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Introducing Arcata
On a hill overlooking Humboldt Bay, Arcata was founded in 1850 by the Union Timber Company. Originally called Union Town, it was a base for nearby lumber camps. In the late 1850s when Bret Harte worked here as a journalist, the town became the setting for some of his Gold Rush-era stories. Today, Humboldt State University (HSU) has redefined Arcata as a college town.
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The aesthetic is decidedly scruffy, and posses of fun-loving carousing students roam downtown on weekend evenings. On the plaza keep your distance from the ragtag junkie punks. Arcata prides itself on its go-it-alone far-left politics. Indeed, the City Council passed an ordinance in April 2003, not only condemning the USA Patriot Act, but outlawing voluntary compliance with it. If you like to argue politics, you’re gonna love it here.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
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