Arcata, California
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- This is about the city adjacent to Humboldt Bay. For the Chicago band, see Arcata (band).
Arcata is a city, adjacent to Humboldt Bay, in Humboldt County, California, United States. The population was 16,651 at the 2000 census. This college town is home to Humboldt State University, which accounts for approximately half of its residents.
Arcata is notably liberal in its political makeup, and 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, and is home to the oldest movies-only theater in the United States which is still in operation (the Arcata Minor Theater)[link]. 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 restaurants allowed in the city. Residents hotly debate major issues, including protection of the physical environment, the domination of America by corporate culture, legalization of marijuana, and the statue of President William McKinley that is located in Arcata's downtown plaza. 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. Arcata was also the first municipality to ban the growth of any type of Genetically Modified Organism within city limits, with exceptions for research and educational purposes.
Geography & Climate
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 (16.76%) is water.
For climate graphs and averages: [link]
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 16,651 people, 7,051 households, and 2,813 families residing in the city. The population density was 699.6/km² (1,812.1/mi²). There were 7,272 housing units at an average density of 305.5/km² (791.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 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 were Hispanic or Latino of any race.There were 7,051 households out of which 19.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.9% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 60.1% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the city the population was 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 were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,315, and the median income for a family was $36,716. Males had a median income of $26,577 versus $24,358 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,531. About 14.3% of families and 32.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.4% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
Culture and institutions
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 residents and the student population.As of 2002, there were 8,210 employed persons living in Arcata [link] 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. Although, many have argued that the number of employment opportunities available to citizens of Arcata (along with the rest of Humboldt County) has slimmed down over the past six years.
Arcata is home to a higher-than-average unhoused population. Many of these people reside in illegal domiciles within the Arcata Community Forest, which is only a short walk from downtown and the Arcata Food Endeavor[link]. Panhandling is part of daily life in Arcata, and community members have coined the colloquial term "plazoid"[link] for this demographic because of their concentration in its downtown plaza.
The newspaper with the largest circulation produced in the city is the regional Northcoast Journal. The paper is free and circulates 21,000 ([cite]) papers a week throughout the northcoast region. The Arcata Eye, with a circulation of around 5,000, is the only paper that covers Arcata solely and extensively. HSU also has a weekly student-run paper called The Lumberjack. Regional publications covering Arcata include the [Times-Standard], [The Eureka Reporter] and the [Humboldt Sentinel]. Arcata also has a number of small 'zines and blogs that cover a variety of issues important to Arcatans such as youth culture and homelessness, two examples include The Placebo and The Plazoid.
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 acts of violence against 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.
On January 4th, 2006, the Arcata city council adopted the New Years Resolution, demanding the impeachment or the resignation of President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard B. Cheney for violations of Constitutional and International law, making it the first city to pass such a resolution. This is the second time the City Council has passed a resolution calling for the impeachment of President Bush.
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. This majority was lost two years later and restored in 2004.
External links
- [City of Arcata website]
- [the Plazoid online]
- [The Placebo aka Humboldt County Youth Arts Program]
- [KHSU-FM 90.5 Arcata, CA - Diverse Public Radio]
- [Arcata City Ordinance 1299: the Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Act]
- [Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary]
- [Humboldt State University]
- [Tuluwat Restoration Fund]
- [2006 New Years Resolution]
- [Local DJ Website]
Organizations
- [Campus Center for Appropriate Technology at Humboldt State University] Students Seeking Solutions Since 1978
- [Northcoast Environmental Center]
- [Arcata DIY and Calendar]
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