Some of the most picturesque country in California lies on or near the coast north of San Francisco. Least visited by strangers, it contains a very great deal of wild and fine scenery. In such a journey the traveller will see the famous redwood forests of the state, whose trees are unequaled in size except by the giant sequoias. He will see in Mendocino County one of the most remarkable coasts in the world, eaten by the ocean into the most singular and fantastic shapes. --Charles Nordhoff, 1874

Lucky for me and my photography interests, our daughter and her family live there.