Mules are being used to carry supplies into western North Carolina

[PufPuf23]

24. HUMBOLDT HISTORY: Trains of Pack Mules Run By Famous Muleteers Opened Up the Humboldt Interior for Mining and Settlement

Last edited Sat Oct 5, 2024, 03:30 PM - Edit history (1)

https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2023/aug/12/humboldt-history-trains-mules-opened-humboldt-inte/

My family came to the interior Klamath mountains between the mid 1850s and 1880, during the gold rush era. My parents were both born and lived before there were even wagon roads. I am not NA. For reference, the area is inland from Redwood National Park and the Yurok and Hupa Reservations, Karuk country.

The first picture is a Brizard's mule train in Orleans, my home. Brizards owned the mule trains that served the mining communities and small stores. My great grandfather lived and had a saloon in Blue Lake, where trails left Humboldt Bay for the backcountry, but also had a saloon and livery (rented mules and horses) in Orleans.

The second photo in the article is the Brizard Store in Orleans, then managed by my maternal grandparents. The mules train passing the store are gold mining flume boards from great grandfather Salstrom's sawmill. He was primarily a gold miner. If the mules had been coming east to west, they would have been from the Starritt mill at Cheenich Creek. I have photos as my mother as a small child cuddling two bear cubs on the porch of that store circa 1918.

The major mule train company from the east into the Salmon River was Bennett and Company. The Salmon enters the Klamath at the Humboldt-Siskiyou County line. My great great uncle was WP Bennett's mining partner in 1850s and early 1860s before Bennett and Company came to exist. My great great grandmother buried in Forks of Salmon is WP Bennett's MIL.

In the Land of the Grasshopper Song is a well-known book about two women who came to teach school to the Karuks over 100 years ago. If one goes to page 308 to the end of the book, there is a tale of William Salstrom and the women and their mules.

https://www.amazon.com/Land-Grasshopper-Song-Klamath-Country/dp/0803236379

Note: Jonas Salstrom bought the mine in 1876 from my great great uncle, his BIL that had been mining partner with Bennett), and had been there much longer than 20 years stated in ILOTGS. I have the handwritten deeds. Edit: Jonas is my paternal great grandfather (not great grandfather with saloons and livery mentioned above). William is an older brother of paternal grandmother.

Hope someone enjoys this.