The Timber Era: Logging History of the Mendocino Coast
The Timber Era: Logging History of the Mendocino Coast
The towering coast redwoods that once blanketed the Mendocino Coast launched one of California's most significant industries in the mid-1800s.
Early Logging (1850s-1870s)
The first sawmill on the Mendocino Coast was built in 1852 by Henry Meiggs at Big River. Fort Bragg was founded in 1857 and transformed into a lumber town by 1885.
Legacy Today
The timber era's legacy remains visible in historic mill sites, railroad grades now used as hiking trails, and Victorian-era company towns.