Alton, California
{{Short description|Unincorporated community in California, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Alton
| other_name =
| native_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Unincorporated community
| image_skyline = VIEW SHOWING UNDERSIDE OF APPROACH SPANS, LOOKING NORTHEAST - Van Duzen River Bridge, Spanning Van Duzen River at CA State Highway 101, Alton, Humboldt County, CA HAER CAL,12-ALT.V,1-14.tif
| imagesize =
| image_caption = The underside of Highway 101's Van Duzen River Bridge in Alton
| pushpin_map = California
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_mapsize =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in California
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = California
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = Humboldt County
| established_title =
| established_date =
| coordinates = {{coord|40|32|50|N|124|08|27|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = {{Cite gnis|1655796|Alton}}
| elevation_m = 19
| elevation_ft = 62
| footnotes =
}}
Alton (formerly, Hansen) is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located {{convert|3.5|mi|km}} south-southeast of Fortuna,{{California's Geographic Names|9}} at an elevation of {{convert|62|ft|m}}. Alton is located along U.S. Route 101 and State Route 36. The ZIP Code is 95540. The community is inside area code 707.
History
The name Hansen honors Mads P. Hansen, its first postmaster. The Hansen post office opened in 1888, changed its name to Alton in 1889, and closed for good in 1895. The origin of the name Alton is disputed. Some say Alton was a corruption of its founder's name, Alta Oliver. Another source indicates the community was named in 1862 for the founder's hometown of Alton, Illinois.{{cite book|first=Erwin|last=Gudde|author2=William Bright |title=California Place Names|year=2004|edition=Fourth|publisher=University of California Press|pages=10|isbn=0-520-24217-3}}
The Eel River and Eureka Railroad was built in 1884 to provide Humboldt Bay shipping access to lumber mills and farms of the lower Eel River. In 1885, Pacific Lumber Company built a rail connection from their Scotia lumber mill to the Eel River and Eureka Railroad at Alton.{{cite book | author=Stindt, Fred A.| title=The Northwestern Pacific Railroad: Redwood Empire Route|edition=3rd| publisher=Fred A. Stindt| location=Kelseyville, California|year=1978| id=ASIN: B0007F4A2M| pages=40–41,126&136}} Alta Oliver laid out the town at the junction of the two railroads in 1887. The California Midland Railroad was formed in 1902 to extend rail service from Alton up the Van Duzen River to Carlotta. Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway merged Alton's railroads into the San Francisco and Northwestern Railway in 1903; and Alton was linked to the national rail network by completion of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad in 1914.
Between 1969 and 1989, Frank Bayliss operated his narrow gauge Alton & Pacific Railroad near the town.
Politics
In the state legislature, Alton is in {{Representative|casd|2|fmt=sdistrict}},{{Cite web |url=https://www.senate.ca.gov/senators |title=Senators |access-date=April 7, 2013 |publisher=State of California}} and {{Representative|caad|2|fmt=adistrict}}.{{Cite web |url=https://www.assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers |title=Members Assembly |access-date=April 7, 2013 |publisher=State of California}}
Federally, Alton is in {{Representative|cacd|2|fmt=district}}.{{Cite GovTrack|CA|2|accessdate=March 1, 2013}}
See also
{{portal|California}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Humboldt County, California}}
{{Eel River}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Unincorporated communities in Humboldt County, California
Category:Unincorporated communities in California
Category:1884 establishments in California
{{HumboldtCountyCA-geo-stub}}