Fortuna City Council
621 11th Street
Fortuna, CA 95540
May 4, 2026
Dr. Alexandra F. Service
To the Honorable Mayor and Council Members of the Fortuna City Council:
Thank you for this opportunity to address you. I am writing to give input on the Discussion Agenda Staff Report for the May 4, 2026 Special Budget Workshop.
Specifically, I would like to address Section 8. Museum Analysis.
In 2026, the Fortuna Depot Museum marks its 50th anniversary. The museum held its grand opening on July 2, 1976, as part of Fortuna's celebrations of the United States Bicentennial.
Holding the grand opening on that date was not a coincidence. The Depot Museum was Fortuna's signature project for the nation's 200t birthday. Fortuna was the first Humboldt County community to be named an official Bicentennial Community and was one of the first 75 California communities to receive this designation. The National American Revolution Bicentennial Administration granted Fortuna the Bicentennial Community title for the community project to purchase, move and restore Fortuna's historic Northwestern Pacific Railroad depot and open it as Fortuna's museum.
Spearheading the "Save the Depot" movement and creation of the Fortuna Depot Museum was Fortuna City Council Member Beth Rundell. The Times-Standard of December 1, 1974 quoted Mrs. Rundell as saying, "It's a big project and I think it can only be done by a town that works together as Fortuna does." This year, when we mark the nation's 250th birthday, it would be an ideal time to reaffirm the City's support for this community museum. Instead, financial challenges make it necessary for us to address the museum's funding and future.
In Section 8 of the May 4 Staff Report, staff recommends that "Council direct the City Manager to work with interested community members ... to initiate the transfer of the Depot Museum to a nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization, including development of agreements for the transfer of the Museum collection and lease of the facility." Further, "The nonprofit would assume responsibility for ongoing operations, maintenance, and programming, with funding derived from donations, memberships, and fundraising activities."
As Fortuna Depot Museum curator, I will gladly work with fellow City staff members, the Fortuna Historical Commission, and interested community members to determine the best options for the museum's funding and governance. However, my personal belief is that it would not be in the best interests of the City or the museum for the City to divest itself of the museum's governance, ownership and operations.
The circa 1889 Fortuna Depot building is a historic artifact in itself. It may be the oldest commercial building still standing in Fortuna. The artifacts in the museum collection were donated in the understanding that they would be safeguarded by the City's commitment to their preservation. The museum's board of directors, the Fortuna Historical Commission, are appointed by the Fortuna City Council. This provides public oversight of the museum. I have concerns that, if ownership of the museum collection were transferred to a private 501(c)(3) organization, this public oversight would be lost. I feel that the City made a commitment to the preservation of the depot building and the museum collection. By relinquishing ownership and operations of the museum, the City of Fortuna would fail to keep faith with this commitment.
To me, a far more promising option is to form a 501(c)(3) "Friends of the Fortuna Depot Museum," with the sole purpose of raising funds to support the museum. A local example of this kind of working relationship is the 501(c)(3) Friends of the Redwood Libraries, which exists to raise funds for the Humboldt County Public Library system.
The City of Fortuna would retain governance, ownership and operations of the museum, and the Friends organization would raise funds to support the museum through the dedicated museum fund. Ideally, the Friends would raise sufficient funds annually that there would be no need to fund the Depot Museum out of the City's general fund.
In addition, I have suggestions I would like to share with the Finance Department for cuts to some of the line items in the museum budget, which should help with short-term funding issues. I hope that there will be the opportunity to workshop this further.
Thank you for your time and consideration. /
Yours very sincerely,
Society of Humboldt County Pioneers
P.O. Box 6746 Eureka, CA 95502-6746
May 4, 2026
Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Fortuna
621 11* Street
Fortuna, CA 95540
Re: Support for Fortuna Depot Museum
Dear Mayor Johnson and Council Members:
Established in 1876, the Society of Humboldt County Pioneers continues today as the county's oldest historical organization. We continue to meet and we celebrate our 150th anniversary this year. The Society collects and preserves information about early settlers, settlements, and the history of the county. We also provide a forum for educational and social activities.
The Society is one of several groups and venues that provide information and exhibits about local history. The Fortuna Deport Museum is an excellent example of an educational resource to its community and the county. These community serving organizations rely on each other to provide services to both locals and visitors. The Deport Museum contains resources that are not available elsewhere. It is a destination location that brings visitors to the city and generates interest and income to the city and its businesses.
We would urge the City Council to continue to provide support and funding to the Deport Museum. The Museum's presence adds to interest in the city and surrounding area, as well as educational, cultural, and financial benefits to the citizens of Fortuna.
We are confident that the Deport Museum will continue its beneficial mission, in whatever organizational and financial form may evolve. We will support those ongoing efforts. However, please be deliberate in the process and assure that the Depot Museum is able to continue to provide its current level of service.
Sincerely,
Done moron
lona Moxo
President
May 3, 2026
Dear Fortuna City Council,
I am writing to express my strong support for the Fortuna Depot Museum remaining open as a year-round resource for local historians and researchers. The museum's collections and records are invaluable to community organizations, including the Humboldt County Historical Society, the Eel River Valley Daughters of the American Revolution, The Redwood Genealogical Society, and the Clarke Historical Museum.
Over the past three years the Fortuna Depot Museum has been crucial to my research for several projects:
• A Salmon Brown presentation for the Humboldt Historical Society, The Redwood Genealogical Society, and material included in my book on the history of Bridgeville. • Research on Fortuna Pioneer Cemetery used for a presentation sponsored by the State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and for the official grave marking of Hester Snider on July 19, 2025.
• Research on Seth Kinman and Humboldt County connections to California World's Fairs for a Clarke Historical Museum Saturday Speaker presentation and for my book on California World's Fairs.
For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Council to support continued year-round access to the Fortuna Depot Museum for researchers and the broader community.
Sincerely,
Virginia Howard Mullan
Historian / Researcher