The Humboldt Project

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The Humboldt Project

collecting and sharing local postcards since 2010

07/26/2026

no. 06516 Cooper jumbo postcard featuring a view of a redwood grove along Hwy 101; mailed to South Central PA from SF precisely 33 yrs ago, on the verso the cards author gives highlights and lowlights of the group's voyage to the west coast:

"HI! WE MADE SAN FRANCISCO TODAY
AT 10:15 AFTER A 500 MILE TRIP
DOWN THE COAST FROM MID-OREGON-
LONG RIDE! SAW A HOST OF "BIG" TREES.
ON THE WAY OUT TO THE COAST (IN
MONTANA) YOUR YELLOW EMERGENCY
AIR PUMP CAME IN HANDY-WE
BLEW OUT A CAMPER TIRE GOING
ABOUT 65 MPH ON I-90. TOMORROW
IS CABLE CAR DAY.

CRCK"

07/25/2026

no. 06803 new to the collection
Ericson real photo postcard featuing a view of the Jacoby Storehouse following 1907 Brizard enlargement; the Union Hotel can be seen next door; on the verso we learn that the card was targeted for Miss Christine Iverson of Arcata, by Mrs. Sherman

07/24/2026

no. 05439 chrome card featuring a view of the russian river; mailed to Oakland on this day in 1970:

"WEBB LAKE-

Hello folks. We are all
fine & in good health &
hope you folks are too
It is real nice up
here now. not too
many around here now
sure hope it keeps up
that way. will be back
before the first of Aug &
Dont get a H.C. Ill
do it. Best Wishes Alan"

07/23/2026

no. 06515 a view of an Excelsior log train leaving the Freshwater valley is found on an Ericson postcard mailed to Knappa, Oregon on this day in 1907. Located in NW Oregon, Knappa is a small community situated on the south bank of the Columbia River, approximately 12 miles from its mouth at Astoria. In their msg on the front, Ed & Ethel [sp] in Shively acknowledge receipt of the recent postcard and provide assurance that everything is A-OK:

"Received you card this
Evening. Was glad to hear
from you. We like it fine
down here. Better come down.
How is everything at K.
Good-bye,
Sincerely yours Ed & Ethel"

07/22/2026

no. 06509 on this day in 1929, a father writes home on the back of real photo postcard featuring a group of autos assembled at Coolidge Redwood Park:

[exo]
"Camp for night July 22, 1929"
[verso]
"Wednesday, 4 P.M.
Dear Grace, & Charles,
I life Alices place at 9 this morning. Ateing
lunch, at Garberville, had a cup of coffee
at Coolidge Park, the road has been good
most of the way, and the day is fair. I'll
drive till dark, and then sleep. Love from Dad."

Also known as Underwood Park for its association with the family of the same name, this large alluvial flat south of Leggett has been home to several generations of "drive-thru" trees, the first of which was The "Coolidge Tree". By 1938 it appeared to be failing so it was fallen and a nearby tree was tunnelled and took up the mantle. Known as the "Chandelier Tree", to this day it still serves as a portal to visiting throngs of tourists, who tuck in their side mirrors and squeeze modern autos through its 90-year old cavity.

07/21/2026

no. 06514 penant greeting postcard mailed to the East Bay on this day in 1914; the caption on the exo is tailored to suit the location of the cards author, who otherwise finds resonance with the stock msg:

"Dear Elsie: Just a line to
tell you what a lovely time
I had Saturday night. It
was an all night dance. It
started at half past nine and
stoped at half past three. I had
every dance there was. Every-
body asked the floor manager
to introduce me to them. I had
a lovely partner for supper.
I just had the loveliest
time Just the time of my life.
How is Queenie give her my love.
Now you be sure and be
good for her. With love.
From Elva R. Write soon."

07/20/2026

no. 02719 real photo postcard mailed by the photographer to customer Charles Griesbach in Briceland, 119 yrs ago. THP no. 02720 provided for reference.

The Griesbach family has ties to Alderpoint. Chas. worked as a logger and was stationed in both Shively and Briceland during this period. He was also courting Minnie Cox, who's family operated the Briceland Hotel. They Cox's began leasing and operating the Bridgeville Hotel in 1906 and purchased it in 1912. Charles and Minnie would eventually wed and have two children Robert and Thoret.

*thanks to Jessie Wheeler, for sharing information about the Cox and Griesbach families. Jessie's grandfather Henry Cox Jr. became the brother-in-law of Chas Griesbach following his marriage to sister Minnie.

the author of both image and message was none other than Ray Jerome Baker, who worked in Humboldt County as a professional photographer between 1905 and 1910. A splendid photographer who masterfully captured landscapes, structures, and scenes throughout the county including many areas of southern and southwestern Humboldt. In 1908 RJ and wife Edith made a trip to Hawaii, having heard much praise of the island in 1907 from Jack London during his voyage through our region --they became lifelong comrades, literally and figuratively as both were avowed socialists. The Bakers would move to the big island permanently not long after, setting up shop in Honolulu. Ray continued to work in the photograph arts for the rest of his life, where he is known for extensively documenting the islands and their people.

07/18/2026

no. 06736 newest member of the collection; real photo postcard w/ aerial view of Dolbeer & Carson company's Eureka operations

THP no. 02160 provided for reference

07/17/2026

no. 05412 real photo postcard by W. Gorden Bendore featuring a view of the bluffs along the Redwood Highway north of Redway (today's Redwood Drive), the Wood Ranch can be seen in the distance. The card was mailed from Willits to Eureka on this day in 1928, sent from a husband to his wife. Both were residents of the lovely home located at 615 J Street, the grounds of which occupied an entire city block. The couple was of course Charles Sumner Carson and Amelia Carson. The property was put up for sale after Amelia's passing in 1957 and sat on the market for many years. The Carson's home was demolished in 1968 to allow er****on of a new building to house the Times-Standard newspaper, created through the recent merger of the two daily papers, the Humboldt Times and the Humboldt Standard. Don O'Kane was owner of the Standard at the time and played a pivotal role in the merger and redevelopment of the site.

"Amelia E. Carson
615 - J. St.
Eureka, Cal.
Arrived at Willits
9 P.M. going on
to Petaluma
will get there
about 1-P.M.
C.S.C.
July 16 - '28"

Both Charles and Amelia are buried at Eureka's Sunset Memorial Cemetary. It has often been said that ease and speed of the home's demolition alarmed many locals and helped galvanize the city's local historical preservation movement and the citizen-led effort to survey and identify historical buildings that was undertaken in the years that followed.

thanks to J Scott Shannon for helping add this card to collection

07/16/2026

no. 03994 a view of people and early autos in front of the Willow Creek Hotel are found on a real photo postcard by Ericson, mailed to the Vaissades of Arcata on this day in 1911; on the verso is found a China Flat postmark, which speaks to WC's prior branding; in their msg the author remarks on the warm weather and the absence of Mabel whilst announcing that the away parties return to coastal summer gloom remains as yet uncertain:

"Having a fine
time. Not quite
so hot weather as at
first but still it
is warm enough
for us. We hear that
Mabel is not expected
to get up here till
next week -- Haven't any idea
yet when we will go back.
M. is Fine. M."

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