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Nearby Parks:
Russian Gulch State Park
Mendocino Headlands State Park
Jug Handle State Reserve
Navarro River Redwoods State Park
MacKerricher State Park
Jackson State Forest
Dimmick Memorial Grove State Park
Hendy Woods State Park
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| State Park Overview: |
 | Van Damme State Park consists of 1,831 acres of beach and upland on the Mendocino Coast. Of all park system units along the Mendocino coast, Van Damme is perhaps the richest in terms of historical resources connected with the redwood lumber industry. Its story is a prime example of the struggles and eventual failures of a small, independent lumber operation. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
| Be the 1st to Review Van Damme State Park. You can rate it, post a comment on it, or do both. |
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| History of the Area: |
| Van Damme State Park was named for Charles Van Damme who was born at Little River in 1881, son of John and Louise Van Damme, early settlers of the region. John Van Damme and his wife were a Flemish couple. The patriarch of the family was born in Ostend, Belgium on May 22, 1832. "Following the sea" for some years, Van Damme, upon his arrival in Mendocino County, later worked in the lumber mill at Little River. In this settlement all of his children were born, including Charles, whose love for the area prompted his acquiring, after some years as a successful operator of the Richmond-San Rafael ferry line, a plot of ground along the redwood coast. Upon his demise this area became a part of the State Park System in 1934.
In those early days lumbering was a major economic factor in the development of the northern coastline. Little River was built as a mill town in 1864 by Ruel Stickney, Silas Coombs and Tapping Reeves after the property, formally called Kents Cove, was purchased from W. H. Kent in 1862. Before long it had attained fame, not only as a lumber port, but as a shipyard; but a stand of timber, if logged, does not last forever and by the end of the century, even though logging was periodically moved back into the headwaters of Little River, the mill was forced to close (1893).
What there was left of Little River soon deteriorated; the shipyard, the wharf, the town, several chutes for loading lumber and the lumber mill itself. Activity at the port, which once hummed with activity, declined. Little River's school, once attended by close to 100 students, closed; its weekly steamship service ended, and a shipyard where, in 1874, Captain Thomas Peterson turned out full-size lumber schooners for the coast wide trade, phased out. Only the schooner Little River returned, to be wrecked on the very beach from which it originally departed.
Plagued by a lack of sufficient timber reserves, fires, loss of substantial business, deterioration of wharf's and chutes, the end of coast wide shipping and the attendant decline in population, Little River reverted to a natural state. Its acquisition by the State Park System in 1934, and the subsequent addition of peripheral lands has preserved some of California's most interesting natural resources. |
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| Area Accommodations |
| B&Bs / Inns | | Glendeven Inn - Delightful 1867 country inn on the Mendocino coast with fireplaces, ocean views, private baths. Breakfast delivered to your room. Art gallery and lovely gardens. Peaceful. | | Stevenswood Spa Resort - A four diamond / five star country inn and restaurant of contemporary elegance nestled in the forest by the sea on the Mendocino Coast. The perfect escape with its canyon side private spas and sculpt | | Auberge Mendocino Seaside Inn & Cottages - Auberge Mendocino Bed and Breakfast formally Rachel's Inn
Auberge Mendocino, luxury Seaside bed and breakfast Inn and cottages. Access to beach and headlands, every amenity; great comfort with style |
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| | Note to Park related businesses:
List your vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental or any other park related activity, park related attraction or park related service on Google or StateParks.com. (more).... |
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| Related Links: |
| Van Damme State Park - VAN DAMME STATE PARK Van Damme State park was established in 1934. It is located three miles south of the town of Mendocino on highway 1. The highway runs through the park separating the ... | | Van Damme State Park, Mendocino County - Information on individual northern California dive sites. ... Rocky Entries Van Damme State Park Mendocino County Home Marine Resource Issues Northern California Diving Current Conditions Marin County ... | | Day 15 Van Damme State Park to Salt Point State Park, CA - Tom bicycles south past Point Arena, Ghttp://www.tomswenson.com/pacific/pac_day15.htm
Day 15 Van Damme State Park to Salt Point State Park, CAualala to Salt Point State Park ... Recreation Area, CA Day 14, Standish-Hickey Recreation Area to Van Damme State Park, CA Day 15 Van Damme State Park to Salt ... | | Day 14 Standish-Hickey Recreation Area to Van Damme State Park, CA - Tom climbs Legett Hill and returns to the California Coast cycling throught Westport, Fort Bragg and ... Day 14, Standish-Hickey Recreation Area to Van Damme State Park, CA Day 15 Van Damme State ... | | Van Damme State Park Photo - jdhodges.com -> Photos -> Van Damme State Park Related views: Aug 2003 Van Damme State Park Photography By: Brandy Bowmaster Taken: August 14, 2003 Camera information: Distance: Photo was taken ... | | JD at Van Damme State Park Photo - ... All Aug 2003 Photos Categories: Nature, Random-Snapshot, Rural, Tourist JD at Van Damme State Park Photography By: Brandy Bowmaster Starring: J.D. Hodges (at age 23) Taken: August 14, 2003 Camera ... | | Van Damme State Park Map - Reservations: Call (800) 444-7275 "Thou Shalt Not..." No dogs While you're at it Snorkeling SCUBA Diving Back to Van Damme State Park Guide Van Damme State Park Map | | Van Damme State Park - ... dogs While you're at it Snorkeling SCUBA Diving ? Back to Camping Guide Bay Area Camping Guide: Van Damme State Park State Route 89 P.O. Box 440 Mendocino, CA 95460 (707) 937-4016 Another great ... | | Shore Diving Site Page for: Van Damme State Park of California North, USA West - Celebrate Shore Diving and Snorkeling in USA West! ... Van Damme State Park California North USA West Home The dive site at Van Damme is directly across the street from the State Park entrance. The ... | | Many thanks to Qwksvt for this review of Van Damme State Park - Van Damme State Park Van Damme State Park California North USA West Home Site Review by Qwksvt Date: 02/08/2002 Reviewer Site Condition (1=worst, 5=best) Name: Qwksvt Entry: 5.00 Email: Bottom: 3 ... | | Cousins visit, July 4th 2003, Van Damme State Park and Sea Ranch - Cousins visit, July 4th 2003, Van Damme State Park and Sea Ranch back to BillandKathleen main page Alice and Claire lunching in ... Don't fall! At Van Damme State Park. Explorers on the bog ... |
| Directions: |
| The park is located three miles south of the town of Mendocino on Highway 1. The highway runs through the park separating the campground and the Fern Canyon trail head to the east and the beach and parking lot to the west. |
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