Ferndale

the Victorian Village

Ferndale, a living history museum of Victoriana, virtually unchanged since the 1800s, is full of other architectural treasures. Ferndale was founded in 1852 and quickly became one of the region's major agricultural centers nestled in a pastoral valley near redwood forests. The dairy industry provided the economic base, splendidly ornate buildings are known today as "Butterfat Palaces." and blend agriculture and architecture.

Ferndale has been called one of the prettiest painted places in America. a photographer's paradise Visitors can stroll along the town's Historic Main Street District, where antique shops, boutiques, and art galleries, and complement a dazzling array of 19th-century; Eastlake, Gothic Revival, Italianate, and Queen Anne homes.

The history of this thriving community is preserved in the Ferndale Museum and its exhibits . In addition to displaying artifacts, furniture and items that have survived since the town was founded - including working crank phones, a telephone switchboard, farm and logging equipment, an operating seismograph, a barber shop and a complete blacksmith shop - the museum also provides walking tours of the well-preserved town.

Ferndale's pioneer cemetery is an off-beat but popular attraction with historic markers dating back to the last century . The cemetery overlooking the town offers expansive views of the ocean to the west and the Eel River Valley to the east. The cattle-ranching Russ family for which Fern Cottage was built in 1866 is a picturesque farmhouse listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Located three miles west of Ferndale, the historic home and gardens are open, available for tour.

The town today celebrates that heritage of the labor of thousands of Scandinavian, Swiss-Italian and Portuguese immigrants, who built Ferndale. The Cinco de Mayo Folkloric Festival, Portuguese Holy Ghost Celebration, and the Scandinavian Mid-Summer Festival are just some of the numerous events held annually to commemorate the town's distinctive culture. Ferndale is also the home of the Humboldt County Fair, the longest running county fair in California.

Ferndale came to life as an isolated settlement in the unexplored territory of the American West, although today the town is just a few miles off the beaten path. Full of enchanting Victorian charm however, it might as well be a world away.

Magnificently preserved Victorian architecture, pick up visitor information from any shop on your stroll as you park your car to step back in time. A photographer's paradise and a shopper's delight Ferndale’s Main Street is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the old-fashioned mercantile, antique stores, art galleries, and specialty shops, even hear the blacksmith's hammer, watch fresh candy being dipped by hand or a fine dinner and an evening of theatre.

Think about tomorrow: a walk along nearby coastline, a nature hike in Russ Park (the 110-acre forest bird sanctuary), a boat tour of the Eel River Delta, a visit to the museums, a leisurely day filled with old-fashioned service and friendly faces as you’re resting by the fire in your elegant bed and breakfast inn.

The splendid buildings have been carefully restored, complimented with meticulously tended gardens, and remember when people took the time to smile and offer a friendly greeting. Ferndale is a working all-American town, although it's been suggested that it is only in a fairytale setting. It is a community which takes pride in its beautiful community and cultural heritage. Here you will find a town where the old way of life is just what you‘ll find.

Ferndale loves to have fun! The whacky Kinetic Sculpture Race, and cradle of the wild. Ferndale continues to host the finish of this off-beat art event, now a three-day contest. The village is home to many colorful events and festivals: Tour of the Unknown Coast bicycle run, Bargain Lovers' Weekend, Victorian Village Mysteries, Foggy Bottoms Milk Run, and the Christmas Lighted Tractor Parade, to name just a few.

Christmas in Ferndale is magical. Children from the elementary school decorate Christmas trees in front of Main Street shops and members of the volunteer fire department hang more than 900 lights on a huge Sitka spruce at the end of Main Street for the lighting of America's tallest living Christmas tree.

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