Set in an early 1900s bank, the Clarke Historical Museum (clarkemuseum.org; $10 suggested donation) covers Humboldt County’s past, including the area’s Native American cultures, the gold rush, farming traditions and the lumber industry.
The best community historical museum on this stretch of the coast houses a set of typically musty relics – needlework hankies and paintings of the area’s history-making notables (in this case Ulysses Grant, who was once dismissed from his post at Fort Humboldt for drunkenness). Seek out the Nealis Hall annex for a fine collection of Native American crafts, including intricately woven baskets from local tribes.
Peeking into a re-created Victorian-era bedroom is especially fun, as is seeing the museum’s 400-pound "man-eating clam" display. Allot extra time to browse the gift shop, which includes vintage finds.
