot. Now it is a secluded landscape with a few isolated towns surrounded by conservation areas. The famed Lost Coast Trail begins in northern Mendocino County in the Sinkyone Wilderness and continues up into Humboldt County and the King Range National Conservation Area. During the 1800s, the Lost Coast bustled with logging settlements and mill towns. After logging wound down, those towns disappeared, and only remnants of their existence remain. From Westport north to Ferndale, this book showcases historical photographs from libraries, historical societies, and residents.

One

HISTORY AND
EARLY INHABITANTS

The Lost Coast is truly the last remaining stretch of undeveloped land in California. Native Americans lived in the inland valleys and sometimes along the coastline. Those who lived inland traveled to the coast for seasonal food. Now, the area is primarily known for the Lost Coast Trail, which follows the coastline from the mouth of the Mattole River to Usal. Charles Nordhoff, in his article Northern California 100 Years Ago, published in Harper’s, writes this about the Northern California coastline: “You will see, in Mendocino County, one of the most remarkable coasts in the world, eaten by the ocean into the most singular and fantastic shapes . . . you descend from what appears to you an indeterminable mass of mountains suddenly into a plain, and pass from deep forests shading the mountain-road at once into a prairie valley, which nature made ready to the farmer’s hands, taking care even to beautify it for him.” This photograph showcases the terrain that characterizes the Lost Coast. (Author’s collection.)

Many Native Americans lived in the Lost Coast area for thousands of years before European explorers and white settlers arrived. Plentiful acorns and abundant salmon created an environment where they could thrive. Native Americans divided themselves by language. The common term “tribes” was invented by Europeans and not used by the Native Americans themselves. The Athabascan-speaking groups occupied almost the entire southern and eastern parts of what is now Humboldt County. According to Two Peoples, One Place by Ray Raphael and Freeman House, there were more than 20 different groups in this region, with several variations between them. For example, in the north, the Athabascan culture was similar to that of the Pacific Northwest Indians with their dependence on salmon. In the south, Native Americans were more aligned with the central California cultures and their use of acorns. Along the Lost Coast, the groups from north to south included the Wiyots, the Bear River Mattoles, the Mattoles, the Sinkyones, and the Coast Yukis. This map shows groups by language. (Mattole Valley Historical Society [MVHS].)

The Lost Coast is comprised of mountains, meadows, and the sea. The mountains rise in elevation very quickly from sea level, which creates very steep, jagged cliffs. Tucked between the two are meadows and small valleys. Native Americans managed the land in various methods, such as cultivation, pruning, selected harvesting, as well as planting. The above photograph shows the prairie and mountains in the Cooskie Range. The photograph below is of the coastline near Cape Mendocino. (Above, MVHS; below, Humboldt State University.)

Salmon was one of the staples of Native American diets. The seasonal salmon run often involved ceremonies called the first-run salmon rites (Sinkyones.) During the salmon run, the entire village would camp along the river. This photograph was taken in 1923 by photographer Edward Curtis. (Library of Congress.)

Fishing weirs were used by the Bear Rivers and the Mattoles. Although this photograph is of a fishing weir on the Trinity River, the design is similar to what was used. A very important component of the weir was the cordage. Fibers of the wild iris were considered to be the strongest. Some weirs were fixed and some were handheld. The Mattoles used fixed weirs to catch salmon. (Library of Congress.)

Shellfish were plentiful along the coast of Mendocino and Humboldt Counties. This is a photograph from 1894 of two Wiyot women preparing for clam digging. Razor clams are plentiful on the North Coast. (Library of Congress.)

Acorns were tremendously important for many Native Americans. A large oak could yield 500 to 1,000 pounds of acorns per season. Tan oak acorns were the preferred type, but the Indians used what was available. The basic steps in preparing acorns are drying, grinding, leaching, and cooking. This photograph from 1924 shows a Pomo woman cooking acorns. (Library of Congress.)

Baskets were an essential item for daily duties, ranging from gathering seeds to food storage to carrying children. Many other plants contributed to the Native American diet, from huckleberries to manzanita and madrone fruits. Various grassland seeds were ground into pinole. Plants were also widely used for medicine. The Sinkyones used Sitka spruce and coast redwood fibers for baskets. (Both, Library of Congress.)

Housing varied by Native American group. The Mattoles, Bear Rivers, and Sinkyones had wedge-shaped structures, almost like lean-tos. In the northern area, planks were used after being split with elk horn wedges. Temporary houses were also excavated and constructed out of brush in a circular fashion with a center beam and used during the hunting season. They were abandoned after the season ended. These homes are similar to central California Indian dwellings. Sweathouses were also constructed. The above photograph shows a typical home; the photograph below shows a later version using planks, as well as white and European influence. (Above, Humboldt State University; below, MVHS.)

Many Native American villagers lived by the Eel River and traveled on it by canoe. The redwood canoe was very important. Not only did it offer transportation, but it also allowed access to waterways such as the Eel River, picture...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1. History and Early Inhabitants
• 2. Northern Lost Coast
• 3. Southern Lost Coast