Eureka Humboldt Standard from Eureka, California • Page 15

one-time known as'Bulwinkle, founded by Conrad Bui- winkle, for many-generations was one 1 Humboldt County's most active mill-town's. Its people lived on the hill peaks and slopes overlooking the plant's activities. There were wooden sidewalks, stairs, stiles, spans, enabling the residents to travel between their homes and the store, and other facilities. When Georgia-Pacific acquired Crannell, operational activities ceased with consolidation at Samoa. Some of the older buildings were torn down, while the better ones were retained.

Homes remaining 'are comfortable and occupied. The old company town is the picturesque target for camera fans and artists, who find ideal subject matter in its rustic'qualities. As a town it does not "measure up" to its once lively, hey-dcy. Here you see today's Crannell. tt is more than a memory.

story -ffie Company Town By ANDREW GENZOLI A way of life in old Humboldt and Mendocino lumber communities is interspersed by James B. Allen in his book," The Company Town In the American West." The book is from Ihe University of Oklahoma Press. The book is not an indictment, but an explanation of an American "system." "An imporlant aspect of American economic and social history which has received little formal attention from historians is the rise and decline of the company-owned town," Allen writes. "The literature of American hislory is punctuated wilh accounts of many kinds of communities: the New England village, the socialistic Utopian community, the frontier outfitting post, the rough-and-tumble mining camp, the cow town of the Great Plains, the Mormon village in the Great Basin, and, in modern times, the big city and its sprawling suburbs." The question, "What is a company town?" is answered wilh: "At first glance, it might be defined as a community which has been built wholly to support the operations of a single company. In the Redwood Country the towns stabilized the lumber industry, holding the workers where they were needed Ihe most.

The town was an economic necessity to the company involved. Allen says, "Companies often established Ihemselves in isolated areas found it necessary to provide housing for workers in order to get them to come. Lumber companies often set up operations in forest areas so removed from civilization that it would have been impractical (or men to commute, even on week- ends. The company town, therefore became especially significant in the successful expansion Ihe mining and lumber industries of the west." The number of company towns are becoming fewer with the advent of automobiles and modern highways, the depletion of timber supplies and new business methods and management. In many cases, the towns have been sold to their employes, or to an organization wilh some purpose in mind.

Wendling in Mendocino County, novv known as Navarro, is an example of a company town, which after the limber was depleted, dwindled to a few remnants which may be found today. development of great corporations in Ihe lumber industry has had an impact on company towns. Where the original founder of a town had the welfare of his community and his people at heart, this was not so for the impersonal management of the greater organization. As Ihe large firm consolidates its holding, the company towns fall before the big group's axe. "A case in.

point is Georgia- Pacific's take over of Hammond Lumber Company in 1956," Allen writes. "Two Humboldl company towns were affected by this Iransaction: Crannell and Samoa. Georgia Pacific soon decided to eliminate the mill in Crannell as well as the town itself, and everything except a few of the newer houses was dismantled. One lown, therefore was 'completely removed from the scene. Samoa, on the other hand, which was the center of the Hammond opera- lions, was maintained; but with a changed atmosphere Tile lown is maintained basically for key personnel, and low- cost housing is part of their incentive." Scotia, Allen says, has received more publicity than any other company town in the West.

The history of Scotia began about 1885 when the Pacific Lumber Company buill a railroad inlo Forestville, as Scolia was known, and the following year constructed a mill. By 1888 the company was the top producer of redwood in Hum- boldl County and the name ot the settlement was changed to Scotia, reflecling the Nova Sco- lian heritage of its founders. Over the years, Scotia grew from a haphazard arrangement of shacks to a well-ordered community of nicely painted homes. The company once operated its own slore, saloon, bank, hotel, theater, hospital and all other facilities needed by the town. Allen writes: "Residents in Scotia lake a great deal of pride in their community and rightly so.

The 304 houses in the town are always full, and there is a waiting list of people eager to move in. A three-bedroom home, with electricity, and water furnished and garbage collected, rents for sixty dollars a month. The town is well maintained and the tenants take great interest in keeping their lawns and gardens. The company policy of awarding prizes each year contributes to this. The Pacific Lumber Company uses modern methods of forest management in its vast timber holdings, and Scotia will probably thrive for many years lo come.

"Scotia, however, has been affected by the changing economic pattern of the modern age. It is no longer an isolated community since U.S. 101 runs past the lown. Oilier communities are within driving distance, and Ihe company no longer finds it necessary lo provide all Ihe facilities it once did. The town's theater has been closed, the hospital has been eliminated, and all company operated retail business has been turned over to private proprietors.

"The company has strived lo make Scotia a tourist attraction, incidentally perhaps Pacific Lumber Company. In 'the center of lown a small museum is maintained which 4ells the story of Scolia and of redwood lumbering in general. In addition, any tourist may lake a self-guided tour through the gianl mill at Scotia. Catwalks have been constructed above the mill operations and explanatory signs placed at- strategic places so that the'tourist'may watch' wHa'f happens lo a giant redwood log from the time it enters the powerful "bargcr" unlil it becomes finished lumber. "In summary," Allen says, "the company town has played an important role in the development of Ihe West's lumber industry.

In early years many companies found it necessary to provide housing and community services for their employes as they established, sawmills and logging headquarters in isolated areas. Company towns were often shorl-lived as timber lands were cut away and mills moved on lo other locations. With the building of modern highways," and other advancements in transportation, the need for company towns gradually has been eliminated." Photography by Al Wilson Redwood Company Towns Past-Present ALBION. Albion occupies a beautiful setting on Ihe Mendocino coast and was the site of a lumber mill as early as the 1850's. The company-owned community developed about the turn of the century and was operated by various coin- paries, beginning in 1891 with the Albion Lumber Company and ending in 1928 when the mill was owned by Southern Pacific.

The mill stood idle until 1940 when it was dismantled and all buildings and machinery sold. In 1949 Masonile Corporation purchased most of the remaining property. Former company-owned houses which remain arc ,.11 privately owned. CRANNELL. 'Hie Litllc River Hcdwood Company started operation of a sawmill at Crannell in 1939.

The entire town was built and maintained by Ihe company. II was an al- traclive community wilh about 135 well-painted houses, good roads, etc. In 1931 Ihe company merged with Hammond Lumber Company, which then assumed control. Within a year, Ihe Crannell sawmill was shul down, and subsequently, il was dismantled because Hammond Lumber Company had other facilities on Humboldt Bay. In 1955 Georgia Pacific Corporation Ixmghl the Hammond Company, and soon lore down most of Ihe old homes at Crannell.

FAI.K. The Elk River Mill and Lumber Company began operations about 1884. The mill was located in a valley, and the town thus grow all over the hills. The company operated a boarding-house, cook house, and hotel and owned several homes. Opera- lions were discontinued in 1937, and the town eventually was abandoned.

Nothing remains today. KORBEL. Settlement ot Korbel; once called North was begun in the -IMO's -when'" the Korbel brothers began milling operations there. In 1913 Ihe property passed into the hands of Ihe Northern Redwood Lumber Company, and in 1956 Simpson Timber Company took over. I A This small town began with (he establishment of a mill by the Metropolitan Lumber Company about 1905.

The company closed its operations about 1923 and all liouses were eventually removed. NEWBURG. Newburg was a small company lown support-, ing the mill of Ihe Eel River Valley Company from the 1800's until the 1930's. The set: llemenl was abandoned when the mill closed during the.de- pression. ROCKPORT.

Lumber mill operations existed at Rockport as early as 1880's and a camp gradually arose in that area. Karly employes were mostly single men and lived in cabins. The first modern family dwellings were built in 1925 by Finkbine-Guild Lumber Company. The Rock- porl Redwood Company took over in 1938. The sawmill was shul down in 1957, when the lown had a population of about 500.

SAMOA. Located on a peninsula in Humboldt Bay, the town of Samoa was established by Ihe Vance Lumber Company, which built a mill there in Ihe 1890's. In 1901 the properly was taken over by the Hammond Lumber Company which operaled a pleasant, fully paternalistic company town. Georgia-Pacific acquired Ihe Hammond Company in 1956 and since then has elhn- inalcd the company store. Homes are slill company owned and maintained.

The bungalow-lype homes and well-kept yards make Samoa one of the more altractive company towns. SCOTIA. One of the best- known company towns in California, Scotia is slill owned completely by the Pacific Lumber Company. Here are located the company's huge redwood mill and lumber manufacluring plant. Sawmill operations began in the 1880's, and the settlement was first called Foreslville, the name being changed in 1888.

The Pacific Lumber Company once owned every business enterprise in the town, including a store, theater, bank, hospital, butcher shop and hotel..