The Greater Trinidad Chamber of Commerce

The Tsurai Indians settled the area that is now Trinidad more than 350 years ago. The settlement of ten to twelve houses supported all the necessities as well as providing facilities for ceremonial brush dances and burial grounds. Their descendants are still here today in Trinidad.
A Portuguese sea captain, Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeno, discovered Trinidad Bay in 1595 but did not land. Many years later it was again "discovered" by Spanish captains, Heceta and Bodega, on Trinity Sunday, June 9, 1775. They named the port La Santisima Trinidad and claimed the area for Spain. Visiting Trinidad in 1793, Captain George Vancouver found the natives "friendly and courteous".
In December of 1849, Josiah Gregg and seven companions found Trinidad after a month-long struggle over the mountains from the gold fields and the rush was on. Trinidad became a boomtown supplying gold-seekers heading for mines on the Klamath, Salmon and Trinity rivers. The city of Trinidad was officially incorporated in 1870.
Trinidad harbor later became only local seaport to ship lumber from area sawmills. In the early 1900s, Trinidad Pier served as a whaling station.
Trinidad today is home to a small fishing fleet seeking dungeness crab, salmon, lingcod and a variety of rockfish.

A fact not known to many is the highest wave ever recorded struck in Trinidad on December 31, 1913. Lighthouse keeper, Fred Harrington, was performing his duties in the lighthouse perched 196 feet above sea level during a ferocious winter storm. As he turned to wipe the lantern room windows, he observed "a sea of unusual height". In his words, " The sea itself fell onto the top of the bluff and struck the tower on a level with the balcony, making a terrible jar." The spray flew forty feet above the crest. The lens was thrown off level by the wave but the plucky Mr. Harrington had the light back in operation in a half an hour.

PHOTO BY SUE STINSON

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