A book on the special sale shelves at the Historical Society bookstore has a title that nearly tells it all : The Quest For Qual-A-Wa-Loo (Humboldt Bay): A Collection of Diaries and Historical Notes Pertaining to the Early Discoveries of the Area Now known as Humboldt County, California. A classic, it was first published in 1943, and we are delighted to still have it available.

       It reveals how the community of which we are now comfortably familiar was, as the introduction says, "long one of the most isolated in the west" due to its rugged topography, dense forests, lack of natural passes, deceptive coastline, and "an Indian population that was easily the most warlike and wily in California."

       The story is revealed through the determined efforts of a series of early explorers from various backgrounds.  Their goals differed too, first to "discover" Humboldt Bay, then to exploit its opportunities and resources.  We learn of the Spanish seeking to secure their coastal holdings, then the Russians focusing on the fur trade and finally, various Americans seeking a rumored harbor on the mysterious coast so as to access several sources of wealth.

       Unlike most general histories of particular topics, this book's approach is to focus on the individual explorers, often using their words from journals and letters.  This gives the reader a very personal feeling, almost as if going along on these quests ourselves.  The modern writers often interject to explain passages or to clarify locations for today's readers. All these accounts are presented as parts of the larger context of national and international history. Together these narrations give us an intimate view of the formative years of Humboldt history and do so in a very enjoyable way.

The Quest for Qual-a-Wa-Loo is a hardbound book in good shape. The pages are foxed on the side, but otherwise clean and tightly bound. There is an inscription on the inside cover page.

       We can be grateful to Historical Society supporters who donate local history books, such as these, to be resold at the Barnum House. The more people who do so, the more local history can be disseminated for all to enjoy and learn from.