A Look Back: The Scotia Ferry

Ferry usage in Humboldt County continues today in the most rural areas where access is cut off when river levels rise. However, it was common practice along the rugged North Coast, where ferry usage dates back to the mid-19th century. As settlers and prospectors flocked to the region during the Gold Rush era, the need for reliable transportation across the numerous waterways became evident. Ferries quickly became a crucial component of the county’s transportation infrastructure, providing a vital link between isolated communities and facilitating the movement of goods and people.

One of the most notable ferries in Humboldt County was the Scotia Ferry, which operated across the Eel River near the town of Scotia. Established in the early 1900s, the Scotia Ferry played a pivotal role in connecting the timber-rich areas on both sides of the river, enabling the transportation of logs and facilitating the growth of the local lumber industry.

Carl Young shares this pick of the Scotia Ferry, circa 1914, when travel often meant traversing rivers by ferries before continuing on over land.

Over time, as bridges and roadways developed, the reliance on ferries diminished, but their historical significance remains embedded in the county’s past, reminding residents of the challenges and ingenuity that shaped Humboldt County’s development.