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Local Ladies History: Laura Perrott Mahan

12/16/2018

13 Comments

 
I discovered my local history hero while working as an interpreter at Humboldt Redwoods State Park in 2017 after finding a green plaque surrounded by stumps in an otherwise unlogged old growth forest.
Laura Perrott Mahan was born in Loleta CA on November 29, 1867 at Singley Hill on the family farm. She was an organizer and an action taker that, alongside other local women, galvanized early local support for saving the Redwoods.
Picture
Plaque on Mahan Loop Trail in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Notice the adjacent stump of an old growth redwood. Photo from Wikimedia Commons
In 1923, Save the Redwoods League (SRL) was slowly purchasing land adjacent to the “Redwood Highway” to protect it from logging. Conservation efforts within the California Federation of Women’s Clubs, as promoted by President Clara Bradley Burdette, were catching on throughout the state. Laura, a member of the Eureka Women’s Club and participant in the California Federation knew that bringing their yearly conference to Eureka may be just what was needed to protect a marvelous, threatened grove right alongside the Eel and the mouth of Bull Creek. Laura led the charge to bring the Federation yearly meeting to the Eureka Inn in 1923, and won the bid. Part of the conference included taking the participants on a trip to the Eel River, where Eureka club women announced their plans to save the very grove they were standing in. A dollar from each member in the state would raise enough to be matched by the state and save the grove. The campaign worked, $45,000 was raised, the grove was saved, and Julia Morgan was chosen to design the Hearthstone monument commemorating the women’s work, located within the new grove, widely known nowadays as Women’s Fed.
Picture
Laura Perrott Mahan, courtesy of the Humboldt County Historical Society
Picture
Photo in Humboldt Redwoods State Park by Katie Buesch
Only a year later, SRL was working with legislators in Sacramento to save a grove across the Eel River from Dyerville. The League made an agreement with Pacific Lumber to temporarily pause logging on the land until a deal was made. Laura caught word that logging had resumed in the Dyerville forest, and she and her husband raced to the woods. Pacific Lumber Company had started cutting trees through the forest to put in a railroad spur in order to access the Bull Creek forest. Laura, being a wealthy white woman who was relatively well known, stood in front of the logging equipment and stopped the loggers in their tracks while her husband took the news back to Eureka, filing a formal injunction against further logging in the area. The community rallied against the logging, and the grove was eventually saved and named after the founders of SRL. On the site of Laura’s protest, about a half mile into the woods from the Founder’s Grove plaque, there is a plaque commemorating the event alongside a few redwood stumps of the trees that fell before Laura’s arrived.
Picture
The Women's Federation Hearthstone, designed by Julia Morgan of Hearst Castle and Asilomar fame. Photo by Katie Buesch
When I visit Founder’s Grove and Women’s Fed, I think of Laura and thank her for her work, and for the work of the women, many now lost to history, who stood with her to save the redwoods.  ​​​
13 Comments
Milton J Phegley
12/20/2018 07:41:47 am

And a noted painter of the redwoods.....

Reply
Angelique Perrott
1/29/2019 12:41:44 pm

Laura is my great great aunt. Her work was so important and I think it needs saying that she was brave as well in an era where women were supposed to be seen but not heard.

Reply
Heather
2/7/2020 10:21:45 am

I have one of her paintings. Beautiful Hydrangeas in a Mason jar on a windowsill. I bought it in Santa Cruz over 15 years ago for my Cabin in the Redwoods because it reminded me of the Hydrangeas in front of our Cabin that have been growing strong since I was a little girl. I knew nothing of Laura when I purchased..i tried to research the name when i bought it but came up with nothing. Last year I looked up her name again and was amazed to finally find out about her! Especially because I love the Redwood Forest too. There is even an Albino Redwood Tree in my neck of the woods! I will post pictures on my Instagram. Find me at heathers_loft

Reply
Katie
8/27/2020 01:53:53 pm

Hi Heather. I did a quick Google search to see if there is any of Laura Mahan’s art on the market right now. I found this: https://www.1stdibs.com/art/paintings/landscape-paintings/laura-mahan-mokelumne-hill-california-landscape/id-a_3059901/. According to the gallery, this Laura Mahan was born in 1942 and has lived her whole life in Santa Cruz. Laura Perrott Mahan died in 1937. You said you bought your piece in Santa Cruz. So now I’m wondering which Laura Mahan is the artist who created your hydrangeas?
-Nancy Ely (email [email protected] and I can give you her email to reply back)

Braid Kopling
8/3/2020 04:51:20 pm

I am researching info on Laura Mahan. Concrete evidence, such as quotes and or paintings of hers are very hard to find. Can you help?

Reply
John Griffith
8/26/2020 09:18:00 am

We are going to be honoring your aunt a lot in 2021 at Humboldt Redwood State Park during our Centennial Anniversary celebrations. We would love to talk someone from Laura Mahan's family. Please email me if you'd like to talk [email protected],gov

Reply
LarryMahan
11/23/2020 09:00:37 pm

Angelique, I ran across this blog. Laura was married to my great uncle, James, ... my grandfather, Lawrence Mahan was his brother. The two brothers had their law firm in Eureka and James did attorney work for Laura and the Save the Redwoods League. I am doing a large family genealogy presently and would love to know more about the Perrott family. If you get this from your post over a year ago, please feel free to contact me.
Larry Mahan

Reply
Braidk
11/24/2020 04:25:27 pm

Larry,

I have recently done some research on Mrs. Mahan, if you would like a copy of what I have found, please contact me at [email protected]

Tyler Conrad
2/10/2019 08:11:32 pm

Thank you for your story about Laura and the women who helped to save the glorious trees at Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Most awesome!

Reply
John Griffith
2/11/2020 09:17:22 am

I love this. Thank you. I can't wait to tell Laura's story to thousands of people over our Centennial Anniversary year in 2021

Reply
Larry Mahan
11/23/2020 05:17:53 pm

My great uncle, James Mahan, was Laura's husband. My grandfather, Lawrence, his brother, and he set up their law firm in Eureka and James acted as attorney for a number of the League's efforts. There is one painting of redwoods in the extended family that I just came upon - a cousin who found it twenty years ago in an antique store in Eureka. I am doing a full family genealogy and have accumulated some interesting information on both families. I did post a letter to the editor of the Humboldt Historical Society journal in early 2019 to their 100 year article on the Save the Redwoods League. James and Laura have a beautiful bronze commemorative plaque in the Founders Groove in the state park along the "Mahan Trail". I too would love to find some of Laura's artwork !! Larry Mahan

Reply
Madeleine DeAndreis-Ayres
6/15/2021 07:30:41 pm

I am Larry's relative who was lucky enough to find a Laura Perrott Mahan oil painting in a Eureka store. My mother said she had seen many of her paintings in various relatives homes but we don't know where those may have landed. I'd love to share a photo of the painting, I will reach out to Clark Museum and to Ranger Griffith to see how to do it.

Reply
Married Alexandria link
10/15/2024 02:30:37 am

Loovely blog you have here

Reply



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