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The North
Peninsula is a long sandy stretch
of land between nine and ten miles long and about a
mile wide.
It is rich with history and was once considered to be the
jewel of Humboldt County. Long before the first white man
settled Humboldt County the Wiyot Indian tribe had established
a large village on one of the large islands in the Humboldt
Bay on the east side of the peninsula. This tranquil setting
afforded the Indians all of their needs. Rich with wildlife,
with abundant building material nearby, they lived in harmony
with nature for centuries. But with the coming of the white
man and the inevitable tensions which broke out as
more and
more people poured into the area, friction between the
Indians and settlers occurred and most of the Indians were
killed or transplanted to other locations in California.
Today Indian artifacts are still being found on the the
beaches and islands surrounding Humboldt Bay. Early settlers
recognized the importance of the peninsula and the deep
water channels for shipping and establish shipping and
lumbering centers along its shores. From the earliest days
of the settlers it has been an important industrial site
within Humboldt County. |
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Today the primary
industry on the peninsula is lumber and pulp manufacturing.
Simpson Lumber
Company employees most of the residence of the town of Samoa,
which is one of the last "company owned towns" in
the United States. Simpson also serves as a valued partner
in the education of the students in the area, helping to
sponsor many events which contribute to the academic program
of the children. |
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The Samoa
Cookhouse is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. Established
as the Hammond
Lumber Company Cookhouse around 1905, it served as an eating
facility for the many employees of the lumber mills in the
area. Today, owned by the Simpson Lumber Company, it serves
delicious meals in the traditional," family style",
format for which it was so well known. |
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Today tourists from all
over the world come to Samoa to eat at the cookhouse and
enjoy the delicious food and friendly family atmosphere. |
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In this photo we can see the Samoa
Post Office. It is one of the oldest building in the town
of Samoa, dating back over 100 years. It has been in continuous
service since 1894, serving the postal needs of the community. |
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The
Hostelry, one of the first buildings
in Samoa, originally served as the home of Leonard C. Hammond,
pioneer lumber baron of the region. |
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Today
it accommodates visiting Simpson Company corporate heads
and their families when they visit
the peninsula. |
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The waters of the
Pacific, which lie directly west of the peninsula have
proven treacherous
for many sailing ships and have claimed them for "Davey
Jone's Locker" In this series of photos we can see the
USS Milwaukee stranded on the shores opposite Samoa. |
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The USS
Milwaukee, while trying to
save the U.S.S. Submarine H3, on January 3, 1917, ran aground
and could not be salvaged. Remnants of the ship can still
be viewed at low tide.
CAPTION:
Josephine Lindstrom Collection
The cruiser the U.S.S. Milwaukee and the pier built to salvage
valuable equipment. Later the residents were allowed to board
the vessel to retrieve souvenirs. |
