Cal-Barrel RoadThis photo reminds me of my many hikes along Cal-Barrel Road in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. It is a digitally created artwork. There is a little-known road in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park that takes you from the old Highway 101 up into the ancient redwood forest.

“Originally constructed during the mid-19th century, this road played a crucial role in connecting the isolated settlers of the area and facilitating the transportation of goods and supplies,” according to AI-Pro.

“The road derives its name from the ‘cal barrels’ used for transporting quicklime, an essential ingredient in the production of mortar used for constructing buildings. The local lime kilns, located in close proximity to the road, would produce quicklime, which was then transported via this route to various destinations.”

The hard-packed, one-lane gravel road was initially composed of only dirt, but it is moist along the coast, so gravel was eventually applied.

Cal-Barrel RoadThis photo reminds me of my many hikes along Cal-Barrel Road in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. It is a digitally created artwork. “As transportation North Coast roads changed, the importance of Cal-Barrel Road diminished,” according to AI-Pro. “Eventually, in the interest of environmental preservation and to protect the unique attributes of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, the road was closed to vehicular traffic and preserved as a hiking and biking trail.

Today, Cal-Barrel Road serves as a testament to the rich history of the region and a vital link to the past. Visitors to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park can explore the road's remnants, enjoying its rustic charm

So that is all about the road, but why is the road named Cal-Barrel? Because there used be the California Barrel Co.

“While the lumber industry had dominated the region for decades, the California Barrel Co. was the principal employer in the city from 1906 to 1956 and the closure of the company was an unexpected hardship,” according to a past city of Arcata publication. “By 1936, the California Barrel Co. could advertise an annual payroll of approximately half a million dollars and almost 400 employees. The United Creameries Association and Golden State Milk Products Co. represented an annual butter production of one and one half million dollars.”

Cal-Barrel RoadThis photo reminds me of my many hikes along Cal-Barrel Road in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. It is a digitally created artwork. The city said Cal-Barrel was the largest employer in the city after World War 2 and employed nearly three times as many people as before it shut down. United Creameries also closed years ago.

“Early on, {Cal-Barrel} made barrels for the Spreckles Sugar Co., later expanding to supply containers to China and to provide wire-bound crates for produce and machinery in the United States,” according to Eureka-based newspaper, The Times-Standard, which I used to work for as city editor. “The company cut {Sitka} spruce and other trees in several parts of Humboldt County, including Fickle Hill and a portion of what later became Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Much of its mill, just northwest of Samoa Boulevard and L Street in Arcata, still stands, recalling the days when it provided the paychecks for 1,142 workers.”