History is a story well told…

Eric Hollenbeck has always believed in sharing craftsmanship techniques with others, which is why he has never patented any of his inventions. In line with this principle, Blue Ox Millworks began offering tours in the summer of 1991. The idea for the tours came about after Eric and his wife Viviana spent an evening showing off their antique machinery at an annual Christmas party. Soon after, Jack McKellar, a former logger and city councilman, encouraged them to open their doors for tours after taking them to the Trees of Mystery in Northern Humboldt County. Within six weeks, walkways were built and the tours were launched. The operation has grown significantly over the years and the tours have evolved into fully guided tours during the summer months, as well as self-guided tours available daily. Blue Ox’s commitment to sharing knowledge and techniques with others has been recognized, as they were even featured on CNN Headline News. 

Over the years Eric would often share his experience of dyslexia and learning disabilities with younger folks on the tours. One day in 1989 he got a call from a local high school teacher about a young man who was slipping through the system’s cracks. Brad Hooper was the first ever student at the Blue Ox. If you’ve seen Season One Episode 9 of “The Craftsman” you may recognize the name! After the success with Brad, the Blue Ox continued to work informally with different kids who were primarily what we would consider “at-risk”. One of Eric’s old classmates ran the Workability program here in Humboldt County and reached out to us about getting some of his participants involved. Kids in the program would spend 100 hours working at the Blue Ox, learning the ins and outs of being employed, all while being paid for their time. After the 100 hours were up, many students chose to stay at the Blue Ox doing odd jobs and helping with tours. At one point, we even helped a student start his own Blacksmithing business! 

We continued with that format for 10 years before yet another high school teacher, Don Hoch, reached out to us. Thus was born our Community School Program, a partnership with the Humboldt County Office of Education. Working with the different types of students, we realized that many people are actually hands-on-learners, so they process information from the movement of actually doing things. We found that students really open up once you break the barrier of hierarchy traditionally found in school settings and they begin to see themselves as equals.

After twenty years of operating this highly successful program serving hundreds of students, we decided to expand our traditional arts training to include local charter schools and community groups such as 4H.

In 2014 the not-for-profit Blue Ox Historic Village 501(c)(3) was formed. Our programs prioritize creativity and self-expression, encouraging students to explore their artistic potential. They learn valuable skills such as problem-solving, attention to detail, patience, and gain a deeper appreciation for traditional Victorian crafts and their historical significance.