Eighteen miles south of the Oregon border and
just north of Redwood National Park is Crescent City. The
search for gold in southern Oregon and the Trinity
mountains brought miners and settlers from San Francisco
in the 1850s, and a small community of stores and
warehouses was established on the crescent-shaped
bay.
The small, isolated pioneer community survived several
disasters. In 1865, the side-wheel steamer Brother
Jonathan foundered on St. George's Reef and sank with 232
people aboard. Two hundred and three bodies from the
wreck lie in the Brother Jonathan Cemetery. On Good
Friday of 1964, the day of the great Alaska earthquake, a
tsunami arrived and destroyed the business section with
four great wave at speeds of 500 miles an hour.
What to See &
Do
Two museums operated by the Del Norte Historical
Society display exhibits of the town's changing
fortunes. The main museum is located at 577 H street in
an old jailhouse. Here are exhibits of North American
Indian artifacts, logging memorabilia and displays on
pioneer life in the county. Hours vary, call (707)
464-3922 for information. The second museum is the
Battery Point Lighthouse Museum, located at the
foot of Front Street, offering a guided tour, shipwreck
displays and books. It's open Wednesdays through Sundays
from 10 am to 4 pm (summer months).
The visitor center for Redwood National Park is
located at 1111 2nd Street, downtown. Crescent City
Harbor at the south end of town offers restaurants,
charter fishing trips, boat launching and tackle shops.
The harbor is flanked by beaches reached by taking
Pebble Beach Drive (south beaches) and Scenic
Drive north of downtown. The Rumiano Cheese
Factory, at 9th and E streets, is the largest
producer of Dry Monterey Jack Cheese in the country. You
can tour the plant and sample several types of cheese.
The 18-hole (par 71) Del Norte Golf Course is at
130 Club Drive.
Camping
Campers who require hookups close to town stay at the
large Redwoods KOA, at 4241 Hwy. 101 North
(707-464-5744).
Redwood National Park:
For information on
Redwood National Park
and the three state parks inside the national park, go
to:
