Prehistory
The North Coast of Mendocino County was inhabited by Native Americans of the Pomo tribe for approximately 10,000 years. The Pomo people were hunter‐gatherers with a close relationship to the land and the sea. Seasonal Native American villages were located along the coast with permanent villages located north of Ten Mile River.
Fort Bragg Military Outpost (1857-1861)
In 1855, an exploration party from the Bureau of Indian Affairs visited the area in search of a site on which to establish a reservation and, the following year, the Mendocino Indian Reservation was established. It spanned an area from the south side of the Noyo River to north of the Ten Mile River, and east to Little Valley and Glen Blair. In 1857, the Fort Bragg military post was established on the Mendocino Indian Reservation approximately 1.5 miles north of the Noyo River, its purpose was to maintain order on the reservation. Also in 1857, a lumber mill was established on the Noyo River starting what would become the major industry of the region. The military post was short‐lived, and records show that November 23, 1861 was the last date on which army units occupied the fort. In 1865, after 300 Native Americans were marched forcibly from the Mendocino Indian Reservation to a reservation in Round Valley, Fort Bragg as a military post was abandoned.
City of Fort Bragg
On August 5, 1889, Fort Bragg was incorporated as a city. C.R. Johnson, president of the Fort Bragg Redwood Company, was the first mayor. His company laid out the town much as it exists today; with a uniform street grid and mid-block alleys. In 1893, the Union Lumber Company was created by absorbing some of the smaller lumber companies in the area.
City Trade
In 1901, the Union Lumber Company incorporated the National Steamship Company to carry lumber, passengers and supplies. The steamships provided Fort Bragg’s only link to manufactured comforts and staples like sugar and coffee. In 1905, the California Western Railroad was created, and a rail line was established from Fort Bragg to Willits where train connections could be made to San Francisco.
Disaster & Prosperity
The Great 1906 Earthquake resulted in a fire at the lumber mill that threatened the entire city. Brick buildings throughout the city were damaged, if not destroyed completely, and many frame homes were knocked off their piers. The fire burned the entire downtown area bordered by Franklin Street, Redwood Avenue, and McPherson Street. Within 12 months following the earthquake, all downtown reconstruction was completed. The earthquake brought prosperity to Fort Bragg as the mills furnished lumber for the rebuilding of San Francisco.
Early Economy & Tourism
By 1916, Fort Bragg had become a popular place to visit and settle. Commercial fishing also played an important role in the formation of the economic base of Fort Bragg. Noyo Harbor was once a major commercial fishing port well‐known for producing quality fish products that were distributed to major metropolitan markets. In recent years, the fishing industry has declined significantly, and the community’s economic base has transitioned from a "resource extraction" base (i.e., timber and fishing industries) to a more service‐oriented economy serving a regional coastal population of approximately 20,000 residents, as well as hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Overview
The City of Fort Bragg is located approximately 165 miles north of San Francisco and 188 miles west of Sacramento on the scenic coast of Mendocino County. The City occupies 2.7 square miles. Census 2010 places Fort Bragg's population at 7,273. Although it is quite small, Fort Bragg is the largest city on the coast between San Francisco and Eureka. The largest employment categories in the City include services, wholesale and retail trade, local government, public education, health care, tourism, and fishing. The mild climate, picturesque coastline, historic downtown, fine dining, and plentiful outdoor recreational opportunities make Fort Bragg a popular tourist destination.
Tourism
Fort Bragg is one of only four cities in Mendocino County and it is the service and retail hub for the entire Mendocino coast. Over the last two decades, Fort Bragg transitioned from an economy based on timber and fishing sectors to a tourism‐based economy. Fort Bragg has an excellent mix of bed & breakfast inns, hotels, and motels and numerous private and State Park campgrounds are located close by. To find out more about Fort Bragg's visitor accommodations and attractions, visit our tourism website.