Nature Versus Progress: A Look Back at the Early Days of Highway 36

Over 100 years after the photo below was taken, Mother Nature and travelers continue the tug and pull of nature versus progress along the Van Duzen River. Both the raw, wild nature of rugged land refusing to mold to man’s demands and the dogged persistence of humans to live in remote hills, along scenic and unforgiving terrain, are inspiring and capture a bit of the heart of the people that reside here.

Residents that live and drive Highway 36 know just how precarious the winding, two-lane road can be. Featuring steep cliffs above the beautiful Van Duzen River below and sharp corners that weave asphalt between giant redwood trees, Highway 36 is plagued with accidents and road closures, especially during the winter months when rain and wind encourage the rugged terrain to reclaim what was once untouched.

After a slide near Grizzly Creek nearly crushed a motorist in the wee hours before dawn, the rural highway was closed as rock, trees, and debris continued to fall onto the roadway, making passage impossible. Heavy equipment and hundreds of hours of work by Caltrans crews were able to reopen the critical traffic artery – for now.

Carl Young provides us a look back at the construction of Highway 36. The top photo was taken on May 31, 1915, between Carlotta and Bridgeville – within the same stretch of road that was recently closed due to slide activity.

Note: Carl Young brings back old photos to life by colorizing them. He often posts his enlivened photos on Humboldt County, California in pictures, old and new.