Arcata, California
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Arcata is a city located in Humboldt County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 16,651. Visitors to Arcata frequently feel as if they had entered a time warp and emerged in the 50's era of civil rights direct action. This college town is home to Humboldt State University, which accounts for approximately half of its residents.
Arcata, which is adjacent to Humboldt Bay on the "redwood coast," is a fountain of radical thought in otherwise conservative lumber country and is sometimes derided by outlying Humboldt residents as "The People's Republic of Arcata." It is the first city in the United States to elect a majority of its city council members from the Green Party. Established during the timber boom generated by the 19th century Gold Rush, Arcata features a large number of original Victorian structures, many of which have been lovingly restored. For its size, the city has many bookstores, coffeehouses, restaurants, galleries and music venues. It is also home to the beloved Humboldt Crabs of semi-pro baseball fame, who frequently play before sold-out crowds (of c. 1500) each summer.
In order to preserve its community character, laws in Arcata limit the number of chain businesses allowed in the city. Residents hotly debate major issues, including protection of the physical environment, the domination of America by corporate culture, and legalization of marijuana. Arcata was the first city in the nation to pass a law purporting to nullify the USA PATRIOT Act in that city. The legality of this has not yet been tested.
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Geography
Arcata is located at 40°52'22" North, 124°4'58" West (40.872805, -124.082814)1.According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.6 km² (11.0 mi²). 23.8 km² (9.2 mi²) of it is land and 4.8 km² (1.9 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 16.76% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 16,651 people, 7,051 households, and 2,813 families residing in the city. The population density is 699.6/km² (1,812.1/mi²). There are 7,272 housing units at an average density of 305.5/km² (791.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 84.51% White, 1.56% Black or African American, 2.65% Native American, 2.27% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 3.49% from other races, and 5.31% from two or more races. 7.22% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 7,051 households out of which 19.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.9% are married couples living together, 10.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 60.1% are non-families. 34.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.16 and the average family size is 2.81.
In the city the population is spread out with 15.3% under the age of 18, 32.3% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 26 years. For every 100 females there are 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $22,315, and the median income for a family is $36,716. Males have a median income of $26,577 versus $24,358 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,531. 32.2% of the population and 14.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 22.4% of those under the age of 18 and 6.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Culture and institutions
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Arcata is host of Humboldt State University, a part of the California State University system. With a student body of nearly half the town's total population, Arcata is a classic example of a traditional "college town" - with all the concomitant cultural advantages, but also with the inevitable tensions that arise between native born residents and the student population.
As of 2002, there were 8,210 employed persons living in Arcata [cite] and an unemployment rate of 7.2%. The majority of Arcata jobs come from the government, the city's many independently-owned businesses, Humboldt State University, and the "agriculture, forestry, and fishing" industries. Arcata is also home to a higher-than-average unhoused population. Many of these practice freeganism rather than holding a traditional job.
The newspaper with the largest circulation produced in the city is the Northcoast Journal. The paper is free and carries a large circulation of 21,000 ([cite]) papers a week. Other notable weekly publications: The Arcata Eye, The Plazoid, and The Lumberjack, HSU's weekly paper.
The city is well-known in the scientific community for its sewer system, the Arcata Marsh, started in 1979 as a completely natural way of dealing with the city's wastewater. The Marsh has been awarded the Innovations in Government award from the Ford Foundation/Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. Despite being effectively a sewer, the open-air "lake" does not smell, and is a popular destination for bikers and joggers.
History
The Wiyot and Yurok are the farthest-southwest people whose language has Algonquian roots. Their traditional homeland ranged from Mad River through Humboldt Bay (including the present cities of Eureka and Arcata) to the lower Eel river basin. Due to several factors, including violent acts toward the Wiyot people, their population was reduced to less than 5% of pre-European numbers. See the article on the Wiyot people for more on their nation's history in the region.
Recent History
In August of 1989, the voters of Arcata passed the Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Act, prohibiting activities benefiting nuclear weapons contractors within city jurisdictional limits.
In 2003 the city passed a law making it illegal to voluntarily cooperate with enforcement of the USA PATRIOT Act, making it the first to take such a step.
Arcata is also known for its progressive involvement in Environmental Politics and Environmental activism. As an example, in 1981, Arcata constructed the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. The Arcata Marsh has multiple uses including recreation, wildlife habitat, education, and wastewater treatment. In 1996 Arcata elected the first-ever Green party city council majority.
External links
- City of Arcata website
- Arcata City Ordinance 1299: the Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Act
- Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary
- Humboldt State University
- Tuluwat Restoration Fund
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Local or Yahoo! Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Satellite image from Google Local or Microsoft Virtual Earth
