The town of Hydesville developed in 1858 with the original site being called Goose Prairie. By 1859 there was a wagon and carriage shop, a livery stable, and a school. the first merchandise store was built by Dr. M. Spencer. Cooper's Mill was turning out 25 barrels of flour a day. By 1882 Hydesville had a population of 300 people. Mr. J. Sweasey ran the Pioneer Hotel and there were two general stores in town. The Humboldt and Mendocino Stage Line connected Hydesville with Rohnerville and the river resort of Strong's Station and points beyond.

In the early days of Humboldt County, Hydesville was an important stop for packing and freight trade, a fact attested to by its extra wide main street needed for maneuvering wagons and pack trains.

Carlotta, a resort town developed by John M. Vance about the turn of the century and named for his daughter, became a lumber boom community in the late 1940s with the logging of Douglas fir.