Winters are cool and rainy, and while snow at sea level in Humboldt County is rare, light snowfall is typical several times a year in Kneeland because of the higher elevation.

[5] Humboldt County was occupied by several native groups of at least two language families prior to and after the European settlers arrived.

The Wiyot people used the area around Kneeland for salmon and locally harvested roots as well as lamprey from the Eel River and other subsistence food items.

[6] Today, many Wiyot live on the Table Bluff Reservation, located 16 miles (26 km) south of Eureka.

After World War II a sawmill was built to support the commercial logging that drove the local economy.

[2] The Kneeland post office operated from 1880 to 1891 and from 1892[2] until 2011, when it was slated for closure by USPS due to lack of funding.

[11] It provides a location for small planes to make emergency landings, since the other Humboldt County airports at lower elevations often become fog bound before Kneeland.

Later in 1990 a voter initiative approved the creation of the Kneeland Fire Protection District to be funded with a special parcel tax.

Memorial Day weekend brings a few of the locals out for a cleanup and get-together to commemorate the history of this small community.