City of Ferndale Facilities
City Hall
There are two facilities packages that are available for rental at City Hall.
Auditorium / Lounge / Kitchen.
This rental package is especially suitable for large group meetings and small parties. All of the equipment and facilities listed below under Lounge / Kitchen are also available when you rent the Auditorium. Restroom facilities are available. $150 fee plus $150 refundable cleaning deposit.
Auditorium style seating: 152 maximum
Equipment Available: Six-foot rectangular folding tables and chairs. Audio/Speaker equipment is not included.
Lounge / Kitchen.
The lounge features tastefully decorated intimate surroundings capable of serving a variety of functions, both public and private. Couches, love seats, occasional chairs, end tables and lamps. A lovely fireplace and piano adorn the room. Suitable for intimate parties, casual meetings and gatherings. The kitchen area is useful for caterers and pre-prepared food service. Bring your own tableware, tablecloths, cookware and trashbags. Please be advised that the kitchen contains a refrigerator, microwave, 2-burner hotplate, but no stove or oven. $75 fee plus $150 refundable cleaning deposit.
Meeting capacity: 60 maximum
Dining: 30 maximum
Equipment Available: Couches, love seats, armchairs, end tables, sofa table, over-stuffed chairs, six-foot tables, chairs, piano, fireplace.
If you wish to rent either the Auditorium or Lounge please call City Hall to make sure they are available on the date that you choose. Then you must submit an application along with the appropriate fees to the city clerk. The City Hall Rental Application Form (PDF format) may be downloaded, and it includes a full description of the facilities and the policies for their use.
Parks
Community Center
If you wish to rent the Community Center at Fireman's Park, please call City Hall to make sure it is available on the date you choose. Then you must submit an application along with the appropriate fees to the city clerk. The Community Center Rental Application Form (PDF format) may be downloaded, and it includes a full description of the facility and the policies for its use.
Fireman's Park
Firemen's Park is located at the southern extremity of Ferndale along Francis Street (at the end of Main Street). It is bordered on the north, east and west sides by single-family residences and on the south side by open agricultural land that is a restricted watershed. The park includes a picnic area, playground and ball fields. The Bocce Courts can be reserved below.
Bocce Courts
The three bocce courts may be used with or without reservations. If you want to reserve a court there is a $100 security deposit, and a $35 fee for each lane. If you are holding a tournament that is charging an entry fee, 10% of the entry fee must be paid to the city. Tournaments that do not have entry fees just need to pay the $35 lane fee. For reservations and to find out more about the Ferndale Bocce Courts please visit the Ferndale Bocce Club web site.
Please make your checks payable to the City of Ferndale; P.O. Box 1095; Ferndale, CA 95536
Russ Park
![]() | Russ Park is located on Bluff Street, three blocks east of Main Street. It is open from sunrise to sunset. There are no facilities in the park. You may pick up a guide to Russ Park from many of the local merchants. |
Russ Park Trail System
There are four trails through the park:| Trail | Distance | Aprox. Time | Alt. Change |
| Lytel Ridge - Eucalyptus Trail | 1.5 miles | 1 hour | 350 ft. |
| Francis Creek - Daddy Bush Trail | 1 mile | 45 mins. | 450 ft. |
| Village Trail to Zipporah's Pond | 1 mile | 35 mins. | 500 ft. |
| Skunk Cabbage Exit Trail | 1/5 mile | 10 mins. | 100ft. |
A Brief History
On October 31, 1920, Mrs. Zipporah Patrick Russ donated this 105-acre tract to the City of Ferndale. The deed states: "That the property be used forever as a park and recreation grounds... as a refuge and breeding place for birds."
The park was originally fully wooded with Sitka Spruce and Grand Fir, much as it is today. These two dominant trees would have been interspersed with scattered Western Red Cedar, Douglas Fir, and Redwood, which was never a dominant species in the park. In fact, it is questionable that there were Redwoods here at all. Prior to 1852, the trees would have been more majestic, with fewer ground shrubs, berries and open spaces.
The hillside was evidently cleared in the mid-1850s and used for cattle or sheep grazing. No structural remains have been found in the park, except for scattered fences materials and the remains of a dump south of the Eucalyptus grove. The large Sitka Spruce immediately up from the main parking lot was cored in 1989 by a biologist from Redwood National Park and was documented to date from the early 1870s.
By the time Zipporah Russ donated the land to the City, the trees were well on their way to creating a closed-canopy forest once again.
Library
![]() | Address: 807 Main Street Phone: (707) 786-9559 Hours:
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The Humboldt County Public Library is a vital community institution providing library service to all County residents through a main library in Eureka, ten branches and a bookmobile. The collections and services the library provides as part of its mission are well used by patrons county-wide.
Library cards are free of charge to Humboldt County residents with a permanent local address. To apply, pick up an application from any Humboldt County Library, or print and fill out the Library Card Application. A parent or legal guardian must sign the application for anyone under 18 years of age. Bring proof of your Humboldt County address (a P.O. Box is acceptable). You must have one of the following with your current address: A Valid California Driver's License, a Valid California Identification Card, or a Current utility or telephone bill. When you sign the application for a library card, you agree to return borrowed materials on time and to be responsible for lost or damaged items. If you are a non-resident, you may place a deposit for a temporary card. Ask library staff for details.




