Local documentarian Ray Olson is back to teach us more about the unique history behind some of Humboldt County’s lesser-known landmarks.
In today’s episode of “Humboldt Outdoors,” Olson takes us to Bridgeville, where he is joined by local history buff Jerry Rohde and local columnist Barry Evans for a tour of the unincorporated community and the historic concrete bridges that surround it.
Long before Bridgeville became Bridgeville, it was inhabited by the Nongatl Tribe, whose descendants are a part of the Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria. “As far as we know, there wasn’t a village right here at Bridgeville [but] there are villages a couple of miles downstream and upstream from here,” Rhode explains. “The Van Duzen turns into a narrow gorge, and there are all sorts of small villages up there.”
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As one might guess, Bridgeville, originally known as “Bridgeport,” was named after a wooden bridge that was built across the Van Duzen River in the mid-1870s during the construction of Overland Road. At that time, the Humboldt Times dubbed Bridgeville one of the “liveliest towns” in the county.
“Between 1875 – or about that time when the road was completed here – and 1893, this was the main road in and out of Humboldt County,” Rhode continues. “So wagons [and] stagecoaches carrying large loads would come through here. … Bridgeville was an active place. They had a saloon, store, school, and hotel – all the basics that you needed for a small community.”
Check out the video above to learn more about Bridgeville’s history and for views of the bridges along the Van Duzen River.
And if you’ve got bridges on the brain and are looking for something to do in mid-August that leans into the extraterrestrial, you’ll want to check out the Bridgeville Bridgefest. There, you can partake in the Flying Saucer toss (IFYKYK) as well as various other out-of-this-world and bridge-related activities.
As of Saturday morning, the Hill Fire burning south of Willow Creek is listed at 7,224 acres with 45 percent containment.
Fire activity has slowed in recent days due to “moderate” weather conditions. Crews remain focused on a spot fire on Sugarloaf Mountain that ignited on Tuesday. “While the suppression of Sugarloaf Mountain remains the priority, fire personnel continue to mop up and patrol other areas of the perimeter,” according to Incident Command. There are 1,578 personnel, 42 crews, 96 engines, 37 pieces of heavy equipment, and 11 helicopters currently assigned to the fire.
Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place for some communities surrounding the Hill Fire. More information can be found at this link.
Click to enlarge.
The following additional information comes from Incident Command:
CURRENT SITUATION:
Yesterday, firefighters were able to keep the spot fire on Sugarloaf Mountain in check. Moderate weather helped keep
fire activity to a minimum and the fire stayed within containment lines. While the suppression of Sugarloaf Mountain
remains the priority, fire personnel continue to mop up and patrol other areas of the perimeter.
Suppression repairs begin today with hand crews and excavators. Working closely with resource advisors, crews will
restore dozer lines in the fire area to their natural condition. Repairs after wildfires are necessary to aid the process of
healing the affected environment. These repairs include but are not limited to, returning roads to their original
conditions, cleaning culverts for proper drainage, and clearing slash piles. Moderate weather conditions are expected
to remain in the area today, supporting these recovery operations.
Many hazards still exist within the fire interior. Smoke may be visible as stumps, logs, and other materials continue to
burn well within the containment lines.
Photos via Hill Fire Incident Command.
WEATHER:
A cutoff shortwave trough passing over the area today will create a complex but generally moderate fire weather
environment. Southeast wind in the morning will generally enhance the surface inversion and delay afternoon sea
breeze, similar to how it did Friday. That said, cool marine air easing into the area will continue to gradually decrease
temperatures and increase relative humidity, especially in the afternoon. Winds will generally be terrain influenced,
with gusts generally below 15mph. Marine influence will only increase Sunday, with slightly better smoke mixing.
CLOSURES:
Forest Closure Order currently in effect for the area impacted by the Hill Fire. It is temporarily prohibited to be on
any national forest system land, trail, or road within the closure area.
Road closures are currently in place on Friday Ridge Rd. at Forest Service Route 6N06, Friday Ridge Rd. at Forest
Route 5N01 and Friday Fridge Rd. at Forest Route 5N04.
For updated road closure information,
visit protect.genasys.com or humboldtsheriff.org/emergency.
FIRE RESTRICTIONS:
Forest fire restrictions also went into effect on July 12th
. Campfires and stove fires are restricted to those developed
areas listed in the forest order located at https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1188610.pdf.
Smoking, welding, and operating an internal combustion engine also have restrictions in place.
EVACUATIONS:
Humbolt County: Evacuation order and warnings remain in effect. For current updates on evacuations, visit
https://www.facebook.com/HumboldtSheriff and https://humboldtgov.org/2383/Current-Emergencies.
Conditions are subject to change at any time, visit https://protect.genasys.com/search for a full zone description.
Sign up for Humboldt Alert emergency notifications at https://humboldtgov.org/2014/Emergency-Notifications.
Trinity County: Evacuation warnings remain in effect. For current updates on evacuations, visit
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064589806351 and https://www.trinitycounty.org/OES.
Evacuation Center:
For information on assistance available to those displaced by the Hill Fire, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-
733-2767.)
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services in coordination with the Humboldt County
Department of Health & Human Services and the American Red Cross-Gold Country Region established an
Evacuation Center for those impacted by the Hill Fire to receive fire information.The Evacuation Center is located at
Trinity Valley Elementary School, 730 CA-96 in Willow Creek. The center is not open to the public, however
information on how to request assistance is posted at this location.
Your favorite enviro do-gooders, Jen Kalt of Humboldt Waterkeeper and Tom Wheeler and Matt Simmons of EPIC, recently went on a fact-finding mission to Norway to investigate offshore wind of the Norwegian coast. Join them and other guests in an exploration of this tech in action.
Some members of the Cadet Corps pose at the southwest corner of 8th and G Streets in 1905. Photo courtesy of Carol Myers. All photos via the Humboldt Historian.
Organized groups for young
people in Humboldt County
were rare in 1905, when Reverend
Franklin Baker of the Congregational
Church, Eureka, formed the Congregational Cadet Corps to foster the
building of character and healthy
bodies.
Around 120 boys from in and around Eureka
joined the group for such activities as camping,
hiking, games, producing dramatic skits, playing
musical instruments and singing. They were taught
to march and to obey their superiors in a semi-military way.
When Baker learned of the great Lewis and Clark
Exposition to be held in Portland, Oregon in 1905,
he was determined to have his cadets attend by
walking there. The boys received the idea with great
enthusiasm. They would be walking and camping
from Eureka to Portland, a distance of some 500
miles. Although certain people viewed the idea with
skepticism because of the distance, rough, wild
terrain, and the young age of the hikers, the boys’
parents were eager to have them achieve this feat and
fully supported Baker.
A flier invites Eureka residents to the Occidental Pavillion at 2nd and A Streets, where the Congregational Cadet Corps performed to raise money for their trip expenses.
Members from 10 to 20 years old who participated in the
walk were: Joe Moore, Wallace Null, Keith Murray, Homer
Cummings, Henry Cox, Fred Holmes, George Young, Ralph
Armstrong, Joe Pine, Earl Shields, Stephen Langford, Norris
Ferguson, Fred Ferrill, Ed Easley, Gerald Monroe, Ray
Freeman, Harold Madison, Alex Davies, Ray Adsit, Henry
Anderson, Bert Bradford, Earl Zeigler, Will Williams, Don
Young, Lee Burkholder, Leslie Callaghan, Arthur Sharer,
Carl Carlson, Wallace Henderson, Arthur Campbell, Fred
Farnell, Lesley Freeman, Milton Hudson, Fred Jackson,
Harvey Littlefield, Floyd McGeorge, Harvey Pentland, Albert
Robinson, Ed Ryerson, Jesse Sanders, Bert Van Sant, Minot
Williamson, Arthur Woodhouse, Clarence Cox, Will
Dollison, Chester Freeman, Earl Hodgson, Ernest Hipp,
Albert Jacobson, Clyde Madsen, Henry Melde, Rodney
Rogers, Walter Ryan, Enos Richardson, Arthur Swanson,
Frank Wigmore, Clarence Waldner.
Each boy was required to make the following pledge:
Realizing that my going to Portland is dependent upon the
following conditions here named, I promise:
1. That I will receive, transact and obey all orders from, and
allow myself to be governed by orders from all officers or non-
commissioned officers who are my superior in rank;
2. That I will not take any tobacco, cards, or obnoxious
literature with me and that at no time during the trip will I have
any of the above in my possession.
3. That I will at no time have any money on my person,
without special permission from the company’s chaplain.
4. That I will not take with me, or knowingly permit another
to take a firearm of any description.
5. Should I be found guilty of any of the offenses here
named, I agree to accept any penalty that a summary court martial may see fit to inflict upon me.
The captain who commanded the cadets was Clark Emery;
Rev. Baker was the chaplain and had general supervision of
the party; Dr. Chauncy L. Bonstell, an Arcata dentist,
accompanied the party and was in charge of the concerts given
en route; and C. V. Jackson, a Second street clothier, took an
active role and posted daily bulletins at his store whenever it
was possible to get them.
In preparation for the trip. Baker had worked out every
detail. A few days before they were to start, he held an
inspection of all the equipment needed. The wagons were
loaded with food for the boys, clothing, tents, blankets, and
food for the horses.
On Thursday evening June 8, 1905, the Cadet Corps
presented their entertainment show for Eureka at the
Occidental Pavilion. It was in four parts: scene 1, minstrels;
scene 2, gymnasium work; scene 3, campfire; scene 4, drill.
The public responded enthusiastically, adding $58 to the boys’
expense account. These exhibitions, to be presented at each
town along the route, were an important feature for they were
to raise money to defray their costs.
Following the program, the boys headed for their
campground where their quarters were inspected by their
mothers and fathers. The tents were pitched in line in army
style with four boys to a tent. The night was to be divided into
three watches, with two men and a corporal in each watch. At
5:45 each morning the boys were to “pile out” and perform ten
arm exercises. Breakfast was at 6 a.m. They were to fall in for
the day’s march at 7 a.m. The marches were to end at 5 p.m.
The morning of June 12, they paraded around the streets of
Eureka, then headed for Arcata around the old road through
Freshwater and Bayside, a twelve-mile march. When they
reached the slough at Freshwater, they stopped to soak their
feet, for walking in their new, heavy, leather shoes made their
feet sore.
Baker, both chaplain and business manager, marched in
company with the boys. Beyond the pledge, the boys were
expected not to swear and to attend Sunday School during the
trip. There were boys of every religious denomination in the
group.
Captain Clark Emery, a veteran of the Spanish-American
War (1898), served as their commanding officer and
drillmaster. He was responsible for their Spanish-American
War type uniforms: blue shirts, khaki trousers with canvas
leggings, canvas hats and their heavy leather shoes.
Dr. Bonstell was their chief musician, and Ed Sedgeley, a
Eureka merchant was chief of the commissary. Both men
devoted their time and services without pay because they were
interested in helping the youth.
Officers were selected from among their comrades: Joseph
Moore, Wallace Null and Fred Brown were the lieutenants;
50 privates and two teamsters from Eureka completed the
company. Officers enforced strict rules — such as no boy was
allowed to leave camp without permission. Strict military
discipline was observed throughout the march.
Their plan was to march 15 to 20 miles per day, with a ten-minute rest every hour. The route was to Crescent City, thence
to Grants Pass, and up the Willamette Valley. The boys had
stationery to write all the letters they wished, to put in a bag to
hand to the stage drivers they met on the road.
The cadets practiced their singing as they marched along,
accompanied by two horse-drawn wagons that carried their
tents and provisions. Each boy took with him: two sets of
underwear; six pairs of heavy wool socks (donated by C. V.
Jackson); one coat or sweater; one towel, cake of soap and
toothbrush; a fork, knife, spoon, cup and tin plate; and one
blanket.
Each boy, financially able, paid his own expenses back on
the boat from Portland, the cost of which was $7.50. Eleven
were unable to do this and funds had to be solicited.
Provided with mailed or wired reports from Baker, both the
local and Oregon newspapers ran accounts of the progress of
the young marchers, noting each campsite:
The First Day’s March: The 12 mile march to Arcata was
not so bad, but it was their shoes that were the source of their
complaint. Each boy fitted on his new shoes yesterday.. .they
having arrived on Sunday’s steamer. They are of heavy
leather soles and thick hide tops, with rivets, a heavier shoe
than they are used to wearing . … At Arcata the youngsters
rustled up “foot ease ” powders.
Eureka, June 13: The boys started this morning from Arcata
north and expect to camp in Trinidad …
Little River, June 14: The sore feet … have all disappeared
and the boys are in good shape …
Trinidad, June 14: … the teams drawing the supply wagons
got hung up on the hills. Mules were used to help the teams
over the heavy grades. The corps has decided to change camp
to Big Lagoon … arriving [there] tonight.
Eureka, June 14: A tallyho party composed of fourteen …
relatives of the party, left Eureka yesterday with the intention
of spending the night with the boys at the Lagoon and
returning today. At 3 o’clock this afternoon they had not
reached Trinidad … the delay of the supply wagons yesterday
was caused by a balky horse, no further delay is anticipated.
… Mrs. Wing of this city has secured donations for this wagon.
While returning last night, Mr. H. L. Ricks met the tallyho
party en route to Trinidad and reported all in good spirits.
Orick, June 16: They left Big Lagoon yesterday morning
and made Orick, 17 miles, last evening . … It is the present
intention to reach Crescent City Saturday night in time to
present the concert scheduled for the Opera House.
Captain Johnson of the steamer Toledo arrived today with
the information that they were unable to reach Crescent City
because the last ferry boat crossed the river [Klamath] at 4
o’clock Saturday … they arrived at Crescent City on Monday
afternoon after having traveled 25 miles … the boys are still
eating mother’s cake … yesterday afternoon the baseball nine
of the Cadet Corps played a game with the Crescent City boys
and beat them by a score of 14 to 7 they gave a concert and
the Opera House was filled to overflowing.
The most difficult terrain to cover were the coastal
mountains between Crescent City and Grants Pass, but news
reports continued in a cheerful vein.
Gasquet: …this morning the boys had enjoyed a good
night’s rest after dining on bacon and eggs; following coffee
and zweibach had taken up the march at 7 o’clock. Their motto
is Grants Pass on Saturday or Bust.
They learned that they needed to start earlier in order to
avoid the heat of the day.
Monument Mine, Oregon: We had duck and trout for
supper last night. We camped in the yard where old man
Dunne was murdered and some of the boys imagined they saw
ghosts. Some of the boys have lost weight and some have
gained, but all are standing the trip well.
Waldo, Oregon: … again a delay owing to the breakdown
of a wagon about two miles beyond Waldo … waiting for
repairs… there is a stream filled with trout, so all the boys are
having a jolly time fishing for today’s dinner.
Selma, Oregon:.. .the rocky roads make the task of walking
arduous …the provisions which they took from Eureka are
nearly gone, and they are obliged to replenish their larder at
way stations. The boys report the fish are plentiful and furnish
a goodly share of the bill offare each day … . Grants Pass
promises the freedom of the city …the people of Oregon are
most hospitable..
.. .we could tell just when we passed into Oregon by the
condition of the roads, the rockiest in the world. It made our
feet homesick for the Humboldt roads… our greatest expense
just now has been our horses, their care and feed. In fact the
boys are walking the teams down. Cadets Klepper, Wing, and
Cottrell have ridden but one day —then on account of their
shoes … they are showing wear. The boys stood the heat and
dust well, although we looked like mud daubers when we got
here. Roads are very dusty but are getting better and smoother
###
The cadets arrived in Grants Pass the next evening after
a 22-mile hike, tired but pleased to be only one day
behind schedule. It was particularly gratifying to parents and
those in charge that all the boys remained well. Their
performance in Grants Pass was presented to a crowded Opera
House, and the treasury was somewhat richer.
Clarence Waldner wrote an interesting letter to his father
about his impressions of Grants Pass:
Grants Pass is quite a place. It has more brick
buildings than Eureka… . The big overland Southem
Pacific freight and passenger trains pass through here about
every half hour.. .made me think of the time we went East
… now don’t think I’m lonesome or homesick, because if
you do, you are badly mistaken.
When we came into town yesterday, we marched to
the post office … then to our camp and passed the railroad
station. We scared a big dray team and it scared another and
they ran up the street. The second team pushed the first into
an enclosure which I guess is a city park… the team broke
the fence down … the dray was broken and two of the
horses injured. The owner came last night and tried to make
us pay $500 damages.
The roads in Oregon are dusty and rocky and the
water full of alkali. Of all the country I have seen. I think
Humboldt is the best. Grants Pass is a fine town and all the
streets are lined with shade trees … the houses have
awnings on them …
Some of the boys had never seen a passenger train
bigger than the ones in Eureka, and last night one came
along with 19 cars. I am writing on Harold Madsen’s drum
… I enclose some seeds from a tree growing on the street
… I think it is a locust tree.
###
Myrtle Creek, July 1: Reached here last night after a 20
mile march … weatherfine but cloudy … just received
telegram announcing the death of Earl Zeigler’s mother. We
all feel very sad over it.
According to dispatches, the people of Roseburg have
prepared an ovation for the boys An entertainment will
be given at the Opera House and every seat has been sold.. .
will stop over Sunday … those who wish to swim, may do so.
The trip to Portland is now about half over, and if all goes
well, we will be in Portland in three weeks.
Roseburg, July 2: … about a dozen men in blue uniforms
met us. They called themselves soldiers, but I was afraid to
believe it … Joe and I got ahold of some money and were in
a bakery shop when Captain and Mr. Baker came in and
tackled us … you should have heard the stories we told … all
the kids are feeling fine except poor little Zeigler … excuse the
dirty paper … most all the kids have gone down to see the big
trains. I tell you those trains are swell affairs. It is awful hot.
The Cadets celebrated the Fourth of July at Yoncalla. They
spent the day resting and celebrating in the usual fashion. Not
one accident happened because “… great care was taken by
Rev. Baker and the other leaders that no undue enthusiasm was
manifested.”
Drain, Oregon: … gave a concert and played baseball with
the Drain Juniors and defeated them.
Eugene, Oregon: … an entertainment was given at the
Opera House… the boys were enthusiastically received by the
citizens … and all were entertained at dinner among the
private families of the city.
The Daily Register reported the cadets’ visit:
Tired, dusty
and clothes in bad shape, these plucky young fellows came
marching up Willamette Street to their camp across from the
Cross Hotel … a large bundle of mail awaited … the faces of
the youngsters just shone as they received fond messages from
home … really a treat to see so many youngsters abstaining
from tobacco and liquor and profanity. It was really
marvelous how each boy had a kind word for the other one.
Corvallis: … on the road this side of Corvallis … played
two games of ball at Harrisburg yesterday and gave a concert
… one in Corvallis tomorrow … one month since we left home.
Salem, Oregon: … arrived at Salem at 4 o’clock, after
longest march of any one day. The reception awarded the
boys was a royal one. They were made happy by the sight of
some familiar faces here, several Eurekans joining the party
at the capital city … Mrs. Franklin Baker and Miss Jones.
An article by C.M. Shields:
Saturday morning Messrs.
Pine, Noe, Cottrell and Schüler, Mrs. Moore, Miss Hartford,
Miss McKinnon and myself went down to Salem to meet the
Cadet Corps. The wagon road parallels the railroad, and I
saw the dusty way over which they must travel … they look
tired, but they are gritty in more ways than one. They stood at
stoic attention to receive their mail …I saw one little fellow
who had none sit down flat on the ground and pull his hat
over his face. I went to him, and throwing my arms around
him, lifted his hat and saw his tears. I gave him the kiss that
his mother had asked to be delivered and all the loving
messages she had sent, and smiles dried his tears.
Oregon City, Woodburn—and on to PORTLAND!
###
The Congregational Cadet Corps pose in front of the arcade at the Lewis and Clark Exposition in Portland in 1905.
After a march of 510 miles the Congregational Cadet
Corps of Eureka arrived at Portland yesterday
morning and made a triumphal entry into the Exposition
grounds at 1:30. Their line was headed by the Exposition
Band, which was followed closely by Earl Hodgson, the
mascot, carrying a banner bearing the words: “We Hiked
510 Miles from Eureka, California. ” They will remain about
10 days and expect to start home by steamer July 29. The
cadets left Eureka about the middle of June.
They are going to he the whole show this week. Nothing is
too good for them. Their photographs were in all the papers
and people stopped them on the street. I stood before the
“shredded wheat” demonstration booth today, and some
cadets were patiently waiting in line for a biscuit with
cream, when the proprietor said, “Here give these
boys some … they have
walked 500 miles to see the
Fair!”
This is California Week
at the fair and Tuesday was
Eureka Day … escorted by
the Sherman Indian Band,
the corps marched from
Camp Humboldt to the
California building … they were presented a
handsome blue satin banner lettered in gold,
trimmed with heavy vullion
fringe and a staff surmounted by a golden
eagle. Little ten-year-old
marched every step of the way and never uttered a complaint
or shirked a duty, had the honor of receiving the banner.,
looking shy, he turned redder and redder and broke into an
abashed smile beautiful to behold.
After the exercises were over the cadets and their
Humboldt friends were invited to the art gallery for
refreshments .
… Mr. Filcher, wife of the president of the
California commission told me: they were the prettiest
behaved boys that she had ever … received, speaking
particularly of their nice table manners … After lunch, the
boys gathered around the piano and rendered some of the
concert selections, “Portland or Bust ” and “Dear Old Hills of
California, ” and then departed with their hands full of
oranges.
Cadet Cecil Wing, age 11, in 1905. He later married Meredith Stewart and had nine children. He died in 1973. Photo courtesy of Carol Myers.
That evening they gave their sixteenth concert [in Portland]
and received great praise for the quality of their voices and
training. Their personal appeal was unquestioned:
Inimitable
Irish Monroe sang his way into the hearts of everyone with his
“Yankee Doodle Boy” and when little Clepper sang in his
pretty baby voice” The U.S.A. ” the ladies present wanted to
kiss him… .for young Wing, one lady said, “I am going upon
the stage just to kiss that pretty round-faced boy. ” … . “Sky ”
Herrick’s baritone solo, “Sentinel Asleep” with rich, deep
chorus support was a choice number. Lester’s voice is a
surprise to his friends and to the lad himself, I think.
###
Eureka Day was an unqualified success. Many travelers
from throughout the U. S. who had never heard of
Humboldt or Eureka were now familiar with the North Coast
city. There was criticism of the Chamber of Commerce and the
Board of Supervisors for not having an accompanying display
of goods and attractions and a Humboldt Booth at the
exposition.
Earl Hodgson, age 10, and the Reverend Franklin Baker accept a banner from the Lewis & Clark Centennial President on July 25, 1905.
The cadets’ departure from Portland was one of great
flourish and fanfare. They marched to the gates of the
exposition, gave departing cheers for Portland, the Lewis and
Clark Exposition, President Goode, Major McDonnell and the
State of Oregon. Then with drum and bugle and the blue satin
gift banner flying, they marched three miles to the wharf to
board the North Pacific Coast Company’s steamer Roanoke.
There was a great crowd to see them off. On arriving they
learned that 47 boys must occupy steerage berths, the others in
second cabin. Volunteers offered to take the poorer
accommodations, not wishing to have better than their
comrades. A two-hour delay in departure occurred because of
difficulty getting the horses aboard. As the vessel swung into
the stream, the boys sang with fervor “Dear Old Hills of
California.”
The captain gave them the range of the ship. They
entertained in the social hall and received much attention from
the passengers. At night deep in the heart of the steamer, most
of them slept in high tiered berths. Fortunately there was a
smooth sea. For many it was their first voyage.
The steamer Roanoke carried the Cadet Corps home from Portland to Eureka.
EVERY MOTHER’S SON IS A HERO was the Eureka
headline marking the return of the cadets from Portland. They
had been gone 39 days. Accounts of the welcome follow:
The … steamer was sighted from the lookout about 2
o ‘clock and soon crossed the bar … when threading her way
through the entrance … people from all over Eureka were … gathering at the foot of E Street … Many boarded launches
and went down the bay where the Roanoke had dropped
anchor in the stream near the Bayside Mill. H. L Ricks in his
automobile boat took a run down the bay with … friends … the wharves resembled a scene from a fireworks display.
Quickly the boys scrambled up the gang plank, and formed
a line at First Street. Not a mother was permitted to grab a
youth … and the march was made to the church. The crowd
followed. At the church … that mother’s boy was her own
again.
At 7 o ‘clock … the youths in travel-stained uniforms fell in
line and marched to Railroad Street. They were met by the
Corps of Christ Church, under Dunbar, and the members of
the club who stayed at home under Captain White. The Eureka
and Sequoia bands in full uniform were at the wharf and
marched to the church together with the cargo laden wagons.
The bands volunteered and donated their services.
###
An official welcome was given the cadets at the church
with speeches from Mayor A. W. Torrey, M.
Modhams and Reverend Matlock. There was high praise for
the boys and their leaders for bringing attention to Humboldt
County and the educational experience afforded the cadets
themselves.
Matlock announced that the Chamber of Commerce had
arranged to give each boy who made the trip a bronze medal,
designed by Mrs. Clark Emory and made by Frank Anderson.
It was to be a round medal, bearing on the front a cadet in full
marching order, and the inscription “To Portland or Bust.” The
other side read. “We hiked it 510 miles from Eureka to the sea,
sea, sea,” and Lewis and Clark Exposition, 1905. The
announcement about the medals was a surprise.
Committee for the reception was: Mesdames Clark Emery,
N. H. Pine, George Langford, Frank Herrick, Emory Wing, J.
H. Holmes, L. A. Brown and C. V. Jackson.
That evening the boys presented their show again at the
Occidental Pavilion to a large audience, giving parents,
friends, and the public a chance to see how they earned their
expenses. Rev. Baker described the trip with many colorful
anecdotes.
The Congregational Cadet Corps had the time of their lives
and memories they never forgot. I wish I could have walked
that walk.
###
Author’s Note: Material for this story was taken from
undated, unidentified newspaper clippings from the
Oregonian, Times, Standard and papers from cities along the
march saved by Wallace Null, one of the 60 cadets who walked
that 510 miles.
###
The story above was originally printed in the Winter 1997 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historianat this link.
Police officers clash with protesters inside Siemens Hall at Cal Poly Humboldt on April 22. | Screenshot of video by Ryan Hutson for Redheaded Blackbelt.
###
Law enforcement’s clash with pro-Palestinian protestors at Cal Poly Humboldt on April 22 revealed a lack of effective planning and command, according to an independent review conducted by OIR Group, the Long Beach-based entity that serves asthe City of Eureka’s Independent Police Auditor (“IPA”).
Of course, the Eureka Police Department was not the lead agency that responded to the campus demonstration — that would be Cal Poly Humboldt’s own University Police Department (UPD), which has not, to our knowledge, had its own independent review.
But the report commissioned by Eureka and presented to the public earlier this week found the planning and execution of law enforcement’s initial response sorely lacking.
“There was no clear unified Incident Command, and no contingency planning in place if the circumstances changed; for example, how to respond if the crowd size overwhelmed law enforcement’s capacity or protestors became violent,” the report notes. “Those in command did not account for field operation basics, such as covering all entrances to Seimens [sic] Hall, avoiding being surrounded, and providing a safe and clear path of movement for those who left voluntarily as well as arrestees.”
The report also suggests that the violent altercation — video of which, including a protester’s water jug going “boink” across a cop’s helmet, quickly went viral — could probably have been avoided altogether.
“Based on our review of available video and other evidence, there was no immediate threat beyond vandalism of University property at the time officers staged in the foyer, and no urgent need for law enforcement intervention,” the OIG report states.
The 26-page review, which you can download via the link below, offers a blow-by-blow account of the April 22 events on campus along with a list of half a dozen recommendations for the Eureka Police Department.
The writeup says that while protesters said their intention was to peacefully “sit-in” to protest the war in Gaza, those intentions “were soon overshadowed by some protestors’ involvement in vandalism of University property and their decision to barricade entrances and exits [to Siemens Hall], prompting University administration to request a law enforcement intervention.”
EPD was among several local agencies to respond to the university’s call for mutual aid. About an hour into the protest, university leadership reportedly gave the command for law enforcement to enter Siemens Hall and arrest protesters for trespassing.
According to the report, things went sideways pretty quickly. While the plan was to enter Siemens Hall from a rear upstairs door and push protestors out the front door, to be arrested by waiting officers, UPD instead directed the team through the main quad to that front door, where approximately 50 protesters had gathered in force.
As the crowd of protesters outside crowded in behind the team of officers, they saw that the foyer inside Siemens Hall’s main entrance had been blocked by heavy cabinets, bookshelves, desks and chairs. This was a surprise to the EPD officers because UPD had reported that all barricades had been removed, the report says.
“At this point, the EPD team recognized that law enforcement was significantly outnumbered,” the review continues. “The mission as initially described – to arrest 30 peaceful protestors – was not the actual situation faced by EPD officers on the ground. … Moreover, the EPD officers appeared to be the only responding team equipped with shields that were required for effective crowd management.”
As the assembled officers gathered outside, protesters yelled at them to leave, and some started throwing unopened cans of food in their direction.
“Others began to jump in unison and chant loudly, saying, ‘we are not afraid of you!’” the report says. “A protestor banged an empty water jug with a stick. Still others asserted that they were conducting a prayer ritual that could not be interrupted; one stood on the furniture and burned sage while holding an abalone shell.”
Two dispersal orders were given, but with all the noise on scene it’s unclear whether the protesters could hear them.
“Video footage from all vantage points suggested that the officers were at a tactical disadvantage, both in sheer numbers and force,” the report says. But under direction from the university, they advanced nonetheless. “The power of the surging crowd appeared to be stronger as the officers lost ground nearly immediately. Still, the officers used their shields to continue to push into the crowd.”
Protesters kicked, punched, spat and shoved; cops used their batons to poke and jab while shoving back. One officer punched a protester in the torso with a closed fist. A female officer’s knees buckled as she was pushed into a cabinet, and as she lay on the ground being choked by the chin strap of her own helmet, a protester struck her repeatedly in the right leg, according to the report. She kicked back, “possibly kicking a protestor in the groin.”
Again, the report points the finger at the university and UPD.
“[An EPD] supervisor expressed concerns about the mission several times, including concern over not having an effective arrest plan,” it says. “While UPD wanted to issue another dispersal order and begin moving or arresting the crowd in the quad, EPD and others advised to wait.”
Undeterred, UPD requested an armored vehicle and a SWAT team.
The EPD officers managed to extricate themselves, and by 10:40 p.m. they had pulled all resources from the campus.
Since OIR Group is the City of Eureka’s independent auditor, it’s official list of recommendations is directed toward the city and its police force. But the analysis doesn’t spare UPD.
”As the lead organization, UPD was responsible for planning and command, and should have created a written Incident Action Plan (also referred to as Operational Plans, or “Ops Plans”) for this event,” the report says. And ultimately, the review commends EPD as far more prepared and equipped than the university’s force.
“EPD command staff had the expertise (backed by its own First Amendment Assembly policy) needed to effectively resolve the short-term situation on campus, and to develop effective operations plans for related events that occurred in the following weeks,” the report says. “We advise that EPD use this expertise to lead the region in establishing templates for Incident Action Plans for spontaneous events.”
Perhaps surprising: The report says EPD does not have a mutual aid agreement with regional partners such as UPD.
OIR Group’s six recommendations for EPD are as follows:
“EPD should work with its regional partners to establish templates for Incident Action Plans for various types and sizes of events that provide general strategy and working tactics.”
“EPD should work with its regional partners to establish a Mutual Aid Agreement and a regional training plan to ensure that all parties fully understand the contours of the Agreement.”
“EPD should develop a formal critical or major incident review process that involves a meeting of Department leaders convened after a critical incident, in which a broad range of issues are considered and identified, and which results in clearly defined and documented action items with expectations for follow-up and effective feedback.”
“EPD should engage with the other agencies who responded to Cal Poly on April 22 to facilitate a multi-agency debrief to discuss where improvements can be made in future responses.”
“EPD should send at least one supervisor to obtain Mobile Field Force instructor certification in Field Force Operations. Once certified, this trainer should provide a Mobile Field Force training update to all personnel.”
“EPD should add Mobile Field Force updates to its regular training schedule (while balancing competing training requirements and staffing challenges).”
In closing, the report commends EPD for its actions during these less-than-ideal circumstances:
EPD’s role in the law enforcement response to the April 22 protest at Cal Poly was limited and, at least initially, claimed no responsibility over the planning and on-scene command. The officers and supervisor who arrived first at the University were thrust into a difficult task with little or no chance of success. And as we detail above, their use of force to get out of that situation was measured and justified.
Law enforcement officers arrested 31 protesters during the demonstrations, though none have yet been charged with any crimes. Reached by the Outpost earlier this week, Humboldt County District Attorney Stacey Eads said her office has conducted its initial review.
“Final decisions are pending further evaluation and/or receipt of additional information,” she said via email.
As of Friday morning, the Hill Fire burning south of Willow Creek has grown to 7,111 acres with 17 percent containment.
The following additional information comes from Incident Command:
CURRENT SITUATION:
The number one priority for firefighters is the Sugarloaf Mountain area, and crews are working around the clock to
the keep the fire within established dozer and handlines.
With the increased humidity and lower temperatures, tactical firing was done yesterday and through the evening,
supported by aircraft. This strategy aimed to gradually move the fire down Sugarloaf Mountain toward Forest Road
5N14. This road extends north and connects with a dozer line that ties back to 6N06 Road, creating a perimeter
around the fire. These operations have been successful and are ongoing. Activities have been slow and methodical as
the steep terrain presents safety issues for the crews. Fire-burned trees, loose soil, and dislodged rocks call for extra
awareness.
Control lines in the north, west, and south are holding firm, with crews actively mopping up and patrolling these
areas. They will also focus on removing hazardous trees and those threatening the containment lines.
Contingency line construction continues to the south and along the Hennessy Ridge in the east. The Structure Defense
Group has worked with local agencies to evaluate residences, roadways, and other values at risk.
WEATHER:
Today, conditions will get better with more marine influence. The inversion layer will help humidity levels go up,
reaching mostly above 30 percent during the day. Temperatures will also drop, staying mostly below 80 degrees. Winds
will be mostly influenced by the terrain, blowing from the northwest at higher elevations in the afternoon.
EVACUATIONS:
Humbolt County: Evacuation order and warnings remain in effect. For current updates on evacuations, visit
https://www.facebook.com/HumboldtSheriff and https://humboldtgov.org/2383/Current-Emergencies.
Trinity County: Evacuation warnings remain in effect. For current updates on evacuations, visit
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064589806351 and https://www.trinitycounty.org/OES.
Forest Closure Order currently in effect for the area impacted by the Hill Fire. It is temporarily prohibited to be on
any national forest system land, trail, or road within the closure area.
Road closures are currently in place on Friday Ridge Rd. at Forest Service Route 6N06, Friday Ridge Rd. at Forest
Route 5N01 and Friday Fridge Rd. at Forest Route 5N04. For updated road closure information,
visit protect.genasys.com or humboldtsheriff.org/emergency.
A car burns during a training session as an apprentice lays out a fire hose at the Los Angeles County Fire Department East County Training Center, in Pomona, on July 8, 2024. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters
Flames curled around a white 1997 Buick as the airbags exploded, sounding like gunshots. The tires popped next, sending metal pieces flying. Four men battled the blaze, shooting water through a firehose while Captain Michael Chapman looked on.
By the end of the day, he said, this training academy of the Los Angeles County Fire Department will torch 10 cars.
Not only is the training free for these firefighters-in-training — they also get paid. They’re in an apprenticeship program, which means they learn on the job.
It’s a model that’s gaining new attention. During his 2018 campaign, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would create 500,000 new apprenticeships in the decade after taking office. Firefighting is the most popular so far, with nearly 18,000 apprentices joining programs since Newsom’s inauguration in January 2019, according to Adele Burnes, the deputy chief of the state’s Division of Apprenticeship Standards. As of this month, she said the state has registered more than 180,000 apprentices across all industries in the last five years.
The California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee helps create these firefighter apprenticeships by bringing together local fire departments and their union leaders, who jointly set the terms for apprentice pay and training. The state subsidizes apprenticeship training just like it subsidizes public colleges and universities.
Learning without getting burned
Today, the majority of professional firefighters in California are trained through apprenticeship programs, said Yvonne de la Peña, who oversees the joint committee. She said getting to that point took more than 30 years of incremental work, negotiating apprenticeship agreements department by department.
The 36 Los Angeles County apprentices all men, each with the same buzz cut. After every lesson in their 18-week training program, they split into small groups and line up in rows, where their instructors shout commands.
“We have to be militaristic,” Chapman said. “Someone has to take charge.”
The pay varies, but in large fire departments, apprentices can make more than $40 an hour, according to de la Peña. Once they finish apprenticeship training, they get a raise.
First: A car burns during firefighter training. Last: An apprentice carries a saw. Photos by Jules Hotz for CalMatters
Apprentices work to extinguish the flames on a burning car. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters
The state reimburses the departments for some training costs, typically about $10 an hour for each hour of training. In the 2022-23 budget year, which ended last June, the state gave fire departments a total of more than $24 million for apprenticeship training, according to Melissa Villarin, a spokesperson for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. The money passes through education agencies because it comes from Proposition 98, the same source used to fund K-12 education and community colleges.
In addition to its hourly reimbursement, which is provided to almost any registered apprenticeship program, California allocated around $130 million for apprenticeships in the last budget year. Most of that money went to programs that help diversify apprenticeships or to industries that are interested in launching an apprenticeship model for the first time. It’s part of an unprecedented state investment in apprenticeships in recent years.
In Los Angeles County, the fire department didn’t qualify for many of those grants, but it received over $4 million from the state for training reimbursement.
A few hours after quenching the car fire, the apprentices rotate to other lessons, including the most dangerous one: a burning building. For that section, instructors outnumber students. “The last thing we want is to burn one of them,” said Chapman, pointing to the apprentices. “Or burn one of the staff.”
To simulate a burning building, the instructors use shipping containers, lining sections of the interior walls with wooden pallets and sound boards, then lighting them on fire. Four apprentices run from a fire truck in the parking lot toward the shipping containers, carrying a firehouse between them, and crawl inside, one-by-one, escorted by their instructors at the front and the rear of the line.
At one point while inside, the firehose snags a corner, but the apprentices struggle to communicate with one another to ask for more slack.
First and last: Apprentices, in yellow helmets, run a hose over to the entrance of a shipping container during training. Photos by Jules Hotz for CalMatters
Several instructors take off their gear and cool off between training sessions. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters
They lose about 30 seconds but put out the fire nonetheless. They exit the shipping container slowly, too exhausted to run, then they strip off their uniforms and dunk their heads into a trash bin filled with ice water. Both apprentices and instructors are dripping in water and sweat as they sit down to debrief the lesson.
“Did they not hear you or did you not understand?” said instructor Zack Balderrama, referring to the moment when the firehose got stuck.
“Both,” said a group of four apprentices, in unison.
‘Parallels’ to education
On-the-job training has long been a part of firefighting, said de la Peña, with the joint apprenticeship committee. “The apprenticeship model hasn’t changed how someone becomes a firefighter.” The difference, she said, is that now fire departments are reimbursed directly by the state for some of their training costs. Their training is more standardized and union leaders play a larger part in determining it, she said.
Some industries, such as carpentry, have also created robust apprenticeship programs. Since 2019, the state has registered roughly 14,000 carpenter apprentices, said Burnes, with the state standards division.
Industries such as firefighting and carpentry will continue to add apprentices, but not at the scale needed to meet the governor’s goal of 500,000. “If we do nothing and maintain the status quo, we will serve approximately 330,000 apprentices by 2029,” wrote state agency leaders in a 2022 report. One of the solutions, they wrote, is to “expand new and innovative apprenticeships,” in fields such as education, health care, and technology.
Teachers and firefighters have few skills in common, but when it comes to forming apprenticeship programs, Burnes said there are “parallels.” Both industries are primarily composed of unionized, public sector employees who are spread out across hundreds of independently governed districts.
Apprentices turn to walk to their next lesson. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters
California — population 39 million — currently has two teacher apprentices, according to the organization, and they’re registered with the federal government, not the state. California has yet to certify an apprenticeship program for K-12 teachers, Burnes said. “There’s a whole system of teacher credentialing in California. That’s a different nut to crack.” The goal, she said, is to create a pathway for students to earn while they learn, without diminishing the quality of the state’s teaching credentials.
In health care, Burnes pointed to one promising program, which trains licensed vocational nurses to become registered nurses. She said it has enrolled 84 apprentices since 2016.
Making room for women in firefighting
To train in Los Angeles County, the 36 apprentices needed to pass physical agility, medical and written tests, and to be certified Emergency Medical Technicians or paramedics before starting training. Many took over 20 different written exams, in multiple counties and states, waiting years just to get hired with a department. This particular class of apprentices took its written exam in 2019.
The greatest challenge is often physical. During training, apprentices must prove they can carry ladders, chainsaws, and hoses while wearing heavy uniforms, helmets, and oxygen tanks — in over 100° heat.
Initially, the fire department accepted 56 people, but in the first few weeks of class, 20 apprentices either got injured or failed to meet the performance requirements. Among those who failed was the sole woman.
“Everybody is held to the same standard,” said Chapman, adding that both men and women struggle with the physical agility exam and apprenticeship training. “Size or gender has nothing to do with it.”
While the governor’s goal focuses on the volume of apprentices in California, state agencies and fire departments are also concerned about diversity. Apprenticeships help train people for high-paying jobs, but historically, the industries that offer apprenticeships have been male-dominated. In firefighting and construction, for example, just 4% of apprentices are women, according to the state’s 2022 report.
Diversifying those industries and creating new apprenticeship programs in female-dominated industries, such as education, can help close the pay gap between men and women, Burnes said.
Through a 2017 bill, the state Legislature required the California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee to create programs that prepare applicants, especially women and people of color, for firefighter jobs. Last year, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors called on its fire department to do the same.
Today, de la Peña said the joint committee offers classes in San Diego, Sacramento, and Los Angeles, where students can get certified as a paramedic and practice for the other components of the firefighter apprenticeship.
Apprentices’ gear and a helmet are laid out on a bench. Photos by Jules Hotz for CalMatters
For Michaela Levell, a student in Los Angeles, the greatest benefit is the cost. “It’s free,” she said, referring to her paramedic class, and she’s able to continue working as an EMT since school is only three days a week. The UCLA paramedic program nearby is four days a week and costs about $13,0000.
Growing up in Indiana, Levell said she didn’t see any other women in the fire service so she decided to go to college and study social work instead. “It’s a daunting thing to know how few females there are in the fire department,” she said.
After getting her bachelor’s degree, she has around $50,000 of debt and said she wishes she had pursued a firefighter apprenticeship earlier. Once she moved to Los Angeles, she came across female firefighters through her EMT work. She said they’re some of “the most badass women I’ve ever met.”
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Adam Echelman covers California’s community colleges in partnership with Open Campus, a nonprofit newsroom focused on higher education.
Financial support for this story was provided by the Smidt and Irvine foundations.
CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.
