The Avenue of the Giants offers more than the majesty of towering redwoods. The 31-mile route also passes through several small hamlets that give a glimpse into the history of Humboldt County.

The towns alongthe Avenue, once closely tied to the timber industry, now rely more on the tourists who come to see the redwoods, swim in the Eel River and visit Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

At the south end of the Avenue ofthe Giants is Phillipsville, which has restaurants, a grocery store, a motel, numerous visitor attractions and several river access points.

Farther north is the town of Miranda, once the center of 51 different logging operations that thrived through the 1950s. The small, local mills have for the most part disappeared. Others were taken over by large companies such as the Louisiana-Pacific Corp. or Pacific Lumber, but they too eventually closed.

Myers Flat, north of Miranda, is a town that hung on to its mill into the 1970s. It was once the location of the Morrison and Jackson Lumber Co. sawmill. The mill employed 85 people at its peak but finally shut down in 1978 after being sold to the Georgia-Pacific Co.

The town of Weott today is not located where it used to be. The town used to straddle the Avenue of the Giants until 1964 when a devastating flood washed it and several other local towns away. Most travelers to Weott come to see the visitors center for Humboldt Redwoods State Park just south of town.

The town of Redcrest has an operating sawmill. Eel River Sawmills owns the plant and employs more than 100 people. The hilltop location of Redcrest saved it from the destruction of the 1964 flood.

The northernmost community on the Avenue is called Pepperwood. It isn't a town as much as a collection of die-hard residents, many of whom make a living selling produce during the summer. Pepperwood is a low-lying area that used to include stores, a school, church, garages, gas stations and bars. The flood of 1955 eliminated much of that, and the flood of 1964 took care of anything that was left. The residents who remain appreciate the beauty of their home.

Dozens of tourist-oriented attractions cater to the streams of visitors who arrive each year to see the redwoods. Along with natural attractions, they include:

The Chimney Tree, a 78-foot redwood gutted by fire in 1914 is still growing along the Avenue in Phillipsville. Adjacent to the Chimney Tree is Hobbiton U.S.A., adapted from events in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy trilogy.

The One Log House, hewn from a single 40-ton redwood log, is also in Phillipsville.

The Shrine Drive-Thru Tree in Myers Flat has a sign that reads: "The widest car made can drive through this tree."

The Eternal Tree House in Redcrest is a 20-foot room in a living redwood.

The Immortal Tree, which has withstood lightning strikes, fire, flood and the logger's ax, still stands near Redcrest.

Founders Grove, dedicated to the founders of the Save-the-Redwoods League, contains the 346-foot tall Founders Tree and the fallen Dyerville Giant. It was the tallest tree in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. But on March 24, 1991 the Dyerville Giant fell and now lies on the forest floor. Even in repose, however, the tree is an impressive sight.