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Behind the ornate Victorian facades of Old Town Eureka lies a shadow world of untold stories—tales of remarkable women who wielded significant economic power yet remain absent from our history books. Local historian Lynette Mullen stumbled upon this hidden narrative during the pandemic while researching an empty parking lot on Eureka's waterfront, uncovering the story of a chambermaid named Virginia Jeffrey that would forever change her understanding of our community's foundations.

What began as casual research evolved into a passionate quest to document how women working in Eureka's "necessary evil"—its red light district—literally helped build the city we know today. These women, erased from historical record despite their contributions, financed iconic buildings that still stand. As Mullen explains with palpable enthusiasm, Eureka made a strategic decision in the 1800s to tacitly permit these establishments while other towns like Ferndale drove them out. By the early 1900s, when Eureka faced financial troubles, the city implemented an unofficial tax system on brothels, even issuing business licenses for women to legally sell cigars and candy within otherwise illegal establishments.

Mullen brings these stories to life through her walking tours, "The Lower Levels" and "The Wicked Waterfront," guiding visitors through the physical spaces where this history unfolded—from the site of the former Scandia Hotel to the blocks between C and D Streets that constituted Eureka's own version of the Barbary Coast. Her research extends beyond the women themselves to colorful characters like "Coffee Jack" Connor, an infamous crimp who tricked sailors into debt and indentured servitude, operating right from what is now Old Town.

Experience Eureka with new eyes by exploring the history beneath your feet. Book a tour at thelowerlevels.com and discover how our understanding of who built this community has been incomplete without these remarkable stories of resilience, entrepreneurship, and survival against incredible odds.

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About 100% Humboldt with Scott Hammond

Humboldt County CA USA is the home of some of the most iconoclastic, genuine, and interesting folks in the world.

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