Railroads of Humboldt County

Exploring the rich railroading history of rural Humboldt

An immersive deep dive into the eventful history of the railroads throughout the county, complete with artifacts, images and videos to illustrate the importance and impact of the industry on this area, its people and how it connected this little rural county to the rest of California and beyond!

The Railroad through the Eras

Learn about the four distinct eras of our railroad as it passed through different Administrations responsible for their operations.

1907-1983 Northwestern/Southern Pacific
1984-1991 Eureka Southern
1992-1998 North Coast Railroad Authority
1998-now post-closure

Rebuilding the NWP after the 1964 Flood

Dive into what it took to rebuild the Northwestern Pacific Railroad after being severely damaged in the Great Flood of 1964, and the celebration of the workers' efforts that followed its return to service in 1965.

History of the AMR, NWP & SP Railroads

Check out historical artifacts spanning the entire era of Humboldt railroads from the beginnings of the Arcata & Mad River Railroad to the dissolution of the Eureka Southern, including:

Engineer and conductor uniforms
Original printed timetables and rulebooks
Dishware, pocketwatches and other memorabilia
Commemorative flags
Original tickets and more!

Where are they now?

Explore the current status of the railroad with images of rails, tunnels, bridges and scenery taken during hikes & exploratory trips across the county by Executive Director and Curator Josh Buck.

Want to see and even touch more railroad artifacts in a historical setting? Check out Timber Heritage Association's shop grounds in Samoa, the original site of the Hammond Lumber Company and home of the last original-standing roundhouse on the West Coast. Check out their site at the link above for information on events, tour options and their mission to preserve the lumber & rail history of Humboldt!