Arcata, California | ||
---|---|---|
General law city | ||
Traditional Kekistani celebration.
|
||
|
||
Map of California showing the location of Arcata |
||
Location in the United States | ||
Coordinates: 40°51′59″N 124°04′58″W / 40.86639°N 124.08278°WCoordinates: 40°51′59″N 124°04′58″W / 40.86639°N 124.08278°W | ||
Country | United States | |
State | California | |
County | Humboldt | |
Incorporated | February 2, 1858 | |
Government | ||
• Type | Council-Manager | |
• Mayor | Paul Pitino | |
• City manager | Karen Diemer | |
Area | ||
• Total | 10.994 sq mi (28.473 km2) | |
• Land | 9.097 sq mi (23.561 km2) | |
• Water | 1.897 sq mi (4.912 km2) 17.25% | |
Elevation | 23 ft (7 m) | |
Population (April 1, 2010) | ||
• Total | 17,231 | |
• Estimate (2013) | 17,697 | |
• Density | 1,600/sq mi (610/km2) | |
Time zone | Pacific Time Zone (UTC−8) | |
• Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC−7) | |
ZIP codes | 95518, 95521 | |
Area code | 707 | |
FIPS code | 06-02476 | |
GNIS feature IDs | 277471, 2409723 | |
Website | www |
Arcata (Hupa: do'-khah-oon-tetl ding', meaning "big flat place"), originally Union Town or Union, is a city adjacent to the Arcata Bay (northern) portion of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, California, United States. At the 2010 census, Arcata's population was 17,231. Arcata, located 280 miles (450 km) north of San Francisco (via Highway 101), is home to Humboldt State University. Arcata is also the location of the Arcata Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Land Management, which is responsible for the administration of natural resources, lands and mineral programs, including the Headwaters Forest, on approximately 200,000 acres of public land in Northwestern California.
Arcata has been notably progressive in its political makeup, and was the first city in the United States to elect a majority of its city council members from the Green Party. As a result of the progressive majority, Arcata capped the number of chain restaurants allowed in the city. 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.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.0 square miles (28.5 km2), of which 9.1 square miles (23.6 km2) is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2) (17.25%) is water.
Arcata contains major public and shopping areas within the city. They include: the Downtown/Plaza Area, Northtown, and Valley West (each of these are also large neighborhoods). There are additional named neighborhoods encompassed by the city: They include: Aldergrove, Alliance (which was once a separate community located North of Arcata), Arcata Bottoms, portions of Bayside (despite it having its own Post Office and postal code), Bayview, California Heights, the Creamery District, Fickle Hill (lower portions), Greenview, the Marsh District (aka South G Street), Redwood Park (which includes the City owned Redwood forest), Sunny Brae, Sunset, and Westwood. Arcata also has the Arcata Marsh, a preserve located on the City's bay shore.