Fort Dick, California

{{Short description|Unincorporated community in California, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}

{{Multiple issues| {{More citations needed|date=July 2010}} {{Original research|date=July 2010}} {{Citation style|date=July 2010}} }}

{{Infobox settlement |official_name = Fort Dick, California |settlement_type = Unincorporated community census-designated place |image_skyline = |imagesize = |image_caption = |image_seal = |image_map = File:Del Norte County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Fort Dick Highlighted 0625086.svg |mapsize = 250x200px |map_caption = Location of Fort Dick in Del Norte County, California. |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 = |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_type1 = State |subdivision_type2 = County |subdivision_name = United States |subdivision_name1 = California |subdivision_name2 = Del Norte |government_type = |leader_title = State Senate |leader_name = {{Representative|casd|2|fmt=sleader}} |leader_title1 = State Assembly |leader_name1 = {{Representative|caad|2|fmt=sleader}} |leader_title2 = U.S. House of Representatives |leader_name2 = {{Representative|cacd|2|fmt=usleader}} |established_date = |area_magnitude = |area_total_km2 = |area_total_sq_mi = |area_land_km2 = |area_land_sq_mi = |area_water_km2 = |area_water_sq_mi = |elevation_ft = 52 |elevation_m = 16 |population_as_of = 2020 |population_footnotes = |population_total = 912 |population_metro = |population_density_km2 = |population_density_sq_mi = |timezone = Pacific (PST) |utc_offset = -8 |coordinates = {{Coord|41|52|04|N|124|08|56|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}} |timezone_DST = PDT |utc_offset_DST = -7 |postal_code_type = ZIP codes |postal_code = 95538 (homes - 95531) |area_code = 707 |blank_name = GNIS feature ID |blank_info = 223696 |footnotes = |website = }} [[File:Dolbeer spool donkey fort dick 1900.jpg|thumb|right|From the book [https://web.archive.org/web/20070702095948/http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/redw/ Redwood National Forest, Plate XXIII]]]

'''Fort Dick''' (Tolowa: ''Mvn-des-chuu-dvn'')<ref>[http://www.weeyadvn.com/userfiles/Dee-ni-wee-ya-1-textbook..pdf Wee-ya’-dvn: Tolowa Dee-ni’ Language Resource Center - Dee-ni' Wee-ya' Lhetlh-xat 1]</ref> is a small unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in rural Del Norte County, California, United States. Fort Dick is approximately five miles (eight kilometers) north of Crescent City, California, and around {{convert|15|mi|km|abbr=on}} south of the California–Oregon state line. Its population is 912 as of the 2020 census, up from 588 from the 2010 census.{{citation needed|date=November 2025}} It is located on the U.S. Route 101 corridor on the Redwood Coast.<ref name="FDFD">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | title =Where is Fort Dick? | work =Fort Dick Fire Department | publisher =Fort Dick Fire Protection District | year =2012 | url =http://fortdickfire.com/aboutuscontactinfo.html | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120222214826/http://fortdickfire.com/aboutuscontactinfo.html | url-status =dead | archive-date =22 February 2012 | doi = | accessdate = 5 April 2012 }}</ref> A post office was set up in 1917.<ref name=CGN /><ref name="DLD">{{cite book | last = Durham | first =David L. | authorlink = | title=California North Coast: Del Norte, Humbolt, Lake, Mendocino & Trinity Counties | publisher =Word Dancer Press | date =November 2000 | location = | pages =368 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=Yfa0hmE7yocC | doi = | isbn =978-1884995262 }} {{Sic}} title.</ref>

== Etymology == Fort Dick Landing dates back to the Civil War era and was named after a settler's log house "fort" built by Whites to defend from the Indians.<ref name="Gudde, page c112">{{cite book | last =Gudde | first =Erwin Gustav | authorlink = | title =California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names | publisher =University of California Press | year =1974 | location = | pages =416 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=Kqwt5RlMVBoC | doi = | isbn = 978-0520242173 }}</ref> In 1888 a shake and shingle mill was moved there and the place renamed Newburg by the Bertsch brothers, who owned the mill.<ref name="Gudde, page c112"/> With the establishment of the post office in 1896, the old name was revived.<ref name="Gudde, page c112" /><ref name=CGN>{{California's Geographic Names|61}}</ref>

== History ==

=== Pre-Settler contact === The heavily forested coast territory surrounding Fort Dick was occupied and used by the Tolowa and Yurok tribes of Native Americans.<ref name="EDN">{{cite web| title =History and Heritage| work =Explore Del Norte| publisher =Crescent City/Del Norte County Visitors Bureau| year =2012| url =http://exploredelnorte.com/about-del-norte/History-and-Heritage.html| accessdate =5 April 2012| url-status =dead| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20100923171443/http://exploredelnorte.com/about-del-norte/History-and-Heritage.html| archivedate =23 September 2010}}</ref>

=== Jedediah Smith's party reaches Lake Earl === Historical records state that a party travelling with Jedediah Smith entered the area of Fort Dick and skirted the eastern edge of Lake Earl between June 14 to 16, 1828.<ref name="Bearss">{{cite book | last =Bearss | first =Edwin C. | authorlink = | title =Redwood National Park, Del Norte and Humboldt Counties, California | publisher =U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Division of History Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation | date =1 September 1969 | location = Washington, D.C. | pages =433 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=OKIQPwAACAAJ | doi = | id =ASIN: B0007FIU3W }}</ref> During this time, not only did they explore the area, but they made clear contact, including trading and engaging in commerce with the Tolowa Indians on the 15th.<ref name="Bearss" /> Jedidiah Smith's party "skirted" the eastern shore of Lake Earl.<ref name="Bearss" /> Since his party was there in 1828, it predates the events that led the settler or farmer who owned the land called "Russell's Prairie" (later Fort Dick) by about twenty-five to thirty years.

{{blockquote|"On June 14 the company pushed up the beach until they struck a 'low neck of land running into the sea where there was plenty of clover and grass for our horses' and camped. The trappers, during the day's march, had been compelled to take to the sea for several hundred yards at a time, 'the swells some times would be as high as the horses backs.' The company remained on the south bank of Elk Creek on the 15th, while several hunters went out. One of them killed a buck elk 'weighing 695 lbs. neat weight.' A number of Tolowa came in bringing fish, clams, strawberries, and camas roots, which were purchased.

The company rode out early on the 16th. Striking to the north northwest, they crossed a neck of land skirting the ocean. Considerable difficulty was encountered in getting the horses across Elk Creek, and they were compelled 'to make a pen on the bank to force them across.' The Mountain Men on the 16th camped on the wooded flats south of Lake Earl. Skirting the eastern margin of Lake Earl, the trappers camped three nights in Section 27, between the lake and Kings Valley."<ref name="Bearss" /> |}}

The camp site of June 14 was on Elk Creek, one-fourth of a mile west of the junction of U.S. 101 and the Elk Valley road.<ref name="Bearss" /> Exactly one month later, while eating breakfast the morning of July 14, 1828, Jedediah's party was attacked by at least one hundred Native American Indians. Everyone in the party except for Jedediah and two companions died in the ambush. They escaped and headed directly to Fort Vancouver.<ref name="Bearss" />

=== Shipwrecks near Fort Dick and Crescent City === The coastal waters near Crescent City and north are notoriously treacherous. Over the years, there have been many ships sunk in the ocean close to Fort Dick and Crescent City.{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} * 1850 - ''Paragon'' sunk * 1851 - ''Tarquin'' * 1855 - Steamer ''America'' burned in the harbor at Crescent City en route to Oregon and Washington<ref>{{cite book |last=Bancroft |first=Hubert Howe |title=West American History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cxETAAAAYAAJ&q=America+burned+in+the+harbor+at+Crescent+City&pg=PA341 |accessdate=11 March 2011 |edition=Autograph |volume=30, Part II |year=902 |publisher=The Bancroft Company |location=New York City, New York |page=341}}</ref> * 1865 - The ''Steamer Brother Jonathan'' hit an uncharted reef near Point St. George. * 1941 - ''SS Emidio'', an oil tanker, was shelled and torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. This was the first ship sunk by the Japanese off the American Pacific coast in World War II.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hoover |first1=Mildred Brooke |last2=Kyle |first2=Douglas E. |last3=Rensch |first3=Ethel Grace |title=Historic Spots in California |year=2002 |publisher=Stanford University Press |location=Stanford, California |isbn=0-8047-4482-3 |page=72}}</ref>

== Demographics == {{US Census population |2020= 912 |align-fn=center |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}</ref> 1850–1870<ref name=1870CensusCA1>{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-12.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><ref name=1870CensusCA2>{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1880-1890<ref name=1890CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1890/bulletins/demographics/134-population-of-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1900<ref name=1900CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/10-population-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1910<ref name=1910CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=August 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823050629/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1920<ref name=1920CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-ca-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1930<ref name=1930CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch03.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1940<ref name=1940CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1950<ref name=1950CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-08.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1960<ref name=1960CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-d.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1970<ref name=1970CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ca1-01.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1980<ref name=1980CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caAB-01.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1990<ref name=1990CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2000<ref name=2000CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> }}

Fort Dick first appeared as a census-designated place in the 2020 United States census.<ref name=2020CensusCA/>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" |+'''Fort Dick CDP, California – Racial and ethnic composition''' {{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}} !Race / Ethnicity (''NH = Non-Hispanic'') !Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fort Dick CDP, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0625086&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !2020 |- |White alone (NH) | 669 | 73.36% |- |Black or African American alone (NH) | 1 | 0.11% |- |Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) |102 |11.18% |- |Asian alone (NH) | 10 |1.10% |- |Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) |0 |0.00% |- |Other race alone (NH) |7 | 0.77% |- |Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 50 | 5.48% |- |Hispanic or Latino (any race) |73 | 8.00% |- |'''Total''' |'''912 ''' | '''100.00%''' |}

The 2020 United States census reported that Fort Dick had a population of 912. The population density was {{convert|283.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Fort Dick was 677 (74.2%) White, 1 (0.1%) African American, 103 (11.3%) Native American, 12 (1.3%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 34 (3.7%) from other races, and 85 (9.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 73 persons (8.0%).<ref name=DP1>{{cite web |title=Fort Dick CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0625086 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 20, 2025}}</ref>

The whole population lived in households. There were 357 households, out of which 71 (19.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 185 (51.8%) were married-couple households, 32 (9.0%) were cohabiting couple households, 60 (16.8%) had a female householder with no partner present, and 80 (22.4%) had a male householder with no partner present. 92 households (25.8%) were one person, and 48 (13.4%) were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.55.<ref name=DP1/> There were 231 families (64.7% of all households).<ref>{{cite web |title=Fort Dick CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0625086 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 20, 2025}}</ref>

The age distribution was 185 people (20.3%) under the age of 18, 44 people (4.8%) aged 18 to 24, 216 people (23.7%) aged 25 to 44, 256 people (28.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 211 people (23.1%) who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 46.0{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 393 housing units at an average density of {{convert|122.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}, of which 357 (90.8%) were occupied. Of these, 291 (81.5%) were owner-occupied, and 66 (18.5%) were occupied by renters.<ref name=DP1/>

== Government == Fort Dick has very few autonomous governmental services and is largely under the rule of Del Norte County. The remainder of the unincorporated city is subject to various county, state, and federal agencies.

=== Education === Educational services in Fort Dick are provided by the Del Norte County Unified School District, in conjunction with the Del Norte County Office of Education. At {{convert|1008|sqmi|km2}}, with over 4000 students, they accomplish this by utilizing an elaborate public school busing network. The many district buses service eleven schools: eight elementary, one middle school, one high school, and one alternative high school.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title= DNCUSD Schools |url=https://dnusd.org/schools}}</ref> Fort Dick is the home to only one of the district's eight elementary schools. Redwood Elementary is equipped to educate students from the K to 8th grades. The school has a student population of 425 students, with a 21.8 student to teacher ratio.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uszip.com/zip/95538|title=ZIP code : 95538|website=www.uszip.com}}</ref> People living in Fort Dick must use education facilities in neighboring Crescent City for anything higher than the elementary school level.<ref name="auto"/>

== Climate == This region experiences mild and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Fort Dick has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb).

{{Weather box |location = Fort Dick, California 141ft(43m) (1981-2010) |single line = Y |Jan high F = 53.7 |Feb high F = 55.4 |Mar high F = 56.5 |Apr high F = 58.4 |May high F = 61.4 |Jun high F = 63.8 |Jul high F = 65.8 |Aug high F = 66.2 |Sep high F = 66.2 |Oct high F = 63.4 |Nov high F = 57.1 |Dec high F = 53.3 |year high F = |Jan mean F = 47.5 |Feb mean F = 48.7 |Mar mean F = 49.3 |Apr mean F = 50.9 |May mean F = 53.9 |Jun mean F = 58.4 |Jul mean F = 58.6 |Aug mean F = 59.0 |Sep mean F = 57.9 |Oct mean F = 55.2 |Nov mean F = 50.7 |Dec mean F = 47.2 |year mean F = |Jan low F = 41.2 |Feb low F = 41.9 |Mar low F = 42.2 |Apr low F = 43.4 |May low F = 46.3 |Jun low F = 49.0 |Jul low F = 51.4 |Aug low F = 51.9 |Sep low F = 49.7 |Oct low F = 47.0 |Nov low F = 44.2 |Dec low F = 41.1 |year low F = |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation inch = 10.84 |Feb precipitation inch = 9.59 |Mar precipitation inch = 9.24 |Apr precipitation inch = 5.94 |May precipitation inch = 3.71 |Jun precipitation inch = 2.03 |Jul precipitation inch = 0.35 |Aug precipitation inch = 0.56 |Sep precipitation inch = 1.11 |Oct precipitation inch = 4.66 |Nov precipitation inch = 10.23 |Dec precipitation inch = 13.86 |year precipitation inch = |Jan humidity = 78.7 |Feb humidity = 77.0 |Mar humidity = 78.8 |Apr humidity = 78.3 |May humidity = 78.3 |Jun humidity = 78.0 |Jul humidity = 81.9 |Aug humidity = 82.3 |Sep humidity = 77.2 |Oct humidity = 76.1 |Nov humidity = 79.5 |Dec humidity = 78.6 |year humidity = |Jan dew point F = 41.2 |Feb dew point F = 41.8 |Mar dew point F = 43.0 |Apr dew point F = 44.4 |May dew point F = 47.3 |Jun dew point F = 50.3 |Jul dew point F = 53.1 |Aug dew point F = 53.6 |Sep dew point F = 50.8 |Oct dew point F = 47.8 |Nov dew point F = 44.6 |Dec dew point F = 40.9 |year dew point F = |source 1 = <ref name=PRISM>{{cite web |url =https://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/ |title = PRISM Climate Group, Northwest Alliance for Computational Science and Engineering (Time Series Values for Individual Locations) |accessdate = February 21, 2021}}</ref> }}

== References ==

== Further reading == * [https://archive.org/details/warrebellionaco00wargoog  The War of the Rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union], United States Department of War, Washington, 1880.

== External links == * [http://www.tolowanation.com Tolowa Nation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419230705/http://tolowanation.com/ |date=April 19, 2009 }} * [http://www.yuroktribe.org Yurok Tribe] * [http://www.co.del-norte.ca.us County of Del Norte website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070702095948/http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/redw/ Historic Book: Redwood National Forest] * [http://www.exploredelnorte.com Del Norte County Tourism and Travel website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160111070524/http://shipwrecks.slc.ca.gov/ Brother Jonathan Shipwreck] * [http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM3NDH_Brother_Johnathan_Cemetery Brother Johnathan Cemetery]

Category:Census-designated places in California Category:Census-designated places in Del Norte County, California Category:Unincorporated communities in California Category:Unincorporated communities in Del Norte County, California Category:Populated coastal places in California Category:1862 establishments in California