Richardson Grove Redwood Highway Humboldt County Real Photo Postcard
Richardson Grove, one of California's earliest state parks, was established in 1922 in northern Mendocino County, though it functioned as a private resort and tourist stop before its formal designation. Situated along the South Fork Eel River, the grove is renowned for its towering old-growth coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), which drew early 20th-century travelers. Photographers like E.R. Freeman played a significant role in documenting and popularizing these natural wonders, capturing the scale of the ancient forests and the emergent tourism infrastructure.
The postcard likely dates to the 1910s or 1920s, reflecting the early development of the "Redwood Highway," a predecessor to U.S. Route 101, which connected travelers to these remote redwood regions. This period marked the advent of automobile tourism and increasing public awareness, fostered by groups like the Save the Redwoods League (founded 1918), concerning the preservation of these magnificent forests from logging. The visible unpaved road surface is indicative of the highway's initial stages of improvement.
The postcard likely dates to the 1910s or 1920s, reflecting the early development of the "Redwood Highway," a predecessor to U.S. Route 101, which connected travelers to these remote redwood regions. This period marked the advent of automobile tourism and increasing public awareness, fostered by groups like the Save the Redwoods League (founded 1918), concerning the preservation of these magnificent forests from logging. The visible unpaved road surface is indicative of the highway's initial stages of improvement.
