California Covers - 3 Humboldt Co., 1 Mendocino

Ron, your Registered San Francisco is San 2510. Below that postmark is the notation Per Pomona Str

Here she is tied between the pier and Baker's slide chute at Point Arena around 1897,per the barely readable note on the back of this photograph. This photo has been in the family since it was taken. Greatx2 granddad owned the bluff top above the beach the photographer set up on. (Low Tide!)

She sank at Fort Ross, the Russian Fort built early 1800's on Sonoma County's coast in 1908.

http://www.mendorailhistory.org/1_s...hips_p-q.htm

Great information! Thank you.

Re the "Per Pomona Str" directive.. since the USPOD didn't have a contract "mail ship" in California at this time, that may have been ignored. To go via Pomona, the cover would have to be carried "outside the mails". None the less, still interesting.
This San Francisco Wells Fargo cover was carried "outside the mails" aboard the Point Arena, probably Mr. H. Dutards invoice since Eugene Brown was a merchant, as well as the Mendocino Wells Fargo agent for over 20 years.

"Per Pt. Arena" - is this the name of a verifiable vessel at that time or a requested routing instruction to send it through the town of Point Arena on the way?

She was a verifiable vessel. Listed above the Pomona in the link I posted above. The Point Arena was a coastal steamer, hauling local freight and people to and from Mendocino and Humboldt county ports. The local depended upon these steamers d for all outside supplies, what ever couldn't be made there, and to sell their products, hides, rail road ties, butter, etc. Wednesday was Steamer Day in Point Arena.
Below is a post card advertising the sale of the Point Arena.







Here are the Point Arena and the Seafoam docked at Little River, a different view that the one in the link mentioned. The Seafoam sank in Point Arena harbor. The boiler is still visible at low tide.