The area now known as Fort Bragg was home to the Native American Indians, most of who belonged to the Pomo tribe. They were hunter-gatherers who lived close to the land and sea along the northern coast of California. In 1855, an exploration party from the Bureau of Indian Affairs visited the area, as they were looking for a site on which to establish a reservation and, in the spring of 1856, the Mendocino Indian Reservation was established at Noyo. It was 25,000 acres and extended from what is now Simpson Lane to Abalobadiah Creek and east to Bald Hill.

On June 11, 1857, a military post was established on the Mendocino Indian Reservation approximately one and one-half miles north of the Noyo River, with the purpose of maintaining order on the reservation. During the same year, 1857, a mill site was granted on the Noyo River, inside the reservation, to begin what was to become the major industry in Fort Bragg.

The Fort was evacuated in 1859, but was reoccupied for periods during 1860-61 and records show November 23, 1861 to have been the last date on which army units occupied the fort. By 1867, the reservation and military outpost at Fort Bragg were abandoned. In 1885, the Fort Bragg Railroad was founded. On August 5, 1889, Fort Bragg was incorported as a City. The town was laid out much then, as it exists today - with rows of 100x150 foot lots and with alleys.

The Union Lumber Company was incorporated in 1893 by absorbing some of the smaller lumber companies in the area. In 1901, the Union Lumber Company incorporated the National Steamship Company to carry lumber, passengers, and supplies. Fort Bragg's only link to manufactured comforts and staples like sugar and coffee were from delivery by steamship. In 1905, the California Western Railroad was formed and a rail line was available all the way to Willits, where train connections could be made to San Francisco.

The 1906 earthquake resulted in a fire at the mill that threateded the entire city. All brick buildings were damaged, if not destroyed completely and many frame homes were knocked off their piers. The fire burned the entire downtown blocks bordered by Franklin, Redwood, and McPherson Streets, plus the west side of Franklin. Within 12 months following the earthquake, all downtown reconstruction was completed. Ironically, the earthquake brought real prosperity to Fort Bragg as the mills furnished lumber to San Francisco. With the new prosperity, the rail line to Willits was completed and in 1912 the first tourists came to Fort Bragg. By 1916, Fort Bragg had become a popular place to visit - and to settle.

Commercial fishing has also played an important role in the formation of the economic base of the community. Once a major commercial fishing port, Fort Bragg was well known for producing quality fish products that were distributed to major metropolitan markets.

The emergence of the City of Fort Bragg as a diverse residential, recreational, and growing commercial area had begun. Today, Fort Bragg is the service center for a coastal region population of approximately 20,000 residents.