Humboldt Bay Woolen Mill manufactured woolen cloth from 1901 to after World War II. The mill was listed as a National Historic Monument but demolished by the City of Eureka in 1987.
Humboldt Bay Woolen Mill | |
![]() The mill was one year old when it was included on the Illustrated Map issued in 1902. | |
Location in California | |
Location | 1400 Broadway, Eureka, California |
---|---|
Coordinates | 40°47′38″N 124°10′35″W / 40.79389°N 124.17639°W |
Area | 1.3 acres (0.53 ha) |
Built | 1920 |
Built by | W. J. Little |
Architectural style | Greek Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 82002182[1] |
Added to NRHP | June 25, 1982 |
History
editWhen the Humboldt Bay Woolen Mill was built in 1901, the company was capitalized to $100,000[2] by several local businessmen including timber mill owner, William Carson,[3] sheep rancher Hugh Webster McClellan,[4] and rancher Robert Porter who continued as vice-president of the newly formed company.[2] According to the 1902 Illustrated Map of Eureka, the other officers included J.W. Henderson, President and N. McMillan, Secretary.
The Mill manufactured woolen fabrics from 1901 until it closed after World War II.[5] After sitting empty for many years, it was listed on the National Register on 25 June 1982,[1] but it only survived five more years.[6] After the city designated it a dangerous building in 1987, local preservationists and the Eureka Heritage Society tried to get funding to rehabilitate it, but it was torn down in the same year.[5]
The Mill was described as an excellent example of Greek Revival architecture[6] and one of the few industrial buildings historically not associated with timber or fishing.[5] Some architectural features of the Mill were saved by historians before the demolition.[5] The site is currently a chain pharmacy, a grocery store and parking.[5] The destruction of this building rallied community activists to save other historically significant structures in Eureka.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b "National Register Information System – (#82002182)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ a b "Robert Porter". Humboldt County, California - Biographies. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
- ^ McDonald, Jill; Jim Morrison; John Disiere; Linda Disiere (2007). "Carson the Man & Times". Carson Mansion History. The Ingomar Club, Eureka, California. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012.
- ^ "Webster McClellan 1836-December 31, 1911". Humboldt County, California - Biographies. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f "Draft City of Eureka Historic Preservation Plan" (PDF). March 10, 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
- ^ a b Overhold, Ken, ed. (1987). Eureka: An Architectural Heritage. Eureka, California: Eureka Heritage Society. p. 270. ISBN 0-9615004-0-9.