"History is the never-ending process whereby people seek to understand the past and its many meanings...We all interpret and narrate the past, which is to say that we all participate in making history ...Individuals from all backgrounds have a stake in how the past is interpreted, for it cuts to the very heart of their identities and world views...All manner of people can and do produce good history. Professional historians are wise to remember that they will never have a monopoly on their own discipline, and that this is much more a strength than a weakness."

American History Association (6 January 2005)

No one at Mendocino Redwood Company is a professional historian; however, we have ventured into the records and memories of the past to tell a story about our land. From the earliest times, history was simply the stories we told ourselves—stories about bravery and cowardice, goodness and darkness, coming to birth and passing away. All these stories of the past are critical to how we see ourselves in the present and transform ourselves for the future. While we have tried in all cases to be accurate with our facts and our sources, we acknowledge that those sources were sometimes fragmentary, questionable, and even contradictory. To the extent that we failed as history detectives, we welcome feedback from others who can correct any errors we have made. History, after all, is a process of re-discovery and re-interpretation, always leaving room for someone else to ask new questions and listen for new revelations of mind and heart.

Author: DMS

Image Credit

Pen and ink drawing used with permission of Kay Harden, Humboldt County, California.