Camp Lincoln

Camp Lincoln was a military compound near Crescent City consisting of several wooden buildings arranged on sloping ground beside the main road to the Native American reservation. The installation was laid out functionally to house soldiers who worked between two groups competing for land.

Camp Lincoln was established in 1862 by California Volunteers to manage tensions between settlers and the local Tolowa people. The post played a role during a period of major changes in northwestern California while the nation was divided by war.

The military post served as a mediator between 1,500 Tolowa tribe members and local settlers during territorial conflicts in northwestern California.

The historical site is located northeast of Crescent City near Route 199 and is accessible via Smith's River Valley Road where markers indicate the location. The site is open to visitors and gives insight into daily life at an early military post in the region.

Two of the original wooden buildings still stand today: the officer's quarters and a barracks that visitors can walk through and explore. These preserved structures give a direct sense of the scale and simplicity of how soldiers were housed in that era.