Centerville is a former settlement in Humboldt County

Humboldt County, California

Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located on the far North Coast 200 miles north of San Francisco. According to 2010 Census Data, the county’s population was 134,623...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. It was located 4.5 miles (7 km) west of Ferndale

Ferndale, California

Ferndale is a city in Humboldt County, California, United States. Known for its well-preserved Victorian buildings, the city's population was 1,371 at the 2010 census, down from 1,382 at the 2000 census...

, at an elevation of 13 feet (4 m).

Centerville was founded in 1852, and served as a trans-shipment point for oil from Petrolia

Petrolia, California

Petrolia is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located southeast of Cape Mendocino, at an elevation of 121 feet . The ZIP Code is 95558....

 to Eureka

Eureka, California

Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....

. The town was at its height during the 1850s to the 1870s.

In January 1860, residents provided assistance and shelter to survivors of the wrecked steamship "Northerner," where the Centerville Beach Cross Historic Marker

Centerville Beach Cross

On January 6, 1860 the SS Northerner, owned by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company struck a rock near Cape Mendocino and wrecked on Centerville Beach, in Humboldt County, California.-History:...

was erected in 1921.