Andersonia, California

Andersonia is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, California.[1] It is located near U.S. Route 101[2] on the South Fork of the Eel River 1 mile (1.6 km) north-northwest of Piercy,[3] at an elevation of 541 feet (165 m).[1]

Andersonia
Unincorporated community
Little remains of Andersonia at the confluence of Indian Creek and the South Fork Eel River.
Andersonia
Location in California
Coordinates: 39°58′41″N 123°48′26″W
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyMendocino County
Elevation541 ft (165 m)

History
Bear Harbor and Eel River Railroad
Overview
HeadquartersAndersonia, California
Reporting mark?
LocaleAndersonia, California
Dates of operation1893–1921
Technical
Track gauge?
Map showing Bear Harbor, Moody, and Andersonia

A small wharf was completed at Bear Harbor in 1884 for loading of forest products from the Lost Coast. In 1893 construction commenced on the Bear Harbor and Eel River Railroad over the coastal ridge to connect Bear Harbor to South Fork Eel River tributary Indian Creek. The inland railway terminus was called Moody after Lew Moody constructed a hotel and saloon nearby.

Southern Humboldt Lumber Company camp 10 sawmill was built in 1903, and the location was named Andersonia for company president Henry Neff "Pap" Anderson. A log pond dam was constructed on Indian Creek where twenty million board feet (47,000 m3) of timber were stored in preparation for milling. A 17-mile (27 km) railway extension from Moody to Andersonia was being completed in 1905.

"Pap" was killed by a mill accident on November 6, 1905.[4] Sawmill operation was delayed by litigation following Anderson's death. Mr and Mrs Lilley stayed on as caretakers of the "ghost town"

The mill was almost sold in April 1906 to the Wright Blodgett Company of Saginaw, but the earthquake on April 18 caused the buyer to back out.[5][6]

In 1921, the mill, equipment, and machinery were all dismantled for storage and the town was officially closed.[7]

Heavy rains in 1925-6 caused the dam to burst sending the twenty-year old logs, down the Eel River.[7][5]

Andersons' grandsons brought new life to the mill with an Arcata-based "Andersonia Forest Products".[8] The company name changed again to Indian Creek Lumber Company. In 1950, another name change back to Andersonia Forest Products and a new manager, Tom Dimmick, originally from Centralia, Washington, was brought on.[7][5] Lumber was trucked out over U.S. Route 101 rather than rebuilding the railroad and wharf at Bear Harbor. The locomotives were preserved in 1962. The sawmill operated until local timber supplies were exhausted in 1972.[9]

Bear Harbor and Eel River Railroad Locomotives
Number Builder Type Date Works number Notes[10]
1 Marshutz and Cantrell 0-4-0 Tank locomotive 1892 purchased new; restored by the Northern Counties Logging Interpretive Association at Fort Humboldt State Historic Park
2 Baldwin Locomotive Works 2-4-2 Tank locomotive 1898 purchased new; preserved by the Northern Counties Logging Interpretive Association at Fort Humboldt State Historic Park

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Andersonia, California
  2. DeLorme California Atlas & Gazetteer (2008) Yarmouth, Maine p.47 ISBN 0-89933-383-4
  3. Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  4. "Local Brevities" Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.), 09 Nov. 1905. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
  5. "New Andersonia Mill at Full Production" Ukiah Daily Journal (Ukiah, California) 05 Jul 1950, Wed Page 9 (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 Oct 2020)
  6. "Michigan Lumber Concern Buys a California Plant" The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]), 06 April 1906. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
  7. "Andersonia - Fate thwarted a dream of lumbering" Eureka Times Standard (Eureka, California) December 28, 1975 Page 22 (https://newspaperarchive.com/ : accessed 13 Oct 2020)
  8. "County News", Ukiah Republican Press (Ukiah, California) January 3, 1940 Page 2
  9. Carranco, Lynwood (1982). Redwood Lumber Industry. Golden West Books. pp. 208–209. ISBN 0-87095-084-3.
  10. "Northern Counties Logging Interpretive Association". Jeff Terry. Retrieved 2010-05-01.

See also:

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