On May 5, 1850, the schooner Eclipse arrived in Humboldt Bay with a charter of 24 persons. Later known as the Eureka party. They anchored at Bucksport area and spent the next 2 days prospecting for a location of a town. On the night of May 8th a party under the charge of James T. Ryan returned to the vessel and reported in favor of a spot now occupied by the town of Eureka. On the morning of the 9th the vessel sailed up the bay and anchored opposite the block between E & F streets. Before night they off loaded all their goods and pitched their tents & the little flat known as Ryan's Garden presented the appearance of quite a little town. The next day the group commenced preparations for carrying out the town. In a few days lines were cut thru & blocks stacked at the corners. They laid out these blocks covering a large portion of the now (1878) thickly settled portion of Eureka. Of the original 24 persons only John T. Young (author of the article ) and George H. Tilley remain in the county.