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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Did you know that many of your FAVORITE movies were filmed on California's North Coast?
2. Did you know you'll find the tallest living things on earth along California's North Coast?
3. Where is the Drive Thru Tree?
4. Where is the tallest tree in the world?
5. How much water do the redwood trees need each day?
6. How many houses can be built with the wood from one redwood tree?
7. What is a banana slug?


1. Did you know that many of your FAVORITE movies were filmed on California's North Coast?

Because of the giant trees and the alien flora, George Lucas decided to filn the Endor scenes for the Star Wars movie Return of the Jedi in Tall Trees Redwood Grove in the northern part of Humboldt County. Scenes for the movie The Lost World: Jurassic Park were filmed at the nearby Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and at Patrick's Point State Park. Castle Rock Entertainment's The Majestic starring Jim Carey was filmed in the Victorian Village of Ferndale. Castle Rock constructed 1951 period facades for several Main Street locations, and decorated Ferndale shop windows in '50s vintage style.

 
2. Did you know you'll find the tallest living things on earth along California's North Coast?
Redwoods can grow to more than 360 feet tall. With their massive trunks and shallow root systems, they only grow naturally in the moist and mild climate of the North Coast of California and Southern Oregon.
 
3. Where is the Drive Thru Tree?
There are four Drive Thru Trees in California. The closest one to Humboldt Redwoods is in the small town of Myers Flat, sixty-four miles south of the Visitor Center. It is privately owned and there is a fee to drive through it. Another tree that you may drive through is located in the town of Klamath, a two hour drive north of Humboldt Redwoods. A third Drive Thru Tree is located in Leggett, a one hour drive south of the park. The fourth tree is a giant sequoia and is located near Sequoia National Park.
 
4. Where is the tallest tree in the world?
The tallest measured tree in the world is located in Redwood National Park, north of Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The tallest tree was measured at 367.8 feet. There have been reports of taller trees, but the measurements have yet to be confirmed.
 
5. How much water do the redwood trees need each day?
A redwood tree can use as much as 500 gallons per day. The trees lose some water by transpiration, a process where water is evaporated from the leaves. The trees also store some water in the trunk. Much of the water comes from the heavy rainfall, but some comes from fog which condenses on the leaves and drips to the ground, where it is taken up by the tree's roots.
 
6. How many houses can be built with the wood from one redwood tree?
The number of houses that can be built from one tree depends a lot on the size of the tree. For example, the Dyerville Giant was 370 feet tall and probably weighed a million pounds. The wood from this tree alone could build approximately 30 two-story houses.
 
7. What is a banana slug?
A banana slug is a large yellow slug that inhabits redwood forests. They can grow to be quite large, often over 6 inches long. Coloration can vary, with some slugs having dark spots and others being completely brown. Most banana slugs are solid yellow. They feed on vegetation and are commonly seen after a rain.
 
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Join in Eureka's Monthly Arty Party

On the first Saturday evening of each month, artists come out of the woods and out of the woodwork for Eureka’s Arts! Alive . Tourists and residents alike stroll, grazing and sipping their way along Eureka’s waterfront, home to dozens of galleries. Picture a less bawdy Mardi Gras. The epicenter is at the corner of F and 2nd Streets, where one you might see a prancing accordionist, rock band jamming in an alleyway, maybe even spiraling fire dancers. At 9 p.m., the party moves toward the west end of Old Town, where the sort of Bohemians who once flocked to Greenwich Village now gather to check out cutting-edge visual and performance art in cramped studios and converted seafood warehouses.

Expect the unexpected. One gallery hosted a collaboration in which sculptors, dancers, and puppeteers explored the subject of ghost towns. By one estimate, there are more artists per capita in Humboldt County than any other county in California; you can count them for yourself on this evening. The recently restored Arkley Center for the Performing Arts, returned to service in February following a hiatus of more than 30 years, hosts local talent and offers a free look at one of the few surviving vaudeville and silent movie houses left in California. Whatever your opinion of the onstage talent, the experience of wandering through this 1920 Spanish Colonial Revival landmark is worth its weight in gold.

Local Events Image
» Arts! Arcata
March 12, 2010 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Celebrate the richness and diversity of our local arts community on the second Friday of each month. Visit more than 40 locations in the downtown, northtown, South G Street and HSU galleries for demonstrations, musical performances, dance, and fine arts by Humboldt County artisans. Shows change monthly and location maps with featured artist profiles are available at the Arcata MainStreet office in the Jacoby Storehouse, or at the California Welcome Center in Arcata.