Whilst the Union Lumber Company (ULC) loaded lumber off of the 980 foot long pier in Soldier Bay off of Fort Bragg lumber was also loaded “under the wire” off of the cliff on the north side of the Noyo River. Here’s the pics I have collected showing loading in progress:
[Click on the photos to enlarge]
Loading by a sling
Rohilla loading under the sling
1909 Bark British Yeoman being loaded under the wire in Noyo Harbour
Watching the loading
How do I know this? well, there was a snippet in the local – the Advocate – that told me so:
“The salmon mild cured at Noyo last winter were recently put on the New York market and sold at a top-notch figure, being pronounced an exceptionally high grade.” So sayeth the February 13th, 1918 Fort Bragg Advocate.
Noyo was a community and a mill located mostly on the flat of the Noyo River. In 1858 Henry Weatherby and Alexander MacPherson, the owners and builders of the Albion mill built a mill on the flat of the Noyo River. In the winter of 1858 the mill site was flooded making an almost new start necessary in the spring of 1859. The machinery came in by sailing vessel and was landed onto a barge from the ship. The barge had to wait for a high tide to get the machinery to the mill site. The mill built one of the earliest railroads which hauled logs from Pudding Creek to the Noyo River. The railroad ran along what is now Harrison Street in Fort Bragg.
I think I am correct in saying that there have been six bridges over the Noyo. It has taken a while but I think I now have pictures of all of them:
First Bridge
First bridge – 1870 picture of bridge over the Noyo River
Second Bridge
Third Bridge
1928 Aerial photo of 3rd A-Frame Noyo bridge
Fourth Bridge
Fifth Bridge
Sixth and Present Bridge
This blog is NOT about the Noyo River Tavern. The Noyo River Tavern was at Northspur. The Lodge at Noyo River is on a point above the Noyo River.
In its heyday in the 1860’s there were three lumber mills operating full time at Noyo on what is now called Noyo flats. It was a bustling community with three hotels, numerous saloons and assorted merchants. On the bluff above Noyo harbor sits the Lodge at Noyo River. The Lodge has been in operation since 1868 until its recent closure for renovations.
Alexander MacPherson, a young Scotsman living in San Francisco was the first to build a logging mill on Noyo Flats. During the construction of the mill he built a home on “Stony Point” and moved his family in. Some say he chose the spot so that he could count the logs from his window as the floated down river. His home has become the Lodge at Noyo River.
In 1908, Mr. Henry Holmes, another gentleman who made his living in the woods, purchased the property. Mr. Holmes was Superintendent of Woods for Charles R. (C.R.) Johnson’s ULC, the Union Lumber Company (then owner of the California Western Railroad – the “Skunk”). He was very likely the highest paid salaried man in the area.
The ULC was in the process of purchasing all the smaller independent mills for consolidation into one large mill on the two mile long property he owned in Fort Bragg. With the closure of the mills on Noyo flats the town moved to Fort Bragg.
Mr. Holmes remodeled and added on the Noyo River House. A photo of the Holmes family enjoying the patio shortly after the completion of the renovation can be found in one of the hallways. The remodeling installed beautiful board and batten redwood paneling on walls and ceilings the inn. The Scandinavian shipwrights working as carpenters used the finest wood such as choice heartwood fir and clear redwood to create what locals believe to be one of the oldest and finest buildings in Noyo/Fort Bragg.
Main Lodge Building
Now comes the ???????? part. I was told that ghost haunts the Lodge. To say the least I was VERY, VERY skeptical – I am an accountant and we have ice in our veins. This accountant though, is VERY curious. So of he goes trolling the ‘net and what does he find on a site called, “Legends of America”:
“Today, it is said to be haunted by an unfortunate honeymoon couple who lost their lives in a car accident near the hotel. Immediately after the accident, the groom was said to have been heard crying for help just outside the lodge, an image that continues to replay itself today. His bride, dressed all in red is said to pace within the lodge. Other strange occurrences also occur including the sounds of ghostly voices and laughing, and well as lights that mysteriously turn on and off by themselves.”
So I thought I might talk my long-suffering wife to spend a night there as a test. Alas, she tells me it is still closed for renovations. Bummer!!!!!
Anybody stayed at the Lodge and met the ghost?
Believe me – this blog is awesome.
Migrating whales pass by the Mendocino Coast beginning in December and end in May. The only place along the Mendocino Coast that you can go out to sea to see the whales “up close” is on a boat whose home port is Noyo Harbour, Fort Bragg. Last week the “buzz” in town was that there were “lots” of whales to be seen. So, our emeinent Club member/website guru Roger Thornburn and his lovely wife, Nancy, took to the briny. As you’ll see in a mo’ Roger is also a very accomplished photographer ‘cos his pics are just AWESOME.
Breach
Seals
Fluke
Fluke
Mother and calf
Fluke sequence
Breach sequence
Thanks Roger.
If you want more info on whale watching near Fort Bragg check out the bottom of this page.
From the days when the Pomo lived on the banks of the Noyo until the depletion of the fishing stocks the lower reaches of the Noyo provided the only harbour between San Francisco and Eureka big enough to moor a sizable fleet of fishing boats. I have been slowly assembling a collection of photos depicting the Noyo fishing fleet over the years:
[Double click on one of the photos and it will enlarge]
Club member and unofficial mayour of Noyo Dusty Dillion has been kind enough to share these photos of the fishing operations on the Noyo:
Whilst the Union Lumber Company (ULC) loaded lumber off of the 580 foot long pier in Soldier Bay off of Fort Bragg lumber was also loaded “under the wire” off of the cliff on the north side of the Noyo River. Here’s the pics we have collected showing loading in progress:
Double click on the photos to see the writing on them.
1909 Bark British Yeoman being loaded under the wire in Noyo Harbour
Watching loading
Thanks to club member Dusty Dillon and others I have assembled an interesting sequence of aerial views of Noyo Harbour. The pics cover over 50 years. Click on a photo to enlarge it.
