Blue Lake, CA

Blue Lake is a city in Humboldt County on the Mad River, about sixteen miles northeast of Eureka. Its name came from a thirteen-acre lake formed by flooding in 1861; the lake later disappeared as the river changed course, but the name stayed. The post office opened in 1878, and the Arcata and Mad River Railroad arrived in the 1880s, carrying timber and passengers through the redwood country. The old rail corridor still gives Blue Lake a clear line between river, town, and forest.

ATTREllin Beltz / Public domain

Blue Lake Museum occupies the former Arcata and Mad River depot on Railroad Avenue, with photographs and changing displays about local history. The city also has a Humboldt County Library branch, Perigot Park's baseball fields, and Dell'Arte International in the historic Odd Fellows Hall. A Mad River hatchery sits about a mile southeast, tying the city to the river's fish runs. Blue Lake's present-day map carries the marks of its timber past while making room for theater, parks, schools, and river stewardship.