Victorian Ferndale: Landmark No. 883

Our first stop was to load up on yummy stuff from the Loleta Cheese Factory. Nestled in the dairy center of Humboldt County this family-run business is dedicated to making the finest premium natural and organic cheeses, producing over 34 varieties... oh and they let you taste them all. Our favorite was the Herb & Spice Havarti.


The happiest cows... ever!
In the late 1800s, during the Victorian architectural period, Ferndale blossomed as the agricultural center of Northern California. The prosperous dairy industry provided the economic base for Ferndale, and the blend of agriculture and architecture resulted in the town's splendidly ornate buildings, known as 'Butterfat Palaces.'


Forbes named Ferndale one of AMERICA’S PRETTIEST TOWNS! "From its well-preserved Victorian-era main street, to its five-minute drive from California’s magnificent, undeveloped Lost Coast (more about that later), Ferndale is a surprising trip back in time, with just enough modern quirkiness to make it unique."
Walking down Main Street, one can see why Ferndale was chosen as the 1950's era town of Lawson, in the Jim Carrey movie The Majestic (2001).
A must for us is exploring a town's history Museum and this one was a comprehensive look at this delightful town's extensive history. Events and characters have left their indelible mark on Ferndale and we were excited to learn about them all.
Any idea of what this is? I had no idea. It's an egg carton maker. Wild stuff.
The cemetery has to be one of my favorites... terraced, historic (1868), and blooming with wildflowers.

I could have included a plethora of these painted ladies, but chose to share just this one. Construction of the Gingerbread Mansion began in 1895 and went through several uses and times of disrepair. Now it exists in opulent splendor... absolutely spectacular.
I loved this Little Free Library, housed in an old, coin operated newspaper vending macine. If you're not familiar with these awesome things they are a “take a book, return a book” gathering place where neighbors share their favorite literature and stories. In its most basic form, a Little Free Library is a box full of books where anyone may stop by and pick up a book (or two) and bring back another book to share. Love the quote, too, "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." - Joseph Addison
After touring town, we headed to the Lost Coast, a mostly natural and development-free area of the California North Coast in Humboldt and Mendocino Counties. It was named the "Lost Coast" after the area experienced depopulation in the 1930s.
I spent Mother's Day doing some of my most favorite things... discovering someplace new, being a tourist, visiting a history museum, eating way too much delicious cheese, and getting to the beach. The only thing better, would have been to have my children with me. Oh well, today's memories of this awesome day will just have to do. Happy Mother's Day to you!

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2 comments:

Denise said...

So glad you found the Lolita Cheese company. We come home with pounds of cheese after every visit. My favorite changes each time.

May 13, 2015 at 7:23 PM
Four Points Bulletin said...

Wow! Ferndale sure is PRETTY! I want to go!
Plus, there is cheese. I go where there is fresh cheese.
Your Lost Coast pictures are pretty too. :)
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May 25, 2015 at 6:14 PM

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