Ferndale, aka Cream City

Jill's Journal: Well, it’s only taken six months (not to mention all those years growing up in this state), but I have officially found my favorite town in all of California. Ferndale is smack-dab in the middle of organic dairy country, so it’s nice and rural – just as bucolic as could be with cows and horses grazing everywhere. It’s five miles inland, so it still has the ocean air without the North Coast chill. The whole downtown is a quintessential Victorian village, so it’s easy on the eyes and full of charm. And, maybe the best part -- it has a country racetrack! What’s not to love? 

Look at this darling Main Street. Founded in 1852, Ferndale is as intact a Victorian village as can be found and I would guess hasn’t changed a whole lot since its heyday in the late 1800s. The entire town is an historical landmark. Less than 1,500 people call Ferndale home.  

Ferndale first acquired its nickname, “Cream City,” in the late 1800s due to the prevalence of Danish dairy farms in the area. In fact, by 1890, there were 11 separate creameries operating in Ferndale and the butter from the area was considered the finest in California. Innovations in the dairy industry pioneered at Ferndale include the first milk tank trucks, the first machines to cut and wrap butter, and the first cooperative creameries. Premium prices were paid for butter from Ferndale, causing the town to prosper. Residents began building extravagant Victorian homes which quickly got the moniker, “Butterfat Palaces.” 

We stopped in at the Ferndale Museum to find the nicest and most accommodating Ferndale native around. He is a third-generation Ferndale resident and so proud (rightfully so) of this wonderful town. The museum itself was a little gem, with rooms set up to feel like one is walking down a Ferndale street in the 1800s and peeking in windows. 

The girls loved the player piano most of all and the docent played them song after song. I loved this quote from Forbes, which named Ferndale one of America’s prettiest towns, “…Ferndale is a surprising trip back in time, with just enough modern quirkiness to make it unique.”

Now, a sign for a county fair may not seem overly exciting…but to anyone in horse racing, this one is. Since 1896, the Humboldt County Fair has conducted, by all accounts, a fantastic summer fair in Ferndale. The integral part of the fair – the part that pays for most of the rest of it – is the horse racing. They hold an eight-day meet in August on the tight, little half-mile track and we were told the grandstand is absolutely packed. They don’t just race Thoroughbreds here, but also Arabians, Appaloosas, and mules. The gentleman we spoke to called it the “highlight of the year” in Ferndale. The rest of Thoroughbred racing doesn’t always know what to make of the California fair meets – there’s five or six throughout the state – as it’s not exactly high-class racing, but oh man, does it sound fun. 

The little-bitty grandstand as seen from the backside. In the infield is something I’ve never seen before – a baseball diamond! The local high school is right next door and presumably uses the infield for baseball, plus track and field. 

The barns, in slightly different condition than we’re used to in Kentucky! The shedrows are covered in weeds. I was told they clean them up before the meet. Hopefully that includes a mower. You know, horse racing isn’t all about the glamour the world sees on television during the Triple Crown. The heart and soul of racing is hard-working people who love the horses and the sport. And the horses with a competitive fire who love nothing more than to run. I love seeing this everyday glimpse into the part of the sport without the spotlight. 

And here’s the craziest part…the track itself. This is the backstretch. What? Isn’t it supposed to be a dirt track? I literally stood there racking my brain for a moment, making sure the tiny sliver of information I knew about the Ferndale track included dirt and not turf. So, why in the world do I see grass? I was told they let it go all year long and simply till it up before the meet starts. Unbelievable! My racing friends will be just as astounded as I was. We’re used to perfectly manicured, absolutely pristine surfaces that are meticulously tended year round…this is a whole ‘nother world. What fun! What crazy, crazy fun.