The Humboldt Project

The Humboldt Project collecting and sharing local postcards since 2010

no. 07036 view of the Imperial '400' Motel on Eureka's 4th St; canning, yardwork, and evening cool breezes are found dis...
09/08/2026

no. 07036 view of the Imperial '400' Motel on Eureka's 4th St; canning, yardwork, and evening cool breezes are found discussed in a msg on the verso, written on this day 38 yrs ago:

"Sept. 8, 1988
Hi Anabelle
Had some of these cards from
when we stayed down in Eureka
at this Motel. We like it here so nice
this Evening with a cool breeze & I
watered earlier. Here is some Store
Coupons I hope you can use dear. We
are all fine here and busy canning
& working in the yard. It a real busy
time of the year for me. Hope you
folks are pretty good. Love You-
Evelyn James
F"

no. 07037 new to the collection.incredible real photo postcard showing a mule train passing the Brizard Co. store at Orl...
09/07/2026

no. 07037 new to the collection.
incredible real photo postcard showing a mule train passing the Brizard Co. store at Orleans; clues on the verso help us date the scene to circa 1907

no. 04797 the Confusion Hill choo choo is found on a color chrome card published by E.F. Clements & printed by Mike Robe...
09/06/2026

no. 04797 the Confusion Hill choo choo is found on a color chrome card published by E.F. Clements & printed by Mike Roberts; mailed from Myers Flat on this day in 1963 by the traveling Bouchers; a year later much of that community would be swept down the South Fork Eel during the Christmas flooding of 1964:

"Hi Kids -
We are having a
beautiful trip. These
trees and forests
are just beautiful
over 50 miles of them
and about 50 more to go
Love Mom & Dad"

no. 04787 a view of Saunders Market in its former perch is found on a real photo postcard mailed to Idaho on this day in...
09/05/2026

no. 04787 a view of Saunders Market in its former perch is found on a real photo postcard mailed to Idaho on this day in 1953.

to Rich's Mom: Say less

(as Fall makes it's presence FELT) 😂

"Trinidad Cal.
Fri 4.
Dear Mary.
This is the whole town of
Trinidad just one mile from
the Trailer Park where Rich lives,
I am not sold on this part
of the country, it is rather
cool, and foggy here. I am
enjoying my vacation very
much. Rich is working at
a mill about 9 miles from
here. I wish Dan could see
the red wood trees here
they sure are beautiful, they
are so big. I got here Wensday
Will leave here Monday
evening. Love Mother"

for those wondrin, the market was located at the NE corner of the intersection of Main St and the Old Hwy (Scenic/PP Drive today) --opposite where the Chevron Station now sits.

no. 07033 on this day in 1930, traveling Frank Castagna gives his Petaluma pops an update on the Oregon excursion:"Thurs...
09/04/2026

no. 07033 on this day in 1930, traveling Frank Castagna gives his Petaluma pops an update on the Oregon excursion:

"Thurs Morning

Dear Dad,
We stayed here
last night and are
just leaving for
Grants Pass, Medford
& Crater Lake where
we shall stop this
afternoon & tonight.
Frank"

no. 06810 a lovely view of the Carson Woods near Fortuna is found on a real photo postcard by photographer Ethel Bowman ...
09/04/2026

no. 06810 a lovely view of the Carson Woods near Fortuna is found on a real photo postcard by photographer Ethel Bowman of that fair city. the card was sent via Railway Post Office (RPO) to Colusa, Florence describes a lovely scene on the verso:

"Dear little lady - I wish you
and Florence could be sharing
these wonderful views with
us - and could breathe this
air - Its "grand and glorious" -
and makes one feel like new -
The men went fishing - came
home with 2 - nice fish - .bet they
had a good time - Love F.L.O-."

no. 06993 real photo postcard mailed to Mt. View from Petrolia on this day in 1929; a view of an early auto along a stat...
09/03/2026

no. 06993 real photo postcard mailed to Mt. View from Petrolia on this day in 1929; a view of an early auto along a state highway thru Humboldt redwoods is found on the card's front:

"Dear Doris
Here is a
picture of the
redwoods that
we went thru.
Aren't they pretty?
Hope to hear
from you sooner
than Tues. because
we are going home
on that date -Love
D-K."

"mabe I'll
get your
letter
today"

no. 05641 new scan from this morning.color litho card printed in Germanya full-size print of this photo by Jesse Meiser ...
09/02/2026

no. 05641 new scan from this morning.
color litho card printed in Germany

a full-size print of this photo by Jesse Meiser exists in the Palmquist materials at Yale; notations in pencil on the verso identify the scene as "Near Scotia"

nos. 07029, 07030 & 07032 new to the collection. These cards all come from the collection of Wayne Davis of Red Bluff, w...
08/30/2026

nos. 07029, 07030 & 07032 new to the collection. These cards all come from the collection of Wayne Davis of Red Bluff, who's family has ties to Humboldt. Wayne contacted us in recent months and generously offered to donate this incredible collection of cards to us for scanning and posting to the archive. We are deeply honored and grateful to have been entrusted with this responsibility and look forward to seeing what amazing revelations come from sharing this intact collection with a broader audience. They include many spectacular images of Humboldt and surrounding areas, and provide a powerful window into a family's use of this revolutionary affordable new medium for communication during the early 20th century.

We received the last batch of cards yesterday and upon inspecting noted two of the cards were mailed on today's date so we felt it fitting to commemorate the occasion through their sharing. The third card shows the residence of Henry D. Davis, a longtime resident and dairyman of Rio Dell. Henry was Wayne's Great Great Uncle. His son George Davis, lived in Petaluma and is among the recipients of the two other cards mailed on this day 92 yrs ago.

nos. 7029 & 7030 two Patterson real photo postcard featuring views of Mt Shasta and Oregon Caves; both were mailed to Petaluma from Crater Lake on this day in 1934:

THP no. 07029
----------------
"crater lake calling you,
Here we are amid.
hail like marbles sure have
had a lot of diff. weather from
100° to 48°(in Oregon Caves) the girls
and I are sure having one grand
time well leave wed. morn for
Klamath Falls from there to
Lake Co for the races Labor day
from Min, Irene & Cliff."

THP no. 07030
----------------
"Hello folks. How are you?
we're at Crater Lake now
leaving for Klamath falls
in the morning. Just moved
in out of a hail storm into
a cabin. Huddled around a
small wood stove getting
dry. Hails as big as marbles.
& what a mess. Hope to hit
better weather tomorrow.
Having a wonderful
time. It's sure is beautiful
here. The caves were
wonderful. This garden
on the picture was lit
with blue and red lights.
Will write again. Cliff, Irene, Minn."

no. 06650 Happy Camp's "main drag" appears on an early postcard produced by Jervis Eastman; mailed to an Indiana mom pre...
08/29/2026

no. 06650 Happy Camp's "main drag" appears on an early postcard produced by Jervis Eastman; mailed to an Indiana mom precisely 79 yrs ago, Siskiyou County's canning season is found in full swing in Buddie's msg on the verso, we are grateful to the USPS for the postmark since time is no longer kept when the peaches & blackberries are ready:

"Pinky showed last nite. 8-?-47 (It's Wed. or Thurs, I think)
Dear mom:
This is the main drag.
We've canned altogether
25 qts. peaches. Picked
blackberries yesterday &
canned 4 qts. of juice for
jelly later and 2 pts. of
jam this morning. Probably
can pears tomorrow and
greeen tomato pickels. Its
lots of fun. This is the 1st
minute I've sat down in a
week except to chat with our
many callers. More later --
Love, Buddie"

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Eureka, CA
95501

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