Cultural Resources

 

 

What Are Cultural Landscapes?

Cultural landscapes are more than just physical spaces; they are living narratives that reveal the stories of the past and the ongoing relationship between people and the land. Through careful observation, these landscapes tell us how humans have shaped and been shaped by their surroundings over time.

These landscapes evolve, influenced by the ways people have used and managed the land, the political and legal frameworks that governed it, technological advances, and the economic conditions of various periods. While they continue to change, they offer an invaluable window into history, showcasing the layers of human experience embedded within the natural environment.

By exploring these landscapes, we uncover a visual and sensory journey—one that invites us to connect with those who came before us. They reveal the choices people made, the challenges they faced, and the legacies they left behind. Through this connection, cultural landscapes become more than historical sites; they become immersive experiences that help us understand our own place within the continuum of time and nature.

 

Redwood's Cultural Landscapes

Redwood National and State Parks are home to numerous historic sites that offer a glimpse into the area’s rich cultural, economic, and ecological history. These landmarks connect visitors to the stories of those who shaped the land over thousands of years and reveal the evolving relationships between people and the environment.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

• Visitor Center: Built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the Prairie Creek Visitor Center stands as a significant example of CCC construction and craftsmanship within California’s state parks.
• Boyes Prairie Orchard: Situated next to Elk Prairie, this orchard still contains fruit trees over 100 years old, preserving a piece of the area’s agricultural history.

Redwood National Park

• Lyons' Ranches Landscape: This area is significant for its historical and ongoing land management by both Native Americans and EuroAmericans, illustrating the blend of traditional and modern practices.
• Bald Hills Archeological District: This district exhibits over 4,500 years of human activity and contains numerous sites of prehistoric significance, offering insights into the lives of the region’s earliest inhabitants.
• Radar Station B-17: Located on an ocean bluff south of Klamath, this World War II radar station was used as an early warning site. The two structures include radar antennas and machine gun emplacements, demonstrating the strategic role of the coastline during wartime.
• Prairie Creek Fish Hatchery: Built in 1936 near Orick, this hatchery was one of the first small-scale facilities developed to support sport and commercial fishing. It is one of only three hatcheries constructed in California between 1871 and 1946.
• Lyons Ranch Homeplace Orchard: The park manages this orchard, which includes century-old fruit trees, preserving a historic agricultural practice that once provided sustenance and income for settlers.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

• Kelsey Trail: This historic trail once linked Crescent City to the Salmon and Trinity gold mines in the 19th century, reflecting the area’s importance during California’s gold rush era.
• Camp Lincoln: Recognized as a California state historical landmark, Camp Lincoln was a major 19th-century military outpost in Humboldt and Del Norte counties, marking its strategic significance during that time.

 

What are Historic Landscapes?

Historic landscapes are places that offer a glimpse into the past through the physical features and structures that remain today. These landscapes are shaped by human activity and represent a combination of natural and built environments that have evolved over time. They include everything from roads and trails, agricultural lands, and gardens to military sites, industrial areas, and historic buildings.

The significance of historic landscapes lies in their ability to tell stories about how people interacted with, utilized, and modified the land. They reveal patterns of settlement, cultural practices, technological advancements, and economic developments over different periods. By studying these landscapes, we gain insight into the lives of those who came before us and the ways they adapted to and influenced their surroundings.

In parks like Redwood National and State Parks, historic landscapes encompass a variety of elements—such as segments of the Old Redwood Highway, early ranching features, and World War II-era radar stations. These landscapes help us understand the region’s cultural evolution and the continued interplay between people and nature over centuries.

 

Redwood's Historic Landscapes

Redwood National and State Parks feature a diverse array of historic landscapes that highlight the rich cultural and historical heritage of the region. These landscapes encompass ranching sites, early infrastructure, military installations, and transportation routes that have shaped the development of the area over time.

Redwood National Park

• Prairie Creek Fish Hatchery: Located off Highway 101 near Orick, this hatchery was constructed in 1936 to enhance sport and commercial fishing. It is one of only three remaining hatcheries built in California between 1871 and 1946 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Lyons' Ranches Rural Historic District: In the Bald Hills, this area contains six sites associated with late 19th-century cattle and sheep ranching. The district includes eight structures from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These structures have been stabilized, and several are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Murphy’s Ranch: Situated in the Little Bald Hills, east of Crescent City, Murphy's Ranch dates from around 1884 to the 1920s. Established along the historic Kelsey Trail, this site connected Crescent City with the Salmon and Trinity gold mines.
• Trinidad Trail: A remnant of this historic trail joins the Tall Trees Grove Trail. Originally connecting coastal supply centers with gold mining sites, it was later used by homesteaders in the Bald Hills area.
• Union Gold Bluffs Placer Mine: Several sites associated with this mine, which operated from 1872 to 1901, have been identified in the Gold Bluffs Beach area.
• Radar Station B-71: This World War II radar station, located on an ocean bluff south of Klamath, was designed as an early warning site and camouflaged to appear as a barn. It includes radar antennas, two structures, and machine gun emplacements, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

• Camp Lincoln: Designated a California State Historic Landmark, Camp Lincoln consists of four structures and was one of the major 19th-century military outposts in Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Only a house and outbuilding date from the 19th century.
• Walker Ranch: Dating from the early 20th century, Walker Ranch is situated along the west side of the Smith River and includes concrete foundations, walkways, and walls.
• Huffman Ranch: Located on Howland Hill Road, this site includes a house and a large garage, showcasing early 20th-century rural architecture.
• Nickerson Ranch: Established along Mill Creek in the late 19th century, this ranch once featured a cabin, garden, and orchard. While the cabin no longer remains, the site preserves the history of early settlers.
• Other Historic Sites: The park also features the Lincoln School (built in 1871), the Tracy Property (from the 1920s or 1930s), and the Hickock House (from the 1970s).

Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park

• Old Redwood Highway: Originally constructed in 1923, this historic highway runs through the western section of the park, providing a glimpse into the early development of transportation infrastructure in the region.
• Del Norte Southern Railroad Remains: Along the Trestle Loop Trail, remnants of the Del Norte Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of Hobbs, Wall, and Company, can be found. This railroad transported lumber from the forests to Crescent City’s mill in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

• Boyes House and Orchard: In the northeastern section of Elk Prairie, this site includes an early 20th-century Bungalow Style residence, several associated structures, and a historic orchard.
• Additional Historic Sites: Other notable sites include the Huggins Homesite (occupied from 1914 to 1967 by Frederick Huggins), Caruther’s Cove Cabin, and the Old Cabin and store site.

 

Collections at the Park

The collections at Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) encompass both cultural and natural history materials that reflect the rich heritage and ecological diversity of the parks. These collections include:

• Traditional Basket Collection: A small but significant collection of traditional baskets representing the cultural craftsmanship of the region’s Native American tribes.
• Archeological Objects: Approximately 25,000 historic and prehistoric artifacts that provide insights into the long history of human activity in the area.
• Herbarium Specimens: Nearly 5,000 specimens documenting the plant diversity and ecology of the parks.
• Watershed Restoration Program Archives: Unique to RNSP, this collection contains records and items associated with the parks’ extensive watershed restoration efforts, highlighting their environmental management and conservation initiatives.

These collections are essential for park staff, supporting research, exhibit preparation, and the documentation of administrative management practices.

For access to additional collections, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR) maintains its collection in Sacramento, which is open to the public. For more information, visit their website: CDPR Collections (update link)

 

Cultural Dance Performances

Experience the rich cultural traditions of the Tolowa and Yurok Tribes through indigenous dance demonstrations held at Redwood National and State Parks and in the surrounding region. One highlight is the annual Tolowa Renewal Dance Demonstration, which takes place at the Jedediah Smith Campground along Highway 199, just west of Hiouchi. This event typically occurs in mid-July and offers visitors an opportunity to witness and connect with the cultural heritage and living traditions of the region’s Native American communities.

 

Civilian Conservation Corps

In the 1930s, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park was home to Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Company 1903, which consisted of 186 to 193 young men who lived in a temporary camp at Boyes Prairie (now known as Elk Prairie). The CCC's work at the park exemplified the era’s commitment to conservation and sustainable development.

The most notable accomplishment of CCC Company 1903 was the construction of the "concession and recreation building", which today serves as the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Visitor Center. Built using natural materials salvaged from an earlier cleanup of the prairie, the building’s construction, with the exception of window lights, plumbing, and the chimney flue, showcases the rustic "back to nature" design ethos that characterized National Park Service architecture during the 1920s and 1930s.

Designed to blend seamlessly with its environment, the building reflects the CCC’s efforts to restore and preserve the natural prairie landscape, creating a visitor center that harmonizes with the surrounding redwood forest and open prairie.