HCHS Luncheon Feb. 22 Features Lynette Mullen on Humboldt Brothels

The Humboldt County Historical Society will hold its 64th Annual Luncheon on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, at the Fortuna Veterans Memorial Building, featuring Lynette Mullen presenting on "Brothels of Humboldt County." Doors open at 11:45 a.m., and a buffet luncheon will be served at 1:00 p.m.; the HCHS event header also shows a 12:00 p.m. calendar time on the listing.

The society says the luncheon is an annual celebration that pairs community support with a local history presentation: "The Humboldt County Historical Society invites an exceptional speaker each year to give a local history presentation at this celebration of the support of our local community and sustaining members." HCHS also promoted the event on social media, writing, "It's time for the HCHS Annual Luncheon! We hope to see you all at the Fortuna Veterans Building on Feb. 22, where there will be good food,"

Anyone may purchase tickets to the event, and membership at the Research Circle and Collector's Circle levels includes two complimentary tickets. The 64th listing does not include a ticket price, reservation deadline, or explicit reservation phone number. On a prior HCHS luncheon listing, the society provided a reservation phone number of 707-445-4342 and listed the Fortuna Veterans Memorial Building address as 1426 Main Street, Fortuna; readers should consult HCHS event listings for current ticketing and venue details.

Mullen’s talk on local brothels offers a timely opportunity for Humboldt County to examine how historic patterns of sex work intersect with present-day public health and social equity concerns. Local historians and public health practitioners alike note that histories of regulation, criminalization and community response shape access to medical care, occupational safety and stigma for people involved in sex work. For community members, understanding that past can inform contemporary debates about harm reduction, sexual health services and policies that center equity.

HCHS’s annual luncheons have become a fixture in the county calendar. Recent programs have covered topics such as "Eureka’s Chinatown - New Perspectives" and "Scotia & Rio Dell," and several recent luncheons have sold out. The society lists map and calendar links on its event page and encourages membership as a way to support programming.

For Humboldt residents, the luncheon is both a chance to hear local scholarship and a civic moment to consider how history shapes current responsibilities in public health and social policy. If you plan to attend, consider reserving early and checking the HCHS events page for updated reservation instructions, membership information and any accessibility or dietary accommodations.