Ferndale Main Street Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Ferndale Main Street Historic District

Ferndale, Humboldt County, California
Listed
January 10, 1994
Type
District
Period
Modern
Ref No.
93001461

About this property

A portion of the City of Ferndale (California) was designated a State Historic Landmark (No. 883) in 1975 by the California State Parks Office of Historic Preservation. Ferndale's Main Street Historic District was established in 1994 by the National Park Service and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Two distinct architectural phases are represented: late 19th century Victorian architecture, 1880 to 1890 and the early Modern period of the 20th century, 1920 to 1936. Eastlake-Stick style buildings by Architect T.J. Frost are particularly well represented as are Italianate, Queen Anne, Neo-Classic, Bungalow, and Mission styles. The Ferndale Main Street Historic District covers 46 acres, includes 39 contributing buildings and one object, the Town Clock. Six other Historic Landmarks, the Shaw House, the Berding House, the Catholic Church of the Assumption Rectory, Ferndale Public Library and the Alford-Nielson House are within the city limits. The Fern Cottage Historic District and F. W. Andreasen–John Rossen House are slightly out of town. Many of Ferndale's buildings have been recreated at the Legoland California theme park – the only American small town represented alongside New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas and other nationally known locations. Ferndale was settled by many Danes, and Lego is a Danish company. In 1995, Legoland staff took hundreds of photos in Ferndale, and used over 1 million Lego bricks to recreate the town in the Miniland section of the park. Ferndale's historic Main Street has been shown in television and movies since the 1960s. The street is featured in movies like The Majestic, Outbreak, Salem's Lot and A Death in Canaan. National Register of Historic Places digitized photos, January 10, 1994 National Register of Historic Places digitized text, January 10, 1994

Location

300--580 Main, 330 Ocean and 207--290 Francis Sts.
Ferndale, Humboldt County, California
40.57625, -124.26356

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Ferndale Main Street Historic District

This page lists Ferndale Main Street Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Ferndale Main Street Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Berding, A., House
Industrial
0 mi
Rectory, Catholic Church of the Assumption
Civil War
0.1 mi
Shaw House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Ferndale Public Library
Civil War
0.3 mi
Alford-Nielson House
Industrial
0.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Rio Dell Massacre
1862Indian Wars
10.1 mi
Humboldt Bay Massacre — Second Attack (Spring 1860)
1860Indian Wars
13.6 mi
Humboldt Bay Massacre
1860Indian Wars
13.8 mi
Battle of Humboldt Bay (Fort Humboldt era) 1855
1855Indian Wars
14.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Ferndale Main Street Historic District listed on the National Register?

Ferndale Main Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 1994.

What type of historic resource is Ferndale Main Street Historic District?

Ferndale Main Street Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Ferndale Main Street Historic District?

The period of significance for Ferndale Main Street Historic District is recorded as the modern era, specifically around 1994.

Can I research the history near Ferndale Main Street Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Ferndale Main Street Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Humboldt County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Humboldt County.

Explore HumboldtCounty ›

More historic places in California

Browse all historic places in California.

View Californiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

California history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Californiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Ferndale Main Street Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report