Northern California is one giant treasure chest for anyone who likes pristine nature and fascinating historic places. The rugged and rural Humboldt County, encompassing a huge area of wilderness and coastline, is centered around the small city of Eureka, situated on Humboldt Bay.Eureka has a long and interesting history. Native Americans thrived here for thousands of years thanks to its abundant natural resources, and Europeans only settled here in the 1800s, as the weather and terrain hid the bay from their view for centuries.