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Eureka, California

Eureka (Wiyot: Jaroujiji; Hupa: Dahwilahł-ding;  ) is a city and the county seat of Humboldt County, located on the North Coast of California. The city is located on U.S. Route 101 on the shores of Humboldt Bay, 270. mi north of San Francisco and 100. mi south of the Oregon border. At the 2020 census, the population of the city was 26,512. As of the 2010 census, the population of Greater Eureka was 45,034.

Eureka is the largest coastal city between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, and the westernmost city of more than 25,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states. The proximity to the sea causes the city to have an extremely maritime climate with very small annual temperature differences and seasons mainly being defined by the rainy winters and dry summers, whereas nearby inland areas are much hotter in summer. It is the regional center for government, health care, trade, and the arts on the North Coast north of the San Francisco Bay Area. Greater Eureka, one of California's major commercial fishing ports, is the location of the largest deep-water port between San Francisco and Coos Bay, a stretch of about 500. mi.

The headquarters of both the Six Rivers National Forest and the North Coast Redwoods District of the California State Parks System are in Eureka. As entrepôt for hundreds of lumber mills that once existed in the area, the city played a leading role in the historic West Coast lumber trade. The entire city is a state historic landmark, which has hundreds of significant Victorian homes, including the nationally recognized Carson Mansion, and the city has retained its original 19th-century commercial core as a nationally recognized Old Town Historic District. Eureka is home to California's oldest zoo, the Sequoia Park Zoo.

Native Americans
The Wiyot people lived in, now known as Eureka, for thousands of years before European arrival. Their traditional coastal homeland ranged from the lower Mad River through Humboldt Bay and south along the lower basin of the Eel River. The Wiyot are particularly known for their basketry and fishery management. An extensive collection of intricate basketry of the area's indigenous groups exists in the Clarke Historical Museum in Old Town Eureka.

, Eureka High School has the largest Yurok language program in California.

The Wiyot and Yurok are the westernmost peoples to speak Algic languages.

Founding on Humboldt Bay
For nearly 300 years after 1579, European exploration of the coast of what would become northern California repeatedly missed definitively locating Humboldt Bay because of a combination of geographic features and weather conditions which concealed the narrow bay entrance from view. Despite a well-documented 1806 sighting by Russian explorers, the bay was not definitively known by Europeans until an 1849 overland exploration provided a reliable accounting of the exact location of what is the second-largest bay in California. The timing of this discovery led to the May 13, 1850, founding of the settlement of Eureka on its shore by the Union and Mendocino Exploring (development) companies.

Gold Rush era
After the primary California Gold Rush in the Sierras, Humboldt Bay was settled with the intent of providing a convenient alternative to the long overland route from Sacramento to supply miners on the Trinity, Klamath and Salmon Rivers where gold had been discovered. Though the ideal location on Humboldt Bay adjacent to naturally deeper shipping channels ultimately guaranteed Eureka's development as the primary city on the bay, Arcata's proximity to developing supply lines to inland gold mines ensured supremacy over Eureka through 1856.

"Eureka" received its name from a Greek word meaning "I have found it!" This exuberant statement of successful (or hopeful) gold rush miners is also the official motto of the State of California. Eureka is the only U.S. location to use the same seal as the state for its seal.

Wiyot Massacre
The first Europeans venturing into Humboldt Bay encountered the indigenous Wiyot. After 1850, Americans ultimately overwhelmed the Wiyot, whose maximum population before the Europeans' arrival numbered in the hundreds in the area of what would become the county's primary city. But in almost every case, settlers ultimately cut off access to ancestral sources of food in addition to the outright theft of land, despite the efforts of some U.S. government and military officials to assist the native peoples or at least maintain peace. Fort Humboldt was established by the U.S. Army on January 30, 1853, as a buffer between Native Americans, gold-seekers and settlers, commanded by Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Buchanan of the U.S. 4th Infantry Regiment. The 1860 Wiyot Massacre took place on Indian Island in the spring of 1860, committed by a group of locals thought to be composed primarily of Eureka businessmen. (The male Wiyot tribal members had left the island during their annual New Year ritual and the vigilantes killed as many as 250 children, women, and elderly tribal members) Major Gabriel J. Rains, Commanding Officer of Fort Humboldt at the time, reported to his commanding officer that a local group of vigilantes had resolved to "kill every peaceable Indian – man, woman, and child."

Lumber industry
Eureka's first post office opened in 1853 just as the town began to carve its grid plan into the edge of a forest it would ultimately consume to feed the building of San Francisco and points beyond. Many of the first immigrants who arrived as prospectors were also lumbermen, and the vast potential for industry on the bay was soon realized, especially as many hopeful gold miners realized the difficulty and infrequency of striking it rich in the mines. By 1854, after only four years since the founding, seven of nine mills processing timber into marketable lumber on Humboldt Bay were within Eureka. A year later, 140 lumber schooners operated in and out of Humboldt Bay moving lumber from the mills to booming cities along the Pacific coast. By the time the charter for Eureka was granted in 1856, busy mills inside the city had a daily production capacity of 220,000 board feet. This level of production, which would grow significantly and continue for more than a century, secured Eureka as the "timber capital" of California. Eureka was at the apex of rapid growth of the lumber industry because of its location between huge coast redwood forests and its control of the primary port facilities. Loggers brought the enormous redwood trees down. Dozens of movable narrow gauge railroads brought trainloads of logs and finished lumber products to the main rail line, which led directly to Eureka's wharf and waiting schooners. By the 1880s, railroads eventually brought the production of hundreds of mills throughout the region to Eureka, primarily for shipment through its port. After the early 1900s, shipment of products occurred by trucks, trains, and ships from Eureka, Humboldt Bay, and other points in the region, but Eureka remained the busy center of all this activity for over 120 years. These factors and others made Eureka a significant city in early California state history.

Commercial center
A bustling commercial district with ornate Victorian-style buildings rose in proximity to the waterfront, reflecting the great prosperity experienced during this era. Hundreds of these Victorian homes remain today, of which many are totally restored and a few have always remained in their original elegance and splendor. The representation of these homes in Eureka, grouped with those in nearby Arcata and the Victorian village of Ferndale, are of considerable importance to the overall development of Victorian architecture built in the nation. The magnificent Carson Mansion on 2nd and M Streets is perhaps the most spectacular Victorian in the nation. The home was built between 1884 and 1886 by renowned 19th-century architects Newsom and Newsom for lumber baron William M. Carson. This project was designed to keep mill workers and expert craftsman busy during a slow period in the industry. Old Town Eureka, the original downtown center of this busy city in the 19th century, has been restored and has become a lively arts center. The Old Town area has been declared an Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places. The district is made up of over 150 buildings, which in total represents much of Eureka's original 19th-century core commercial center. This nexus of culture behind the redwood curtain still contains much of its Victorian architecture, which, if not maintained for original use as commercial buildings or homes, have been transformed into scores of unique lodgings, restaurants, and small shops featuring a burgeoning cottage industry of hand-made creations, from glassware to wood-burning stoves, and a large variety of locally created art.

Fishing, shipping, and boating
Eureka's founding and livelihood was and remains linked to Humboldt Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and related industries, especially fishing. Salmon fisheries sprang up along the Eel River as early as 1851, and, within seven years, 2,000 barrels of cured fish and 50000 lb of smoked salmon were processed and shipped out of Humboldt Bay annually from processing plants on Eureka's wharf. In 1858, the first of many ships built in Eureka was launched, beginning an industry that spanned scores of years. The bay is also the site of the West Coast's largest oyster farming operations, which began its commercial status in the nineteenth century. Eureka is the home port to more than 100 fishing vessels (with an all-time high of over 400 in 1981) in two modern marinas which can berth approximately 400 boats within the city limits and at least 50 more in nearby Fields Landing, which is part of Greater Eureka. Area catches historically include, among other species, salmon, tuna, Dungeness crab, and shrimp, with historic annual total fishing landings totaling about 36000000 lb in 1981.

Chinese expulsion
Racist views of Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century led to violent attacks on them by White settlers across the West, both before and after the Chinese Exclusion Act. Economic downturns resulting in competition for jobs fed sinophobia and violent actions against Chinese immigrants, especially on the Pacific coast. In February 1885, Eureka City Councilman David Kendall was caught in the crossfire of two rival Chinese gangs and killed. A group of 600 White vigilantes forcibly and permanently evicted all 480 Chinese residents of Eureka's Chinatown.

Among those who guarded the city jail during the height of the sinophobic tension was James Gillett, who went on to become Governor of California. The anti-Chinese ordinance was repealed in 1959.

Queen City of the Ultimate West
Completion of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad in 1914 provided the local lumber industry with an alternative to ships for transport of its millions of board feet of lumber to reach markets in San Francisco and beyond. It also provided the first safe land route between San Francisco and Eureka for people to venture to the Redwood Empire. As a result, Eureka's population of 7,300 swelled to 15,000 within ten years. By 1922, the Redwood Highway was completed, providing for the first reliable, direct overland route for automobiles from San Francisco. By 1931, the Eureka Street Railway operated fifteen streetcars over 12 mi of track. Eureka's transportation connection to the "outside" world had changed dramatically after more than half a century of stage rides or treacherous steamship passage through the Humboldt Bar and on the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco. The building of the Eureka Inn coincided with the opening of the new road to San Francisco. As a result of immense civic pride during this early-20th-century era of expansion, Eureka officially nicknamed itself "Queen City of the Ultimate West." The tourism industry, lodging to support it, and related marketing had been born.

Post–World War II
The timber economy of Eureka is part of the Pacific Northwest timber economy which rises and falls with boom-and-bust economic times. In Eureka, both the timber industry and commercial fishing declined after the Second World War.

The Columbus Day Storm of 1962 downed trees and caused a surplus in the domestic timber market, which caused increased shipping to foreign markets. The log trade with Japan and other Pacific Rim nations increased. Despite many rumors to the contrary, little of this wood returned to U.S. markets. In 1989, the U.S. changed log export laws, permitting lower-cost timber from public lands to be exported as raw logs overseas to help balance the federal budget.

After 1990, the global log market declined, and exports fell at the same time as Pacific Northwest log prices increased; leading buyers to seek less expensive logs from Canada and the southern United States. Debate continues among four stakeholders: timber owners, domestic processors, consumers and communities, on the impact of log export on the local economy. During the span of 1991 to 2001, timber harvest peaked in 1997. The local timber market was also affected by the Pacific Lumber Company hostile takeover and ultimate bankruptcy.

Local fisheries expanded through the 1970s and early 1980s. During the 1970s, Eureka fishermen landed more than half of the fish and shellfish produced and consumed in California. In 2010, between 100 and 120 commercial fishing vessels listed Eureka as homeport. The highest landings of all species were 36.9 e6lb in 1981 while the lowest were in 2001 with 9.4 e6lb.

After 1990 regulatory, economic, and other events led to a contraction of the local commercial fleet. In 1991, the Woodley Island marina opened, providing docking facilities for much of Eureka's commercial and recreational fleet. Many species are considered to be overfished. Recreational fishing has increased over time. Fifty percent of recreational fishermen using local boats are tourists from outside the area.

Commercial Pacific oyster aquaculture in Humboldt Bay produced an average of 7600000 lb of oysters from 1956 to 1965 an average of 844444 lb per year. In 2004, only 600000 lb were harvested. Oysters and oyster seed continue to be exported from Humboldt Bay. The value of the oysters and spawn is more than $6 million per year. Consolidation of buyers and landing facilities resulted in local vulnerability to unexpected events, leading the city to obtain grant funding for and complete the Fishermen's Terminal on the waterfront which will provide fish handling, marketing, and public spaces.

Significant earthquakes
The area regularly experiences large earthquakes as it is situated on the southern end the Cascadia subduction zone and near the San Andreas Fault, which interface around the Mendocino Triple Junction. On December 20, 2022, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Ferndale, California in Humboldt County, United States at 10:34:25 UTC, or 2:34 a.m. PST. On January 9, 2010, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake occurred about 33 mi off shore from Eureka. After two seconds, it became a violent "jumper", making objects fly; the mostly vertical shocks from the ground led to broken windows in shops, overturned shelving in homes and stores, and damage to architectural detail on a number of historic buildings. Local hospitals treated mostly minor related injuries, and electrical power was out over a large area. Numerous natural gas leaks occurred, but no fires resulted. This was the largest recent earthquake since the April 25–26, 1992 sequence. It was followed on February 4, 2010, by a magnitude 5.9 earthquake which struck about 35 mi northwest of the community of Petrolia and nearly 50 mi west of Eureka. The shaking was felt within a 150 mi radius, as far north as southern Oregon and as far south as Sonoma County. The largest recorded in the area was the 7.2 event on November 8, 1980. The larger earthquakes can pose a tsunami threat to coastal areas.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.5 sqmi, of which 9.4 sqmi is land and 5.1 sqmi or 35.07% is water.

Eureka is situated within California's Redwood Empire region which includes Pacific Ocean coast, Humboldt Bay, and several rivers in addition to Redwood National and State Parks and Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The location of Eureka on U.S. 101 is 283 mi north of San Francisco and 315 mi northwest of Sacramento.

The city marina is on one of three islands at a narrow point on the 13 mi bay and increases in elevation slightly as it spreads north, south, and especially to the east. The city gently encroaches at least two miles (2 mi) eastward into primarily Redwood and Douglas-fir second growth forests. The city has a traditional grid that generally radiates toward the points of the compass. Most post-1970 houses were built in formerly clear cut forested areas.

The transition between the official city limits and smaller unincorporated areas is mostly not discernible. Eastern areas including secluded developments on a golf course among or in close proximity to extensive second-growth forest have more recently developed. These new houses were built as a result of the Eureka Community Plan of 1995 in attempt to bring locals close to centers of recreation and encourage community interaction. The city then gives way to hills and mountains of the rugged coast range, which quickly exceed 2000 ft in elevation.

Eureka is more or less on the same latitude as Atlantic cities New York City and Porto in Portugal along with the Mediterranean city of Naples in Italy, all of whom have much warmer summers in spite of also being on coastlines. By comparison, New York City's climate is far more continental than Eureka's, despite both cities being located around the 41st parallel and near the ocean.

Climate
Eureka has a mild, temperate cool-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csb). Due to the influence of the Pacific Ocean and being on the shoreline of the cold-water Humboldt Bay, its temperatures are cooler than those of a typical mediterranean climate. Winters are mild and rainy, and summers are mild, cool, and dry. The average high in December, the coolest month, is 55.0 °F, while the average high temperature in August, the warmest month, is 64.3 °F, which is very mild and cool, respectively, for an area at such a southerly latitude. Eureka's average summer temperatures are much cooler than New York City and Istanbul which lie on the same latitude (and its average winter temperatures are also milder than those two cities); and are similar to those of Southeast Alaska, Scotland or Tierra del Fuego in southern Argentina and Chile, which lie well above the 50th parallel.

The seasonal temperature variation is very small; the difference between the August average of 58.5 F and the December average of 47.8 F is only 10.7 F-change, about equal to the diurnal temperature variation. Eureka is unique among mid-latitude climates in the northern hemisphere in that in more than 135 years of recorded temperatures, February has measured a warmer absolute maximum temperature than both the two high summer months of July and August. The absolute maximum temperature of July is merely 77 F in spite of the high sun strength. The two warmest nights measured in Eureka were both during winter, as January 18, 1981, recorded a low of 63 F, tying a February 26, 1980, record.

In addition, Eureka has a very short and milder range of temperatures compared to most of the contiguous US, with the all-time highest and lowest temperatures recorded in Eureka being only 87 °F on October 26, 1993, September 2, 2017, and September 28, 2020, and 20 °F on January 14, 1888, respectively. On average, the highest temperature seen throughout the entire year is only 79 °F, one of the coolest in the contiguous US, while on average the lowest temperature seen in the year (most often occurring at night) is only a similarly moderate 29 °F, yielding a very short and mild temperature range of about 50 F-change throughout the year. Additionally, Eureka remains the only city on the West Coast of the continental United States to have never recorded a temperature of 90 °F.

Temperatures drop to freezing or below only on a few nights per year, and daytime temperatures for these days are typically mild temperatures ranging between 43 - 58 °F. Eureka has never recorded an ice day, with the coldest daytime maximum being 34 F in 1990. Between 1991 and 2020, the coldest daytime high of the year was 45 F and the warmest night averaged 59 F. NOAA’s weather station averages indicate only 0.18 in of rainfall in July, which is well within the mediterranean range, only with rainier winters, cooler and milder air than a typical mediterranean climate. Winter temperatures instead are similar to many climates found in Southern Europe from which basin the climate type is named.

The area experiences coastal fog throughout the year, especially during summer on the coast when temperatures in the city remain consistently around a mild 64 °F. This phenomenon, together with cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean, keeps Eureka relatively cool and mild, while contrasting with inland areas in relative proximity to Humboldt Bay, which are prone to extreme temperatures that often exceed 100 °F. This causes frequent temperature differences between Eureka and nearby inland areas during summer and early fall of 30 to 40 F-change. Despite the common coastal fog, Eureka enjoys on average about 55% possible sunshine per year, about on par with cities such as Calgary, Portland, New York City and Chicago.

Annual precipitation averages 40.3 in. Measurable precipitation falls on an average of 127.5 days each year, concentrated heavily from October to April. On average, December is the wettest month, averaging over 8 in of precipitation, virtually all of it rain. The wettest "rain year" was from July 1889 to June 1890 with 73.30 in and the driest from July 1976 to June 1977 with 17.56 in. The greatest monthly precipitation was 23.21 in in December 2002. The greatest 24-hour precipitation was 6.79 in on December 27, 2002. However, historic 100-year dramatic weather events such as the Christmas Week flood of 1955 and, especially, the Christmas flood of 1964, which severely damaged the region, may not be reflected in records listed herein. Snowfall on the coast happens only on rare occasions, averaging 0.2 in as of the 1981–2010 normals, but only five years during that period received measurable snowfall. The most snowfall in one month was 6.9 in in January 1907.

Demographics

The population of the city was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census, representing a 4.1% increase, and the population of Greater Eureka was 45,034 at the 2010 Census, up from 43,452 at the 2000 census, representing a 3.6% increase.

According to a report by the City of Eureka, the Greater Eureka area minimally includes the unincorporated adjacent or nearby neighborhoods and Census Defined Populated Areas of Bayview, Cutten, Elk River, Freshwater, Humboldt Hill, Indianola, Myrtletown, Pine Hill, Ridgewood Heights, and Rosewood, all of which have Eureka addresses, postal zip codes and Eureka-specific telephone numbers. The Greater Eureka area makes up the largest urban settlement on the Pacific Coast between San Francisco and Portland. This area is similar to what the U.S. Census officially defines as the Eureka UC (urban cluster), which is a "densely settled core of census tracts and/or census blocks that meet minimum population density requirements, along with adjacent territory containing non-residential urban land uses as well as territory with low population density included to link outlying densely settled territory with the densely settled core" of up to 50,000 in population. The bayside communities of Manila, Samoa, and Fairhaven (all on the Samoa Peninsula), and King Salmon and Fields Landing (both located south of the city), and communities listed above, with the exception of Elk River and Freshwater, are shown to be part of the Eureka Urban Cluster. Eureka is the largest city of the Eureka-Arcata-Fortuna Micropolitan Area, a construct of the U.S. Census Bureau, which is synonymous with the County of Humboldt.

2000 Census data
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,128 people. The population density was 2,764.5 PD/sqmi. There were 11,637 housing units at an average density of 1,231.3 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 88.5% White, 1.2% Black or African American, 4.2% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 2.7% from other races, and 5.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 10.8% of the population.

There were 10,957 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.8% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city, the population dispersal was 22.4% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,849, and the median income for a family was $33,438. Males had a median income of $28,706 versus $22,038 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,174. About 15.8% of families and 23.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.6% of those under the age of 18 and 11.1% of those 65 and older.

2010 Census data
The 2010 United States Census reported that Eureka had a population of 27,191. The population density was 1,881.3 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Eureka was 21,565 (79.3%) White, 514 (1.9%) African American, 1,011 (3.7%) Native American, 1,153 (4.2%) Asian, 176 (0.6%) Pacific Islander, 1,181 (4.3%) from other races, and 1,591 (5.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3,143 persons (11.6%).

The census reported that 25,308 people (93.1% of the population) lived in households, 1,434 (5.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 449 (1.7%) were institutionalized.

There were 11,150 households, out of which 2,891 (25.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,554 (31.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,449 (13.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 710 (6.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,161 (10.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 146 (1.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,971 households (35.6%) were made up of individuals, and 1,183 (10.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27. There were 5,713 families (51.2% of all households); the average family size was 2.93.

The population dispersal was 5,431 people (20.0%) under the age of 18, 3,102 people (11.4%) aged 18 to 24, 8,021 people (29.5%) aged 25 to 44, 7,422 people (27.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,215 people (11.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.7 males. There were 11,891 housing units at an average density of 822.7 /mi2, of which 11,150 were occupied, of which 4,829 (43.3%) were owner-occupied, and 6,321 (56.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.7%. 11,251 people (41.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 14,057 people (51.7%) lived in rental housing units.

Economy
The economic base of the city was founded on timber and fishing and supplying gold mining efforts inland. Gold mining diminished quickly in the early years, and activities of timber and fishing have also diminished, especially in the latter decades of the twentieth century. Today, the major industries are tourism, timber (in value), and healthcare and services (in number of jobs). Major employers today in Eureka include the following governmental entities: College of the Redwoods, The County of Humboldt, and the Humboldt County Office of Education. St. Joseph Hospital is the largest private employer in Eureka.

Local government
The City of Eureka has a mayor-council system of governance. Primary power lies with the five council members, divided into five wards. The mayor has the power to appoint, as well as ceremonial duties, though the job includes presiding over council meetings and meeting visiting dignitaries. Official city business is administered by the Office of the City Manager. The Eureka City Council regularly meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month at 5:30 pm for closed session, and 6:30 pm for open session. Open sessions are open to the public.

State and federal government
Eureka is in, and. Federally, Eureka is in.

Land
U.S. Route 101 is the major north and south highway, which connects Eureka to the rest of the North Coast region. The highway connects to Oregon, located approximately 100. miles to the north, and San Francisco, over 250. mi to the south. The highway follows city streets through the city, with flow and cross-traffic controlled by traffic signals. Highway 101 enters Eureka from the south as Broadway. As it reaches the downtown area, it splits into a one-way couplet composed of 4th Street and 5th Street. On the north side of the city, northbound and southbound rejoin at the northeast side before the highway becomes a restricted (safety corridor) expressway (to Arcata and points beyond) as double bridges cross the Eureka Slough (mouth of the Freshwater Creek).

State Route 255 is an alternate route of U.S. 101 between Eureka and the nearby city of Arcata, running along the western shore of Humboldt Bay. It begins in the downtown area at U.S. 101 and proceeds north along R Street towards the Samoa Bridge and the community of Samoa.

State Route 299 (formerly U.S. Route 299) connects to U.S. Route 101 at the northern end of Arcata. Route 299 begins at that point and extends easterly to serve as the major traffic artery to the east for Eureka.

Air
Eureka's full-service airport is the Arcata-Eureka Airport, located 15 mi north in McKinleyville. This airport has two airlines: United Airlines and Avelo Airlines. The airport connects to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, and Burbank. Murray Field and Eureka Municipal Airport are general aviation airports for private and charter air service. Both are located adjacent to Humboldt Bay. Kneeland Airport, at 2737 ft in elevation, is a general aviation airport that provides an option for pilots choosing to land when the prevalent marine layer is affecting airports nearer sea level.

Water
The Humboldt Bay Harbor Recreation & Conservation District manages the resources of Humboldt Bay and its environs, including the deep-water port. The port is located directly west of the city and is serviced across the bay in the community of Samoa. In addition to two deep-water channel docks for large ships, several modern small-craft marinas are available for private use, with a total capacity of more than 400 boats.

Bus service
Public bus transportation services within Eureka are provided by the Eureka Transit Service. The Redwood Transit System provides bus transportation through Eureka and connects to major towns and places outside the city, including educational institutions. Dial-A-Ride service is available through an application process.

The Amtrak Thruway 7 bus provides daily connections to/from Eurkea (with a curbside stop at 6th and C Streets) Martinez to the south, and Arcata to the north. Additional Amtrak connections are available from Martinez station.

Greyhound provides bus service to San Francisco from Eureka. Tickets may be purchased online or at the nearest full-service station in Arcata.

Transit in Eureka is expected to be improved by the $30 million Eureka Regional Transit and Housing Center, or EaRTH Center, which was greenlighted by the Eureka City Council in mid-February 2022. The development will contain an intermodal transit center, including car share facilities and regional bus connections, in addition to 31 affordable apartments. It is slated for completion in the fall of 2024.

Electricity and natural gas
Eureka residents are served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Some reserves of natural gas are located south of the city. These and other fuels help power the Humboldt Bay Power Plant (which includes the defunct Humboldt Bay Nuclear Power Plant). In 2010, the cogeneration plant increased its capacity from 130 MW to 163 MW.

Water
The City of Eureka is the largest of the local water districts supplied by the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District. The entire region is one of the few places in California that has historically enjoyed a significant surplus of water. The reduction in major forest products manufacturing in recent decades has left the area with a 45 MGD surplus of industrial water.

Healthcare
Eureka is the regional center for healthcare. The city is served by St. Joseph Hospital, which is the largest medical acute care hospital north of the San Francisco Bay Area on the California Coast. The hospital was first opened in 1920 and was operated by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Orange until 2016. The facility is composed of two parts: a main campus contains the acute care facility and a nearby second site, the former General Hospital Campus, which contains a rehabilitation facility and a skilled nursing site.

In November 2012, the hospital completed required earthquake safety standards upgrades. The new primary wing contains surgical suites, intensive care, 24-hour emergency care, as well as new and enlarged patient rooms for those requiring care beyond short stay or outpatient procedures, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, surgery centers, and radiology (including MRI) facilities.

In June 2016, the California Attorney General's office approved merging the St. Joseph Health system and the Providence Health and Services which includes St. Joseph's in Eureka, making it part of the third-largest non-profit health system in the nation. The merger raises local and regional concerns about health care.

Eureka is also the site of the only comprehensive private and county-operated mental health emergency and hospitalization facilities north of San Francisco within California. Most of the doctors for the many medical specialties available on the far North Coast are located in or near Eureka, which also has the only oncology program and dialysis clinic in the region.

Education
Institutions of higher learning include the College of the Redwoods and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata. College of the Redwoods manages a downtown satellite campus as well.

Eureka City Schools, the largest school district in the region, administers the public schools of the city. Eureka High School receives all students from city grammar schools as well as all those from nearby unincorporated communities. Specific schools include: Alice Birney Elementary, Grant Elementary, Lafayette Elementary, Washington Elementary, Winship Middle School, Zane Middle School, Eureka High School, Humboldt Bay High School, Zoe Barnum High School, the Eureka Adult School, the Northern United Humboldt Charter School, and Winzler Children's Center. The district offices are located in the remodeled Marshall School, which also contains the Marshall Family Resource Center, a site designed to offer programs in support of parents and families.

Retail
The North Coast's primary shopping facility, the Bayshore Mall, is the largest north of the San Francisco Bay Area on the California coast. The mall features over 70 stores and opened in 2013. Other major shopping areas and centers include Henderson Center, the Eureka Mall, Burre Center, and Downtown and Old Town Eureka.

Arts and culture

Eureka is one of California's historic landmarks. The California State Historical marker, #477, designating Eureka, is located in Old Town, one of the nation's best-preserved original Victorian-era commercial districts. The city was voted as the No. 1 best small art town in John Villani's book The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America. Eureka hosts the region's largest monthly cultural and arts event, "Arts' Alive!" on the first Saturday of each month. More than 80 Eureka business and local galleries open their doors to the public. Often local cuisine and beverages accompany live performances by acclaimed regional bands and other types of performance art. The downtown Eureka area is also decorated with many murals.

Theater offerings include year-round productions from several various theater groups, including the North Coast Repertory Theater, the Redwood Curtain Theatre, and the Eureka Theater. Various events occur throughout the year at the Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. Museums include the Clarke Historical Museum, the Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum, the Morris Graves Museum of Art, HSU First Street Gallery, Discovery Museum for Children, the Fort Humboldt State Historic Park and the Blue Ox Millworks and Historic Park.

Annual cultural events

 * Redwood Coast Music Festival – October
 * Perilous Plunge – March
 * Rhododendron Festival – April
 * Kinetic sculpture race – May
 * Redwood Acres Fair and Rodeo – June
 * Humboldt Wood Fair – June
 * Summer Concert Series on the Boardwalk – June – August
 * Fourth of July Celebration – July
 * Humboldt Bay Full of Blues – August 30 & 31, 2014
 * Chicken Wingfest – September
 * Excalibur Medieval Tournament and Market Faire – September
 * Pride Parade and Celebration – September
 * Humboldt Bay Paddle Fest – September
 * Craftsman's Days – November
 * Christmas Truckers Parade – December

Museums and galleries
Museums include the Clarke Historical Museum, the Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum, the Morris Graves Museum of Art, HSU First Street Gallery, Kinetic Museum, Discovery Museum for Children, the Fort Humboldt State Historic Park and the Blue Ox Millworks and Historic Park.

Architecture

Because of northern isolation and unfavorable economic conditions in the latter part of the twentieth century, much of the post-war redevelopment and urban renewal that other cities experienced did not occur in Eureka. As a result, Eureka has hundreds of examples of 19th- and early-20th-century architecture and historic districts.

The original Queen Anne-style Murphy home in San Francisco was completely destroyed by the fire resulting from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Mark Carter found the blueprints for the home in an antique store and rebuilt the structure, but in Eureka; it is now the Carter House Inn.

Approximately 16% of the city's structures are cataloged as important historical structures, with many of those attaining the status of state and national significance in terms of a particular structure's importance in relationship to the body of surviving examples of the architectural style attributed to its construction and related detail. Thirteen distinct districts have been identified which meet the criteria for the National Register of Historic Places. Among them are the 2nd Street District (10 buildings), 15th Street district (13 buildings) and the O Street district (43 buildings). Hillsdale Street, a popular and well-preserved district, contains 17 buildings of historic interest. In all, some 1,500 buildings have been recognized as qualifying for the National Register. The Eureka Heritage Society, a local architectural preservation group founded in 1973, has been instrumental in protecting and preserving many of Eureka's fine Victorians.

Parks and recreation
Sequoia Park Zoo, situated on more than 67 acre of mature second-growth Redwood forest, includes Eureka's largest public playground and a duck pond, in addition to gardens and examples of the area's many varieties of rhododendron bushes. The City of Eureka Recreation Department manages 13 playgrounds, including Cooper Gulch, which is 33 acres, and many ball fields as well as tennis courts and others, including basketball and soccer. Other parks in or near Eureka include the Humboldt Botanical Garden and the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and the Eureka Marsh, an accessible protected marsh between the Bayshore Mall and Humboldt Bay. There is a modern boardwalk along the city's waterfront. Halvorsen Park includes a walkway along the water.

Media
Though Eureka has been the base for two major daily newspapers at different times in its 150 years, only the Times-Standard, owned by the Colorado-based Media News Group, survives. Media News Group also owns a weekly classified advertiser, the Tri-City Weekly. The Eureka Reporter, founded in 2003, became a daily in 2006, began publishing five days per week at the end of 2007, and permanently closed in November 2008. The Times-Standard printed nearly 20,000 papers per day as of 2004; as of 2018, its distribution was 13,000 and it published online-only on Mondays. The LostCoast Outpost is another web based news source

The North Coast Journal, a regional weekly, moved from Arcata to Eureka in 2009. Eureka is also home to several alternative weekly publications. Senior News is a 24-page monthly newspaper distributed along a 150 mi stretch of the Northwest California coast, published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center since 1981. The small staff is augmented by community volunteer writers and by senior volunteers who distribute 5,000 free newspapers to more than 100 locations from Crescent City to Garberville.

Many of Humboldt County's commercial radio stations are based in Eureka: KINS-FM (106.3), KWSW (980 AM), and KEKA-FM (101.5), owned and operated by Eureka Broadcasting Co. Inc. KFMI, KRED, KJNY and KATA. Lost Coast Communications owns and operates several stations broadcasting to Eureka: KSLG-FM, KHUM, KLGE, and KWPT. Eureka also hosts KMUE, the local repeater for Redway-based community radio station KMUD. On August 26, 2006, the Blue Ox Millworks launched KKDS-LP, a low power FM station focused on youth and community issues. On November 3, 2008, a low-power part 15 AM radio station, Old Glory Radio 1650 AM, based in the Myrtletown neighborhood of Eureka, went on the air; it offers the area's only daily live local call-in program in the morning. KHSU, the region's local public radio station, is broadcast from Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata. A traveler's information station owned by the State of California, KMKE-LP, operates at 98.1 MHz.

Eureka's first television station was KIEM, which signed on the air on October 25, 1953. Additional stations signed on in the years following that first telecast, beginning in 1958, including KVIQ-LD and KAEF-TV.

Sister city

 * 🇮🇩 Singkawang, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

title: Eureka, California


text:
Ferndale, California

Ferndale is a city in Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 1,481 (2021 census), up from 1,371 at the 2010 census. The city contains dozens of well-preserved Victorian storefronts and homes. Ferndale is the northern gateway to California's Lost Coast and the city, which is sited on the edge of a wide plain near the mouth of the Eel River, is also located near extensive preserves of coast redwood forests.

History
Before American settlement, Ferndale was a glade of giant ferns reaching more than 6 ft, surrounded by alder, willow, Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, coast redwood, swampy land, and windswept prairies. The area was populated by the southern Wiyot people, and centered along the Eel River, where they caught lamprey eels, salmon and sturgeon in iris leaf fish nets and collected shellfish along the river and at its mouth, while cultivating a California species of tobacco.

The town was established in 1852 from settlement by Willard Allard, Seth Louis Shaw, and his brother, American portrait painter Stephen William Shaw. The settlement was incorporated in 1893.

Early settlers
In August 1852, Allard and the Shaw brothers borrowed a canoe from the Wiyots in the Table Bluff area and paddled it across the Eel and up Francis Creek to arrive with their supplies in the approximate vicinity of what is now Main and Shaw streets. In September 1852, they cleared a five-acre area of ferns and began building a cabin near the base of the Wildcat Road even though Allard was sick with ague. By January 1853, twelve men were living in the Shaws' cabin including Seth Kinman, who provided the group with meat, and Joseph Russ. About this time, Stephen Shaw painted the portrait of Wiyot elder Kiwelattah (or Ki-we-lah-tah) and kept a detailed journal of two years of trying to grow plants in cold coastal fog.

Seth Shaw settled in the area now marked by Main and Lewis streets where he began construction of the Gothic Revival style Shaw House on his property in 1854. The Shaw House served as the area's first polling place in 1854, post office and courthouse in 1863. in 1860 Seth Shaw was justice of the peace and postmaster, and his home served for many gatherings although it was not finished until 1866. After having been away from the area for two years, Stephen Shaw sold his holdings in 1856 to Welsh-born Francis Francis (1818–1877) who later established the city's water system through pipes laid initially in 1875.

Other small towns were established around Ferndale, including Centerville, Port Kenyon, Waddington, Grizzly Bluff, and Arlynda Corners. Produce from Ferndale was shipped out via Centerville and transferred to ships at anchor offshore prior to the opening of docks at Port Kenyon in 1876.

While the earliest settlers were English speaking from Great Britain, New England, Canada, or Ireland, waves of immigrants arrived in Ferndale from Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and China.

European immigrants
Danish settlers founded and built Our Savior's Lutheran Church in 1899 and dedicated Danish Hall, which had been built as a warehouse by Arnold Berding in the late 1880s, on October 10, 1929. The Swiss who settled in Ferndale from Italian- and German-speaking families included the Oeschgers who moved to Ferndale in time for Joe Oeschger to play baseball at Ferndale High School before going to a career in Major League Baseball. A later influx of Romansh Swiss included the ancestors of College Football Hall of Fame coach Len Casanova. Sausage, salami-making and wine-making can be traced to Italians who arrived later than the Danish and Swiss, beginning around 1897. The Germans arrived earlier; the first was businessman Arnold Berding in 1857. Most Germans worked on ranches or were dairymen, but at least one owned the Milwaukee Brewery Depot Saloon. United States Congressman Don Clausen is descended from German settlers of Ferndale. German settlers organized St. Mark's Lutheran Church in 1906. Except for three Portuguese brothers who arrived in the 1870s and a few from mainland Portugal, most came from the Azores islands between 1900 and 1915. Ferndale Portuguese have celebrated their traditional Festival of the Holy Ghost since 1924.

Chinese settlement and expulsions
Chinese immigrants arrived in California in the earliest gold-rush days, and were settled in all parts of Humboldt County almost as soon as English-speaking whites. They worked in gold mining on the Klamath and Trinity Rivers, before settling mostly in Eureka, with a few in outlying towns like Ferndale where two Chinese owned clothes washing businesses. Chinese laborers built parts of the Wildcat Road between Ferndale and Petrolia, dug out the water reservoirs for the Francis Water Company and worked at two fish canneries on the Eel River, although – as in the rest of California – they were not truly welcome.

In 1885, after a city councilman of the county seat Eureka was shot dead in the crossfire from two warring Chinese tong gangs, 480 Chinese residents were rounded up in two days and forced to relocate to San Francisco. A year later, the Cutting Packing Company brought in a crew of Chinese for the season. Following a heated meeting at Roberts Hall in Ferndale between local residents and an upset delegation from Eureka, the company guaranteed the workers would come nowhere near town and they were allowed to stay until the fishing season was over in December. Chinese crews were used again at the same cannery in 1887 and 1889.

In 1906 Eureka and Fortuna citizens were again up in arms at Ferndale's violation of the unwritten law of the county when the Starbuck–Talent Canning Company of Port Kenyon brought in 23 Chinese and four Japanese to work at the cannery. After threats of mass action, the Chinese were taken to an old cookhouse on Indian Island from which all whites were barred and where they were held until they left by sea. The Japanese were permitted to keep working for Starbuck–Talent.

Business and communications
Dairies were founded from the Bear River Ridge to the south side of the Eel River starting in the late 1860s. Filled kegs of butter were transported along the beach river by four-horse teams from the Mattole to Centerville or Port Kenyon and the teams returned supplies from Ferndale. The 81 dairies from the southern area faded as the land along the Eel River Valley was settled for dairying, first by the Danes and later by other settlers. In the 1880s, multiple cooperative creameries in the Eel River valley began to process milk into butter; by 1904, the Central Creamery on Main Street Ferndale had combined the smaller operations into a more modern production facility.

The use of paper wrapping on butter to reduce air oxidation was pioneered in Ferndale at the suggestion of Chester E. Gray (1881–1944) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture who studied the problem of unrefrigerated fine butter turning white within hours of production. Gray patented a new spray-drying process (U.S. Patent #858,868 – 1907 and #1,157,935 – 1915) and went into business with Central Creamery owner Aage Jensen in a new dry-milk manufacturing process that used non-fat milk solids which had formerly been waste of the process. Their new plant processed 75,000 pounds of milk a day, shipping to San Francisco and filling contracts for the U.S. Navy. The first motorized milk truck was used here.

In 1916, Grey and Jensen moved to San Francisco and changed the company name to Golden State Creamery Local Ferndale resident and Eureka newspaper editor Andrew Genzoli began recording the history of the Ferndale dairies during this time, culminating in scrapbooks of newspaper clippings from 1910 to 1954.

Ferndale was a crossroads village and provided lodging, horses, blacksmithing and other services both to individual travelers and the Overland Stage and Express line which ran from Eureka to Cloverdale with connections to San Francisco; over 80 hours of traveling for a cost of $20. The first stage line was founded in 1862 with daily trips from Eureka, Centerville, and Petrolia. In 1868, twice weekly stages ran to San Francisco and by 1871 daily service was available. The first automobiles were used for the stage runs in 1911, the same year as Fernbridge (bridge) was built, eliminating the need for ferry boat service.

In 1878, regular service on steamships carried produce, cargo and passengers from Port Kenyon, where, by 1897, 188,652 pounds of wool and 965,010 pounds of butter were shipped out along with grains, chickens, potatoes, lumber, eggs, hides, vegetables, and salmon. The steamer trade declined as the Salt River silted up and the transport hub shifted to Eureka The completion of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad in 1914 allowed for speedier transportation to Eureka and the San Francisco area. The track was built about five miles to the northwest of Ferndale in Fernbridge.

Main Street businesses supplied the needs of not only the Ferndale area, but for the inland Mattole Valley as well. They included banks, hotels, stables, variety and merchandise stores, hardware and grocery stores, farm and machine implements, butchers, blacksmiths shoemakers, barbers, tailors, milliners, saloons and gambling halls, billiard parlors, coopers, doctors, dentists, drug stores, lawyers, engineers, surveyors, real estate agents, several photographers, furniture makers, undertakers, a telegraph office, and a Wells–Fargo office.

Telephone and telegraph wires were run into the valley by private companies in the 1890s; by 1899, it was said that the telephone was in "almost universal use in this valley." In 1900, the telephone line was extended to the Mattole Oil fields in Petrolia. In 1911, the Eel River and Southern Telephone company consolidated operations around Ferndale, and, on February 6, 1960, dial telephones were introduced; the old switchboard and crank phones are on display at the Ferndale Museum.

The Ferndale Enterprise newspaper was founded on May 11, 1878, by three sons of the local Methodist minister and has published continuously since then, while moving offices and shifting from semi-weekly to weekly publication.

Incorporation and services
Ferndale incorporated with a vote of 89 in favor and 47 against on August 17, 1893, primarily to organize drainage and prevent dogs and other animals from running loose, according to the earliest ordinances enacted. In 1915, the current firehouse was built as combined firehouse and city hall. After the 1875 fire which nearly destroyed south Main street was put out by volunteer bucket brigades, and after other smaller conflagrations, the City purchased a used Hunneman hand pumper fire engine on April 14, 1883. The end-stroke torrent pumper had been built in the 1850s and been shipped west in the 1860s. The name on the side of this engine was "Franklin" because the city bought it from the Franklin Fire Company of San Jose, California. The engine was transferred to the newly formed Ferndale Fire Department when they organized in February 1897. In November 1923, after 41 years in service, the hand pumper was shipped to the American LaFrance Company, "as part payment on the fine new pumper recently purchased by this town." Other sources say the engine was sold to a Hollywood film company.

Modern equipment arrived in 1905 with a motorized pumper engine, in 1917 with a Model T truck with chemical tanks and in 1948 the Hook and Ladder Company formed. In 1883, water supplies were consolidated in local cisterns under present-day State Route 211 which were later filled in and water from the hill reservoirs was used to supply the hydrants.

In 1902, the fire alarm was placed in a wooden structure at the corner of Brown and Main which fell over in the 1906 earthquake which led to the bell being hung at the firehouse, and a steam-whistle at the Creamery used for the fire alarm from 1906 until electric sirens came into use in 1931

Electrical lighting was installed in May 1896, supplied by a wood-burning steam electric-generating plant that worked between dusk and midnight only; it was replaced in 1903 by a distillate-burning steam electric generator a few blocks east of Main Street. In 1911, the earlier generation and distribution systems were merged into Western States Gas and Electric acquired in 1927 by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

The national landmark Ferndale Public Library was completed in 1910 with local funds and an $8,000 Carnegie grant. In 1876, the Ferndale Cemetery Association was established which manages the 5.03 acre burial ground. There is also a Catholic Cemetery on Bluff Street.

The Ferndale Museum has educational exhibits of area history, paper records, photographs and also genealogical resources.

Geography
Ferndale is located at 40.57667°N, -124.26333°W. Its location south of US 101, is very close to the mouth of the Eel River as it enters the Pacific Ocean. By car, Ferndale is 265 mi north of San Francisco and 12 mi south of Eureka. California State Route 211 is the major road connecting the city with US 101. Directly to the south of Ferndale is the Lost Coast region, whose geology and terrain has made it difficult to establish routes through the area. It has thus made that area only accessible by land via small county mountain roads, such as Mattole Road, running from Ferndale south to Petrolia.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Ferndale has a total area of 1.0 sqmi, all of it land.

Earthquakes
Ferndale's location near the Mendocino Triple Junction, a subduction fault associated with the offshore interaction of the Pacific, North American, and Gorda tectonic plates, makes it extremely susceptible to earthquakes. Earthquakes affected Ferndale in the 19th century, but the first to receive widespread news coverage was the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which damaged more than 40 structures in the downtown, with severe damages to the two brick buildings, and 98 percent of chimneys thrown down. The earthquake was estimated at a Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong) at Ferndale.

On January 22, 1923, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake centered off Cape Mendocino was said to be nearly as great a shock in Ferndale as the 1906 earthquake and produced a tsunami. Chimneys fell, water mains and plate glass windows broke, and the recently repaired Odd Fellows building fell off its new foundation. The earthquake arrived with a ground rumble and a flash of light.

On August 20, 1927, an earthquake centered about 60 km west of Arcata caused considerable damage around Humboldt Bay, and damage reports from Ferndale included broken chimneys, merchandise tossed from shelves and china and glassware broken.

Smaller earthquakes were recorded from the 1920s through the 1980s, but the next big earthquake to strike Ferndale was actually three earthquakes collectively named the 1992 Cape Mendocino earthquakes. The first of these struck on April 25 during the first "Best of the West" festival parade, shattering the glass windows of the stores on Main Street. The brick facade of Valley Grocery collapsed, and police estimated damage to 80 percent of the downtown buildings. Between 30 and 40 houses were knocked off their foundations from the first shock, which was centered about 35 mi south of Eureka and had a magnitude of 7.1. The other two large earthquakes hit within 18 hours of the first and were of magnitude 6.5 and 6.7. Both a large landslide and several small landslides occurred on the Mattole Road, which also cracked due to downhill slumping and soil compaction of the road shoulders. Damages in Ferndale were estimated at $10.4 million.

On January 9, 2010, the 6.5 magnitude 2010 Eureka earthquake's epicenter was about 25 mi offshore from Ferndale. It was the largest local earthquake since the 1992 Cape Mendocino earthquakes.

On December 20, 2022, the 2022 Ferndale earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 centered approximately 10 mi from Ferndale impacted the city and temporarily closed Fernbridge.

Climate
Ferndale's climate is moderated by its proximity to the Pacific Ocean and in the lee of the Wildcat Hills. Winter temperatures rarely go below freezing and summer days are rarely over 80 °F. Ferndale has a warm summer Mediterranean climate indicated by the code "Csb" on some weather maps. Ferndale receives most of its roughly 40 in of rain from November to May, with lesser amounts in the summer months. Local microclimates are varied and support tropical palm trees and Sitka spruce, including a mature Sitka forest in Russ Park, and the over 150 ft spruce lighted every year for Christmas. Morning fogs are common year round.

A weather station was run in the town from 1963 to 1973. The climate is similar to that of nearby Eureka.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Ferndale had a population of 1,371. The population density was 1,335.5 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Ferndale was 1,281 (93.4%) White, 1 (0.1%) African American, 22 (1.6%) Native American, 20 (1.5%) Asian, 2 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 17 (1.2%) from other races, and 28 (2.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 77 persons (5.6%).

The Census reported that 1,371 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 611 households, out of which 149 (24.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 294 (48.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 55 (9.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 27 (4.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 38 (6.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 6 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. One hundred ninety-four households (31.8%) were made up of individuals, and 91 (14.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24. There were 376 families (61.5% of all households); the average family size was 2.84.

The population was spread out, with 283 people (20.6%) under the age of 18, 75 people (5.5%) aged 18 to 24, 283 people (20.6%) aged 25 to 44, 422 people (30.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 308 people (22.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.

There were 717 housing units at an average density of 698.4 /mi2, of which 611 were occupied, of which 388 (63.5%) were owner-occupied, and 223 (36.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.0%. 926 people (67.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 445 people (32.5%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,382 people, 611 households, and 392 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,343.2 PD/sqmi. There were 663 housing units at an average density of 644.4 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 93.34% White, 0.29% Black or African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.30% from other races, and 3.91% from two or more races. 4.27% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 611 households, out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,955, and the median income for a family was $49,706. Males had a median income of $32,404 versus $29,808 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,727. About 4.5% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
The local economy is a mixture of dairies and ranching, agricultural support, retail and services. On July 18, 2013, the California Employment Development Department identified Ferndale as having the second lowest unemployment rate (1.7%) of all cities in the state, led only by Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Tourism
Ferndale, sometimes also referred to as "Cream City", is known for well-preserve Victorian storefronts on Main Street and homes throughout the community, which are also known as "Butterfat Palaces," due to their construction wherein considerable wealth was generated in the dairy industry. Many of these buildings date from the 1880s. The entire town is registered as California Historical Landmark #883.

Six historic buildings as well as the Ferndale Main Street Historic District and the Fern Cottage Historic District are within or around Ferndale and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Other points of interest include the Ferndale City Hall, Ferndale Museum, Ferndale Cemetery, St. Mary's Cemetery, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Saint Mark's Lutheran Church, Church of the Assumption, the Congregational Church (now the Community Church), and the Humboldt County Fairgrounds.

Annual events
The Humboldt County Fair has been held every August since 1896 at the county fairgrounds on the edge of Ferndale, and feature the only horse-racing events in the county along with agricultural, pastoral and artistic contests, carnival games, carnival amusement rides, and commercial and nonprofit booths.

Every year since 1934 in early December, local volunteer firefighters climb and light one of America's tallest living Christmas trees, an approximately 150 ft spruce, during a celebration of song held at Fireman's Park.

The Ferndale Lighted Tractor Parade has been held every mid-December since 1993.

The Fray In Ferndale, a slot car race with the highest attendance of this type of event anywhere in the world has been held since 1997. More than 100 racers on sixteen teams arrive to compete on eight custom-built tables.

The Foggy Bottom Milk Run has been held (excluding two years for COVID) each March since 1977. Races were held in 2 mi, 4 mi, and 10 mi distances. Beginning in 2024, only the 2 and 4 mi will be run.

The Kinetic sculpture race has finished each May since 1969 in front of 393 Main Street. The race began in Ferndale when Hobart Brown was challenged to race his odd-looking five-wheeled bike down Main Street on Mother's Day that year by local sculptor Jack Mays. Multiple races were held in the first few years, but standardized on the current 42 mi course in the late 1970s.

City Hall Park
City Hall Park was deeded to the city by the Village Club in 1918. The triangular park was filled with material graded from the southern end of Main Street, and a Clubhouse (now City Hall) was finished in 1931. The building was styled to look like an English cottage. The fireplace was sent from England as a gift from the daughter of a resident. Its granite comes from a Welsh quarry and was chiseled in San Francisco. The Gazebo, which contains Ferndale's California Historical Landmark Plaque, is at the north end of City Hall Park. In 2011 new benches and trees were added to the park.

Firemen's Park
Firemen's Park at the southernmost end of town between Francis and Berding Streets is bordered on three sides by houses and to the south by restricted watershed property. It has ball fields, a playground, picnic area and three bocce courts. The Community Center in Fireman's Park was built in 1922. It includes a large dance and meeting pavilion with attached kitchen. The Ferndale Children's Center has occupied part of the pavilion since 1991.

Hadley Gardens
Located at 655 Main Street, next to the Shaw House, the creekside gardens include a replica dollhouse, native flora, a waterfall, and a "hobbit house".

Russ Park
Russ Park, located three blocks east of Main Street on Bluff Street, is open sunrise to sunset. Several hiking trails cross the mature forest in the 105 acre park donated to the city by Zipporah Patrick Russ on October 31, 1920. The deed includes "That the property be used forever as a park and recreation grounds … as a refuge and breeding place for birds." Dominant trees include Sitka spruce and Douglas fir with a few redwoods, blue gum eucalyptus, and other tree species. More than 100 kinds of birds are known from the park, which is the southern extent of the Pacific Northwest temperate rainforest.

Local
Ferndale was incorporated in 1893 and is governed by a four-member City Council and a Mayor, all of whom serve four-year terms chosen in the general election of even-numbered years.

In 2004 the City Council placed Measure O on the municipal ballot to eliminate the elective office of Mayor, instead proposing to appoint the position by a vote of the City Council from the council members. The measure was defeated with 78.8% voting against. When the Mayor's seat was next open for election in 2006, all of the mayoral candidates were write-ins.

State and federal
In the state legislature, Ferndale is in, and.

Federally, Ferndale is in.

Education
The Ferndale Unified School District has two schools, the Ferndale Elementary School with grades K–8 and the Ferndale High School.

The elementary school is older; it dates back to the 1860s with school rooms and houses in various locations. In 1890, school trustees started a new building, but it—and the old building—were completely destroyed in an arson fire before it was finished. A replacement three-story, redwood Greek Revival building was built after the September fire and in time to open in February 1891. The stucco one-story building which currently houses the Ferndale Elementary School was built in 1924. The baby-boom of the 1960s resulted in classes at the Fairgrounds as well as the addition of four modular classrooms (since removed), and the construction of a gymnasium in 1967. The following year, the closure of the Assumption Catholic School (1915–1968) rapidly increased enrollment as 117 students transferred and the rising enrollment resulted in the addition of five primary classrooms and a playground. In 1976 the building was earthquake retrofitted.

The high school was founded in 1904 by the unification of smaller school districts across the Eel River Valley, including Port Kenyon, Island School, Grant School, Salt River School, Coffee Creek School, Grizzly Bluff School and Pleasant Point School. The original building was in use from 1907 to 1951 when it was replaced by the present high school facility. Enrollment in 2004–2005 was 175 students in grades 9 to 12.

Ferndale has an active sports program with junior varsity and varsity softball, volleyball, basketball, soccer and football. Ferndale won its 14th California football sectional title and the California Interscholastic Federation Division 7-AA football championship in 2023. The girls' soccer team won the California North Coast Section championship in 2023.

The school has a long-time sports rivalry with neighboring Fortuna Union High School. The first Ferndale Wildcat versus Fortuna Huskies "Milk Can" football game was played in 1945 and each year since with approximately 20 years hiatus. Fortuna had won more games than Ferndale, as of 2013, the record was 27–20–1. In 2011, the Milk Can was stolen from Ferndale High School during a break-in by three Fortuna High School students, thrown over a bluff, and later recovered by police.

Media
Ferndale is home to the oldest newspaper under a single name in Humboldt County, the Ferndale Enterprise. Commercial radio station KHUM operates in a joint studio with KLGE, KSLG-FM and KWPT. Ferndale is also home to the North Coast's oldest theatre company, The Ferndale Repertory Theatre which has been in operation since 1972.

Affordable housing
U.S. Navy Housing was built for staff of the 37-acre Naval Facility (NAVFAC) Centerville Beach, Centerville, California which was commissioned on March 25, 1958. Originally the base was staffed by 95 people, but grew to over 280 people. The 52-unit Ferndale Navy Housing was built as part of this project. The NAVFAC was decommissioned on September 30, 1993.

The U.S. Coast Guard subsequently occupied the Navy Housing but vacated the housing units in October 2008. The property was returned to the Navy which declared the units surplus. In order to acquire the housing, a ballot initiative was required. The city placed Measure S on the ballot for the November 2, 2010, election. Measure S passed 516 (74.57%) to 176 (25.43%) approving the city's plan to acquire low- and moderate-income housing from the Navy.

The Ferndale City Council voted to purchase the housing from the Navy for $1.00 on September 1, 2011. The city began negotiations with the nonprofit O'Rourke Foundation, part of the Bertha Russ Lytel Foundation, to take over and run the 52-unit project as an affordable housing project. The Navy housing is ten percent of the available housing in the city. The 24 single-family homes, 14 duplex townhouses, three playgrounds and two community buildings of the former Navy Housing were transferred from the Navy to the city in a public ceremony with Congressman Mike Thompson on October 23, 2011.

Drinking water
The Ferndale water system was installed by Mr. Francis Francis in 1872. In 1906, the Francis Land and Water Company was incorporated and in 1910 they bought the Cold Springs Water Company which supplied eastern Ferndale. In 1954, the Citizens Utilities Company bought the system from the Francis Estate and sold it to Del Oro Water Company in 1996.

Ferndale's spring water comes from 28 individual springs which produce 113 USgal per minute. Historic tunnels under a hillside and a million gallon underwater reservoir collect and store water before distribution. As a secondary source of supply, water may also come from the Van Ness Treatment Plant which can supply an average of nearly 30 gallons per minute. The Del Oro Water Company finished the Ferndale Mainline Replacement Project in 2011 which included larger pipes and new valves to reduce the number of customers affected during line repairs.

Wastewater treatment
Ferndale's first sewage treatment facility and combined sewer system was built in 1953 and upgraded in 1973, 1994 and 2001. Improvements were made to the sewers in 1989 under a $400,000 project funded by the California State Water Resources Control Board to improve the collection system and reduce inflow and infiltration.

El Niño storms in April 1998 caused Williams Creek to change course due to debris blockage. Williams Creek had been the major tributary of the Salt River near the treatment plant, so diversion lowered the volume of water available and caused the dilution ratios at the plant to exceed permitted levels. Record storm water flows also damaged the plant and the city applied for financial assistance under the FEMA-1203-DR-CA El Niño storm Presidential disaster declaration. On May 15, 2003, the Regional Water Board (RWB) placed a Cease and Desist order on Ferndale due to discharges of treated wastewater which exceeded one percent of the flow of Francis Creek / Salt River stream system. The city paid a $48,000 penalty to the RWB and agreed to complete an environmental project instead of paying $78,000 more in penalties to the RWB and began replacing the old plant in 2009.

The new wastewater plant was completed in 2011 and provides tertiary treatment for nearly 1,500 commercial and residential users. The only other wastewater facility like Ferndale's in California is in Colfax.

Notable people

 * Jack Bear, Costume designer and Academy Award Nominee
 * Hobart Brown, artist
 * Peter Buckley, Oregon State Representative
 * Len Casanova, athlete and coach
 * Bobby Clark (juvenile actor), appeared on numerous television and motion pictures
 * Donald Clausen, Congressman
 * Sam Dungan, professional baseball player
 * Cornelius Van Hemert Engert, United States diplomat who served in Ethiopia, Iran, and Afghanistan
 * Albert Etter, plant breeder best known for his work on strawberry and apple varieties
 * Frank Ferguson, character actor
 * Guy Fieri, chef, restaurateur and Food Network star
 * Seth Kinman, pioneer
 * Thomas E. Leavey, businessman
 * Rob Nairne, linebacker National Football League
 * Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane, musician
 * Joe Oeschger, major league baseball pitcher
 * Stephen W. Shaw, pioneer artist
 * Sally Tanner, Representative, California State Assembly
 * Edward L. Wilson, civil engineer

Filming location
Ferndale has been featured in such movies as The Majestic and Outbreak. It has appeared in such made-for-television movies as Salem’s Lot, A Death in Canaan, and Joe Dirt. It was also the location of the iconic “I'm a Pepper” commercial for Dr. Pepper.

Ferndale was also featured by Huell Howser in Road Trip Episode 149, the science fiction horror cult film She Demons (1958), the award-winning short film Nonnie & Alex (1995), and the comedy-drama Kingdom Come (2001).

Legoland model replica
Many of Ferndale's buildings have been recreated at the Legoland California theme park, as the only American small town to be represented alongside New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas and other nationally known locations. Ferndale was settled by many Danes, and Lego is a Danish company. In 1995, Legoland staff took hundreds of photos in Ferndale, and used over one million Lego bricks to recreate the town in the Miniland section of the park.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Ferndale, California


text:
Fortuna, California

Fortuna (Spanish for "Fortune"; Wiyot: Vutsuwitk Da'l) is a city on the northeast shore of the Eel River, approximately 9 mi from where it enters the Pacific Ocean, and is on U.S. Route 101 in west-central Humboldt County, California, United States. The population was 12,516 at the 2020 census, up from 11,926 at the 2000 census.

History
The settlement was originally called "Slide," for Slide Hill, in 1874, named for the slide that was a fixture on the northeast side of the Eel River and the southwest portion of Christian Ridge just to the northwest, near the edge of town. In 1875, the name was changed to Springville during the construction of the Springville Mill, a lumber mill for the nearby redwood forests, named so because of the numerous springs in the area. The mill's owners were Henry Rohner (namesake of neighboring Rohnerville), Alexander Masson, M. N. Weber and G. F. Gushaw. Springville was originally a company town belonging to the mill, and the few people that resided there all worked at the mill. By the late 1870s Springville had grown enough to warrant a post office, but a town called Springville, California (now part of Camarillo, in Ventura County) already existed in the state. The post office was named Slide on May 24, 1876. In 1884 the residents petitioned the state legislature for the name Fortuna, Spanish for "fortune" and Latin for "chance," and by July 3, 1888, the change was official. The name was chosen when settlers saw the proximity of the forests, the river and its valley, and the Pacific Ocean, as ideal for enjoying a good quality of life, and felt "fortunate" to live there. It is believed that a local minister and real estate agent, desiring to sell lots to newcomers, devised the name as a marketing tool. Alternatively, an Odd Fellows men's club was known as the Fortuna Lodge, No. 221. Jack Hosier, a member, suggested the name of Fortuna for the town.

Electricity came to Fortuna in 1883 when W. J. Swortzel and George W. Williams (of Swortzel & Williams), owners of the Springville Mill Company, built a $4,000 power plant. Some of the local sawmills were already powered by electricity, and by providing power to the mills, Swortzel and Williams saw the opportunity to also provide inexpensive electric lighting to the townspeople.

The town was incorporated on February 20, 1906, and, because of the Eel River, became known for its agricultural prowess in vegetable crops, berries and fruits, and for the fresh fish from the river. Although agricultural industry was expanding, the lumber industry is what started the town, and would continue as the main source of local income for some time to come.

Rohnerville (formerly Eel River Township), a town founded to service the many gold miners inhabiting the mountains to the north and east, was competing with Fortuna to be the leading township in the area. The miners would come by ship to Eureka, and then head up the Eel River to the junction with the Van Duzen River, from whence the miners headed east up the Van Duzen River Valley into Trinity County. Rohnerville was at this junction, and looked to prosper from selling supplies to the miners. But when it was decided that the railroad would be routed through neighboring Fortuna, it set the fate of both towns.

The Eel River and Eureka Railroad was built in 1884 to provide Humboldt Bay shipping access to the lumber mills and farms of the lower Eel River. Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway reorganized Fortuna's railroad as the San Francisco and Northwestern Railway in 1903, and then completed the Northwestern Pacific Railroad to San Francisco in 1914. Fortuna became the rail hub for smaller communities like Alton, Fernbridge, Ferndale, Hydesville, Newburg, Port Kenyon, Rohnerville, and Waddington. Fortuna was the location of one of two secondary mills of the storied Pacific Lumber Company, headquartered 10 mi south in Scotia.

Since Fortuna's earliest days in the 1800s, its nickname has been "The Friendly City."

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.8 sqmi, all of it land.

Fortuna is located 7 mi from the Pacific coast on the bank of the Eel River. The community is affected by coastal weather patterns with the Pacific Ocean to the west. Fortuna is served by U.S. Route 101 providing direct access to San Francisco 253 mi to the south, and to Eureka (the county seat) 14 mi to the north. The western terminus of California State Route 36 intersects U.S. Route 101 1 mi just south of the city limits. Fortuna is surrounded by national, state and county redwood parks, and is the gateway to the redwood forests of Northern California. Sequoia sempervirens grow to about 300 ft and live to be 2,500 years old. The 33 mi Avenue of the Giants offers views of the area's redwoods, and carries visitors through a number of groves. Stops include Founders Grove, the Visitor Center near Weott and several locations that provide trail access.

Climate
The area sees summers that are not as foggy as Eureka and Arcata to the north, and run a few degrees warmer. Fortuna has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) typical of the North Coast that is characterized by warm (but not hot), dry summers, and mild to chilly, rainy winters.

2010
At the 2010 census Fortuna had a population of 11,926. The population density was 2,461.4 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Fortuna was 9,686 (81.2%) White, 73 (0.6%) African American, 444 (3.7%) Native American, 106 (0.9%) Asian, 9 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 1,065 (8.9%) from other races, and 543 (4.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,032 persons (17.0%).

The census reported that 11,665 people (97.8% of the population) lived in households, 189 (1.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 72 (0.6%) were institutionalized.

There were 4,688 households, 1,509 (32.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,135 (45.5%) were heterosexual married couples living together, 579 (12.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 279 (6.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 363 (7.7%) unmarried heterosexual partnerships, and 38 (0.8%) homosexual married couples or partnerships. 1,368 households (29.2%) were one person and 683 (14.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.49. There were 2,993 families (63.8% of households); the average family size was 3.06.

The age distribution was 2,937 people (24.6%) under the age of 18, 1,192 people (10.0%) aged 18 to 24, 2,681 people (22.5%) aged 25 to 44, 3,050 people (25.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,066 people (17.3%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 38.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

There were 4,991 housing units at an average density of 1,030.1 /sqmi, of which 4,688 were occupied, 2,747 (58.6%) by the owners and 1,941 (41.4%) by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.2%. 6,821 people (57.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,844 people (40.6%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 10,497 people in 4,185 households, including 2,778 families, in the city. The population density was 2,179.9 PD/sqmi. There were 4,414 housing units at an average density of 916.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.4% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 2.9% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 4.0% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. 10.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 4,185 households 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 28.1% of households were one person and 14.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.98.

The age distribution was 26.0% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median household income was $31,129 and the median family income was $38,867. Males had a median income of $32,414 versus $23,327 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,574. About 12.1% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.8% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
According to a 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were the City of Fortuna, Eel River Disposal, Fortuna Motors (now defunct), Fortuna Union Elementary School District, Fortuna Union High School District, Redwood Memorial Hospital, Rohnerville School District, Safeway, St. Luke Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center and Wendt Construction.

Education
Fortuna is served by the Fortuna Elementary School District and the Fortuna Union High School.

Transportation
The Amtrak Thruway 7 bus provides daily connections to/from Fortuna (with a curbside stop at 719 South Fortuna Blvd), Martinez to the south, and Arcata to the north. Additional Amtrak connections are available from Martinez station.

Government
In the state legislature, Fortuna is, and.

Federally, Fortuna is in.

Culture
The city has a large number of events and festivals, including the Daffodil Festival, Art & Wine in the Park, the Annual Fortuna Rodeo, the Redwood AutoXpo, the Logging Competition, Civil War Days, and Apple Harvest, the Hops in Humboldt festival, the Fortuna Concert Series and holiday events including concerts and parades with performances by Scotia Band Brass Choir and Saxophone Quartet. Additionally, the Eel River was the locale for the Paddle to the Headwaters canoe race.

Notable people

 * Jean Buckley, center fielder in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
 * John A. Campbell, timber executive and president of the Pacific Lumber Company
 * Reggie Christiansen, American college baseball coach
 * Jon Crosby, American musician and founder of VAST
 * Cecelia Holland, historical novelist
 * Randy Niemann, major league baseball player, major league baseball coach
 * Sam Reynolds, professional soccer player
 * Ryan Villopoto, professional supercross and motocross champion; born in Fortuna

title: Fortuna, California


text:
Humboldt Hill, California

Humboldt Hill is a census-designated place (CDP) in Humboldt County, California, United States. Humboldt Hill rises to an elevation of 636 ft. The population was 3,414 at the 2010 census, up from 3,246 at the 2000 census. The area is in the 95503 zip code and part of unincorporated Eureka.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 4.2 sqmi, over 99% of it land. The neighborhood of Spruce Point is located 1.5 mi northeast of Fields Landing, at an elevation of 49 ft.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Humboldt Hill had a population of 3,414. The population density was 819.1 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Humboldt Hill was 2,853 (83.6%) White, 41 (1.2%) African American, 119 (3.5%) Native American, 102 (3.0%) Asian, 2 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 129 (3.8%) from other races, and 168 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 298 persons (8.7%).

The Census reported that 3,187 people (93.4% of the population) lived in households, 145 (4.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 82 (2.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,325 households, out of which 360 (27.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 653 (49.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 143 (10.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 66 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 112 (8.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 17 (1.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 326 households (24.6%) were made up of individuals, and 151 (11.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41. There were 862 families (65.1% of all households); the average family size was 2.87.

The population was spread out, with 646 people (18.9%) under the age of 18, 374 people (11.0%) aged 18 to 24, 773 people (22.6%) aged 25 to 44, 1,024 people (30.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 597 people (17.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

There were 1,396 housing units at an average density of 334.9 /sqmi, of which 1,325 were occupied, of which 1,016 (76.7%) were owner-occupied, and 309 (23.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.4%. 2,434 people (71.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 753 people (22.1%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,246 people, 1,209 households, and 851 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 778.3 PD/sqmi. There were 1,269 housing units at an average density of 304.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.68% White, 0.89% Black or African American, 3.27% Native American, 1.85% Asian, 0.31% Pacific Islander, 2.00% from other races, and 4.00% from two or more races. 6.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,209 households, out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $37,121, and the median income for a family was $42,826. Males had a median income of $35,500 versus $28,304 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,222. About 7.5% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
In the state legislature, Humboldt Hill is in, and.

Federally, Humboldt Hill is in.

title: Humboldt Hill, California


text:
Hydesville, California

Hydesville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Humboldt County, California, United States. Hydesville is located 4.5 mi southeast of Fortuna, at an elevation of 364 ft. The population was 1,237 at the 2010 census, up from 1,209 at the 2000 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.5 sqmi, all of it land.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Hydesville had a population of 1,237. The population density was 164.9 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Hydesville was 1,108 (89.6%) White, 4 (0.3%) African American, 33 (2.7%) Native American, 6 (0.5%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 30 (2.4%) from other races, and 56 (4.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 71 persons (5.7%).

The Census reported that 1,235 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 1 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1 (0.1%) were institutionalized.

There were 485 households, out of which 136 (28.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 282 (58.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 41 (8.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 34 (7.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 32 (6.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 9 (1.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 102 households (21.0%) were made up of individuals, and 40 (8.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55. There were 357 families (73.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.91.

The population was spread out, with 262 people (21.2%) under the age of 18, 88 people (7.1%) aged 18 to 24, 250 people (20.2%) aged 25 to 44, 449 people (36.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 188 people (15.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.7 males.

There were 514 housing units at an average density of 68.5 /sqmi, of which 485 were occupied, of which 364 (75.1%) were owner-occupied, and 121 (24.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.2%. 948 people (76.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 287 people (23.2%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,209 people, 457 households, and 345 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 163.7 PD/sqmi. There were 489 housing units at an average density of 66.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.73% White, 3.72% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 1.41% from other races, and 2.89% from two or more races. 4.80% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 457 households, out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.3% were non-families. 17.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $42,411, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $38,375 versus $21,471 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $18,629. About 8.5% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.

History
Hydesville post office opened in 1861. The town was named for John Hyde, donor of the land on which the town sits.

In 1879, there was a professional minor league baseball team in Hydesville, in the short-lived Humboldt County League. During 1910–1918, the town was temporarily called Goose Prairie before changing back to Hydesville.

Government
In the state legislature, Hydesville is in, and.

Federally, Hydesville is in.

Public and private organizations
Hydesville has a US post office. Hydesville also has an elementary school – the Hydesville Wildcats.

Federally, Hydesville is in.

title: Hydesville, California