- Hallmark pier circa 1947. Earl H. Hallmark (1900-1958), chemist, lawyer, and fisheries operator, came to Trinidad with his family from Charleston, Oregon in 1943. He built Trinidad Bay pier in 1946 “because crabbing was good here, and secondarily, salmon, and it was easier to fish out of Trinidad Bay than out of Humboldt Bay” according to son Bob Hallmark. The catch was shipped to the Bay area. Note future “live crab tank” under construction to the left of the pier under Little Trinidad Head. (Photo from the Hallmark Collection)
- 20′ x 30′ live tank for crabs supported by 12′ x 12′ pilings circa 1948. The pond proved to be impractical as it silted up easily. (Katie Boyle Collection, Courtesy HSU Library)
- Building constructed over the “live crab tank” by Bob Hallmark for a high school wood shop class. Bob built his first boat in this shack. About 1952 the boat-building shop became the Dock Cafe, which was destroyed in 1958 by a major storm (see Times Standard article reproductions on north wall next to windows). Bob Hallmark remembers that the only thing found afterwards was a freezer. (Reproduction of Times Standard photo circa 1948)
- Hallmark skiffs at floating dock for hire during a plentiful salmon season, 1950s. (Katie Boyle Collection, Courtesy HSU Library)
- 1950s vehicles on pier and floating dock with skiffs ready to transport fishermen to their moorings. Tom Kraasch, son of Otto “Sonny” Kraasch, who fished for salmon & crab out of Trinidad for 50 years, remembers the challenging times of his father’s fellow fishermen: Frank Cameron F/V Morning Star, Gerdie Russell F/V Little Toot George Korkan F/V Imp, Fred Shipman F/V Jewel George Collins F/V Corregidor, & Bruce Campbell F/V Nora Lombardo which wrecked about the same time as Sonny Kraasch’s F/V Shipmate. (Katie Boyle Collection, Courtesy HSU)
- Aerial view of the thriving salmon fleet and pier parking, 1960s. Note boat launcher in constant use to the left of Little Trinidad Head. (Katie Boyle Collection, Courtesy HSU Library)
- Hallmark Fisheries at end of pier. Hallmark ran a cannery from 1948 to 1954 but it was torn down because pilings were failing. Note Standard Oil sign. Fishermen were able to fill up their tanks at the dock. (Courtesy Hallmark Collection)
- The Hallmark pier was repaired regularly. Per Ingelsberg (1951-1995), who started Larrupin’ Cafe with wife Dixie Gorrell, was an expert carpenter. He’s pictured on the right helping to repair pier in 1983. (Courtesy Hallmark Collection)
- Bob Hallmark sold the pier, Seascape Restaurant, boat launcher, outbuildings and parking area to the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria in 2000 after 54 years of ownership by the Hallmark family. This photo shows the new pier under construction in 2011-12. The contractor, West Coast Contractors from Coos Bay, Oregon, and the Trinidad Rancheria, made every effort to accommodate the crab fleet during construction. Ron Kutch of West Coast Contractors said “We don’t take the easy jobs…I don’t know if our crane operators have unloaded crab before. That’s a new one.” Craig Goucher, who had fished out of Trinidad for over 30 years in 2011, added “If you’ve seen pictures of Trinidad during storms, you know we’ve faced worse challenges.” The new pier opened in 2012. (Courtesy Hallmark Collection)
- Big Seas Put Trinidad Boat Aground (newspaper article)
- Boat Sinks in Storm (newpaper article – Humboldt-Standard March 20, 1958) Every fishing community has its own unique vernacular. Often this includes a collection of terms and phrases that utterly lack meaning in any other context. In Trinidad, one such phrase (one of the most important in fact) is “breaking in the hole.” In Trinidad “breaking in the hole” is a cautionary term, in short it means the ocean is VERY rough. More technically it means that waves are literally full on breaking in the “hole,” this can mean that the current is moving against waves to created the break, or that as the waves shoal and are affected by bottom friction, they increase in height and steepness until they break. The “hole” is the area located between Trinidad Head, Pilot Rock, and Prisoner Rock; however the area of the “hole” grows as the ground swell intensifies. (Courtesy Shaun Walker, Times Standard)
- 1920s Whaling and Salmon Fishing Fleets. Note two whaling steamers with puffs of smoke in background. Whaling occurred in Trinidad between 1920-1927. “Fishing and Trinidad have always been synonymous. A short while after salmon season opened, the Paladini Fish Company of Eureka towed one of their processing barges into Trinidad Bay and remained the entire season. The processed fish were delivered to Eureka by boats. During ‘good runs,’ the bay was over-crowded. At one time we counted 128 boats. “Reprinted from “Trinidad During the Roaring Twenties” by Axel R. Lindgren Jr., Trinidad Museum Society Newsletter Fall 1996 (Katie Boyle Collection, Courtesy HSU Library)
- Monterey Clipper circa 1940s. Note large identification numbers on side of boat required for identification during the World War II. In the right background on top of the bluff is Trinidad Hotel, which burned down in 1955, at the corner of Ocean and Wagner Streets Streets (a private residence is there now). The Monterey Clipper has long played a large role in west coast fishing fleets. The original hull design was introduced into the area by Italians in the late 1860s. The design came from Genoese lateen-rigged sailboats, known as “silenas,” then later referred to as San Francisco “feluccas,” first used to gather shrimp in San Francisco Bay. Later they were used for trolling for salmon and Dungeness crab. The Monterey Clipper came into being around 1925, later improved with a small single-cylinder gasoline engine. The vessel was widely used because it could engage in multiple types of fishing and spend several days at sea. (Courtesy David Peterson Collection)
- During World War II, fishermen were forced to adapt to war time U.S. Navy regulations which required the enlargement of identification numbers on the bow of their vessels. Pictured is a vintage Monterey Clipper in Trinidad Bay. (Courtesy David Peterson Collection)
- Mooring a Monterey, early 1950s. The chain connected to the bow of the boat visible in this picture is an uncommon scene in many ports. This chain is what connects the boat to its mooring. In Trinidad the mooring consists of half of a railroad wheel, to which one inch by six inch chain links are soldered. The heavy 1x6in chain is roughly one and a half to two times the depth of the ocean in the harbor. The chain is then connected to one end of foam barrel which contains a two inch shaft of solid steel. To the other end of the barrel is some smaller chain, then about 20 feet of rope (to provide some stretch) then more chain. Finally this last bit of chain is connected to the bow post of the boat. The bow post of a Trinidad boat is unique to the west coast. The distinctiveness of a Trinidad boat’s bow post comes from the fact that it is anchored on the foredeck, and stretches all the way to the keel, where it is also fastened. This structure makes the bow post strong enough to lift the entire boat by the post and jerk it violently. This strength is necessary in an unsheltered port like Trinidad when fierce storms ravage the harbor with intensely high winds and large swells. (Courtesy Hallmark Collection)
- Trinidad Salmon Fleet, 1960s. One rather unique aspect of commercial salmon fishing is the access to and use of what are called seal bombs. Seal bombs are essentially M80’s surrounded by sand so that they sink more readily. They are used as a non lethal means to deter seals and sea lions from stealing a fisherman’s catch, and are obtained only with a valid commercial salmon license for pick up through a sheriff’s department. If a seal or sea lion is following a commercial salmon fisherman’s boat and stealing the fish that are hooked, the fisherman and crew must first attempt to frighten the animal away by shouting and waving their arms, then they are permitted to use the seal bomb. If still the animal is harassing them, they may shoot and kill it. Upon using a seal bomb and/or killing either a seal or a sea lion, the fisherman must file a lengthy report describing the incident. Normally it is illegal to kill seals and sea lions, however licensed commercial salmon fishermen are offered an exclusion through NOAA. (Katie Boyle Collection, Courtesy HSU Library)
- Busy 1970s salmon fishing crowd. Pictured in top left background is the 1966-built Humboldt State University Fred Telonicher Marine Laboratory. Trinidad has long been a popular summer sport fishing destination. Commercial captains have adapted to the influx of summer fishermen, offering charters for salmon and rock fish. (Photo courtesy of HSU Katie Boyle Collection)
- Trinidad’s fishermen work in any weather, including during this unusual 1989 snow storm. (Courtesy Hallmark Collection)