Metropolitan, California

Metropolitan is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California.[1] It is located on McDairmid Prairie, on the north side of the Eel River floodplain three miles downstream of Scotia,[2] at an elevation of 72 feet (22 m).[1]

Metropolitan
Unincorporated community
Concrete sidewalks at the bend in the road through 21st century dairy pastures identify the former company town of Metropolitan, California.
Metropolitan
Location in California
Metropolitan
Metropolitan (the United States)
Coordinates: 40°30′53″N 124°08′41″W
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyHumboldt County
Elevation72 ft (22 m)

History

The location was formerly a company town of 25 homes with a hotel and store for sawmill workers of the Metropolitan Redwood Lumber Company organized in 1904 by owners in Michigan and Wisconsin. Company timberlands on Slater Creek were reached by a railroad trestle across the Eel River. The timber was logged out in the 1920s, and the sawmill burned in 1932. Most of the employee housing was moved to Rio Dell by 1937.[2] The railway trestle and 62-room hotel were destroyed by the Eel River flood of 23 December 1964.[3]

Metropolitan Redwood Lumber Company Locomotives
Number Builder Type Date Works number Notes[4]
1 Lima Locomotive Works Shay locomotive 3 May 1907 1836 purchased new; became Pacific Lumber Company #36 in October 1935
2 Lima Locomotive Works Shay locomotive 24 December 1904 867 formerly Amador Central Railway #2 (Ione, California); purchased 1912; scrapped c1939

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Metropolitan, California
  2. Carranco, Lynwood (1982). Redwood Lumber Industry. Golden West Books. p. 203. ISBN 0-87095-084-3.
  3. Waananen, A.O., Harris, D.D. and Williams, R.C. (1971). Floods of December 1964 and January 1965 in the Far Western States. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. p. 150.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. Koch, Michael (1971). The Shay Locomotive Titan of the Timber. The World Press. pp. 411&422.

5. ShayLocomotives.com research site (1998-2017)



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