The Research Library is one of two public rooms in the Barnum House where researchers may interact with research materials during our regular business hours (Wednesday-Friday, 12:30-6:30). These resources may not be checked out of the library and are always available to researchers.
Topics On the Shelves
California History
General Reference
Indigenous Peoples
National & Regional Context
Local Tribes: Hupa, Karuk, Klamath, Wiyot, Yurok
Ethnographic Reports
Studies of Basketry
Period of Contact: "Discovery," The Indian Wars, Genocide
Neighboring Counties
Del Norte, Mendocino, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity
Humboldt County History
General Reference
First-Person Narrative
Regional: Northern Humboldt, Eureka, Eel River Valley, Southern Humboldt
Chinese Expulsion
Redwood Forests: Environmentalism, Parks & Tourism, Timber Industry
Railroads, Aviation, Road & Bridge Construction
Mining: Trinity Gold Rush
Maritime: Ships, Lighthouses, Fisheries, Salmon, Whaling
Christians & Churches
Humboldt State University & College of the Redwoods
Research Library Collections
General Information Files (GIF)
Vertical Files contain newspaper clippings, original reports, and other ephemeral materials related to specific topics. The GIF has been divided into the following collections:
Businesses
Churches
Clubs & Organizations
Communities
Government
Historic Buildings
& other topics in Humboldt County history
Humboldt Historian Archive
All past issues of the Humboldt Historian with a hard-copy index (through 1999).
Martha Roscoe Collection
Indexed notes of local historian and Humboldt County Historical Society contributor Martha Roscoe (1896-1990).
Humboldt County and Eureka City Directories
(1877, 1884-86, 1895-96, 1898-99, 1902-present)
Directories list residents of each Humboldt County town, describe resident occupation and homeowner information, and include descriptions of historic townships and business advertisements.
If you are not able to visit us in person we do offer a research service. For $25/hour ($15 for members) our research assistant is available to find documents and source excerpts relevant to your specific research question. Submit a research request.
Other Research Materials