Houda's Landing Trinidad Humboldt County A.W. Ericson 1909 Real Photo Postcard
Houda's Landing was a vital "doghole" port situated on the rugged coast of Humboldt County, California, near Trinidad. Active primarily from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, these small, often dangerous landings were crucial for exporting lumber, fish, and agricultural products from remote regions that lacked robust road or rail infrastructure. The image, featuring a steamer anchored offshore and a cliffside loading structure, illustrates the integral role of maritime transport in the economic development of Northern California.
Operations at such landings involved transferring goods, predominantly timber, via cable systems or chutes from the cliff-top to steam schooners anchored in the often-turbulent waters. This period represented a critical phase in California's resource extraction industries, with these specialized ports overcoming challenging geographical conditions. Photographed by Ericson of Arcata, California, the scene captures the ingenuity and necessity of coastal shipping before the expansion of modern transportation networks rendered most doghole landings obsolete by the mid-20th century.
Operations at such landings involved transferring goods, predominantly timber, via cable systems or chutes from the cliff-top to steam schooners anchored in the often-turbulent waters. This period represented a critical phase in California's resource extraction industries, with these specialized ports overcoming challenging geographical conditions. Photographed by Ericson of Arcata, California, the scene captures the ingenuity and necessity of coastal shipping before the expansion of modern transportation networks rendered most doghole landings obsolete by the mid-20th century.
