*** Source: History and Business Directory of Humboldt County, Lillie E. Hamm, November 1890, Eureka, Cal. *** ---page 037--- [ad] Photograph and Authograph Albums at J. E. Mathews [ad] HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY 37 Wood, an early pioneer, was once badly mangled by a wounded grizzly near its banks. It is twenty-five miles in length and about as crooked as a river could possibly be. The South Fork of Bear river has is source near Taylor's Peak, and the North Fork winds in and around Mt. Pierce, or the Monument, as it is usually called. SALT RIVER. Salt river is a tide river, and has its source near the upper end of Eel River Island, and is about eight or nine miles long. It is very crooked, and the tide flows nearly its whole length. It empties into Eel river near its mouth, and is navigable for vessels for about four miles from its junction with Eel river. On this stream is located the Port Kenyon warehouses, through which nearly all the freight of Southern Humboldt passes. REDWOOD CREEK. Redwood creek is some forty miles in length, and empties into the ocean twenty miles south of the Klamath. LITTLE RIVER. Little river is the next stream, twenty-five miles south of Redwood creek, and discharges four miles south of the town of Trinidad, having a course of some fifteen miles. This completes the list of important water-ways of the county. But suffice to say that their importance will not be lost sight of, by the manufacturer who can appreciate their value for the supplying power, and as a means of navigation they place Humboldt county in the van in this respect. EEL RIVER ISLAND. Eel River Island, the only island of any particular consequence in Humboldt, is eight (8) miles long and two (2) miles wide. On it are located some of the finest farms and dairies in the Eel River Valley. The soil of the island is the very best and is noted for its richness and fertility. The amount of butter and grain raised on this piece of territory is surprising, and those who have possession there are among the most favored of Humboldt's people. On the lower end of the island has been erected a shingle-mill, which costs 50,000 shingles per day. EEL RIVER VALLEY. Eel River Valley from its mouth to the mouth of its first tributary--the Van Duzen--is fourteen miles long and about six miles wide, containing about 54,000 acres of land. From the mouth of the Van Duzen to Rio Dell, the valley is six miles long with an average width of about one mile, and from Rio Dell to the eastern terminus of the redwood belt is about 40 miles long with an average width of three-quarters of a mile. The South Fork is forty miles long, and from half a mile to a mile in width. The Van Duzen Valley is about twelve miles long and one mile wide. On the north of the valley lies some fine table land, fertile in the extreme. From the [ad] Gibbard & Lever CARRY A COMPLETE LINE OF Uudertaker's [Undertaker?] Supplies Third and H Sts Pioneer Bdg, Eureka [ad] ---end---