Fort Humboldt

The bronze still says the fort was built "to protect both Indians and settlers"; the state register has since cut the phrase. On the night of February 26, 1860, settlers killed dozens of Wiyot people, most of them women and children, at Tuluwat on Indian Island, and at other villages around the bay. The fort's commander, Major Gabriel Rains, reported to his superiors that the killers had resolved to spare no one; no one was ever tried. About three hundred survivors were gathered here and sent to the Klamath Reservation that spring. The bronze calls it assembly.

What the plaque says

Fort Humboldt By the early 1850's, newly arrived white settlers had moved into the Humboldt Bay area, causing conflict with the native inhabitants. To protect both Indians and settlers, Fort Humboldt was established in 1853 and operated until 1866. It became a focal point in the violent struggle between two cultures. Many Native Americans were assembled here before removal to reservations. California Registered Historical Landmark No. 154 Plaque placed by the State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus, Eureka Chapter No. 101, May 10, 1980.

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• City of Eureka — 2.1 mi
• Humboldt Harbor Historical District — 2.3 mi
• Jacoby Building — 8.2 mi
• Camp Curtis — 9.7 mi