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99-805: Old Town Eureka (formally the Eureka Old Town Historic District ) in Eureka, California , is a historic district listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places . It is a 350-acre (1.4 km) area containing 154 buildings mostly from the Victorian era . The core of the district runs the length of First, Second, and Third Streets, between "C" and "M" Streets, and includes many types of architecture including Eastlake, Queen Ann, Greek Revival, Classical Revival, and Second Empire styles from

198-423: A 6.5 magnitude earthquake occurred about 33 miles (53 km) 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

297-497: A Christian and civilized people. Old women wrinkled and decrepit lay weltering in blood, their brains dashed out and dabbled with their long grey hair. Infants scarcely a span along, with their faces cloven with hatchets and their bodies ghastly with wounds." Major Gabriel J. Rains (sometimes spelled "Raines"), commander of Fort Humboldt , reported on the massacre to his superiors that "Captain Wright's Company [of vigilantes ] held

396-673: A burgeoning cottage industry of hand-made creations, from glassware to wood-burning stoves, and a large variety of locally created art. 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 50,000 pounds (23,000 kg) of smoked salmon were processed and shipped out of Humboldt Bay annually from processing plants on Eureka's wharf. In 1858,

495-532: 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

594-634: A construct of the U.S. Census Bureau, which is synonymous with the County of Humboldt. As of the census of 2000, there were 26,128 people. The population density was 2,764.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,067.4/km ). There were 11,637 housing units at an average density of 1,231.3 units per square mile (475.4 units/km ). 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

693-551: A few nights per year, and daytime temperatures for these days are typically mild temperatures ranging between 43–58 °F (6.1–14.4 °C). Eureka has never recorded an ice day, with the coldest daytime maximum being 34 °F (1 °C) in 1990. Between 1991 and 2020, the coldest daytime high of the year was 45 °F (7 °C) and the warmest night averaged 59 °F (15 °C). NOAA ’s weather station averages indicate only 0.18 in (4.6 mm) of rainfall in July, which

792-401: A meeting at Eel River and resolved to kill every peaceable Indian – man, woman, and child." The vigilantes were also known as the " Humboldt Volunteers , Second Brigade," reported to have organized at Hydesville (the town called "Eel River" by Major Rains is now named Rohnerville ). Gaines reported that around five men had formed a volunteer squad to murder the sleeping women and children on

891-464: A mild 64 °F (17.8 °C). 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 (37.8 °C). This causes frequent temperature differences between Eureka and nearby inland areas during summer and early fall of 30 to 40 °F (17 to 22 °C). Despite

990-593: A nationally recognized Old Town Historic District . Eureka is home to California's oldest zoo, the Sequoia Park Zoo . The Wiyot people lived in Jaroujiji ( Wiyot for 'where you sit and rest'), now known as Eureka, for thousands of years before European arrival . Their traditional coastal homeland ranges from the Little River in the north to Bear River Ridge in the south, including

1089-799: 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 2,000 feet (610 m) 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

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1188-443: 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

1287-517: 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 (25 °C) 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 (17 °C), tying a February 26, 1980, record. In addition, Eureka has a very short and milder range of temperatures compared to most of

1386-699: Is 16 miles (26 km) south of Eureka between Loleta and the South Jetty of Humboldt Bay. Some 350 people are enrolled in the Table Bluff Reservation – Wiyot Tribe. "Table Bluff Rancheria of Wiyot Indians of California" is the name under which the United States federal government previously listed the Table Bluff Reservation in the Bureau of Indian Affairs list of federally recognized tribes ; "Table Bluff Reservation – Wiyot Tribe"

1485-446: Is 283 miles (455 km) north of San Francisco and 315 mi (507 km) northwest of Sacramento . The city marina is on one of three islands at a narrow point on the 13-mile-long (21 km) bay and increases in elevation slightly as it spreads north, south, and especially to the east. The city gently encroaches at least two miles (3.2 km) eastward into primarily Redwood and Douglas-fir second growth forests. The city has

1584-520: 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 miles (435 km) north of San Francisco and 100 miles (161 km) south of the Oregon border. At the 2020 census , the population of the city was 26,512 and the population of the greater Eureka area was 48,119. Eureka

1683-540: 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. Eureka is in the 2nd Senate District , represented by Democrat Mike McGuire , and the 2nd Assembly District , represented by Democrat Jim Wood . Federally, Eureka

1782-619: Is far more continental than Eureka's, despite both cities being located around the 41st parallel and near the ocean. 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,

1881-547: Is in California's 2nd congressional district , represented by Democrat Jared Huffman . [REDACTED] 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 (161 km) to the north, and San Francisco, over 250 miles (402 km) to the south. The highway follows city streets through

1980-421: Is located to the north of Eureka. The Yurok Tribe's language revitalization program is seen by many as the most successful of its kind in California, and as of 2013 , Eureka High School has the largest Yurok language program of any school. 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

2079-517: Is now Eureka. Relationships between the Wiyot and the white colonizers became hostile, marked by raids and vigilante justice. On February 26, 1860, the Wiyot experienced a massacre which devastated their numbers and has remained a pervasive part of their cultural heritage and identity. Three days before the massacre, on Washington's birthday, a logging mill engineer from Germany named Robert Gunther bought property on " Indian Island ". The day before

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2178-460: Is now known as Tuluwat Island , since 1992, and a major cultural and environmental restoration project is underway there. More recently, the long-awaited World Renewal Ceremony has returned to the island, and is in the process of being revived by current tribal members. This event is private and central to Wiyot cultural beliefs. In 2000, the Wiyot established the Table Bluff Reservation on 88 acres (360,000 m ) of their homeland. The reservation

2277-544: Is proof that the time has arrived that either the pale face or the savage must yield the ground." The Times apparently represented the mainstream opinion in the area at the time. An investigation failed to identify a single perpetrator, although those who did the killing were rumored to be well known. Although a grand jury summoned witnesses and held hearings, no one was indicted. Harte was threatened and in danger of mob violence. He quit his job and left Union in March 1860 by

2376-668: Is the current designation. Some people of Wiyot descent are enrolled in the Bear River Rancheria. Since October 2019, the Wiyot have had the land deed to most of Indian Island , which previously was owned by the City of Eureka. The last documented native speaker of Wiyot died in 1962. The Wiyot tribal government is in the process of reviving the language. The people ate mostly clams and acorns , and made long, carved, log canoes . Healers and ceremonial leaders were mostly women, who received their powers on mountaintops during

2475-421: 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

2574-665: 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 miles (805 km). The headquarters of both the Six Rivers National Forest and the North Coast Redwoods District of

2673-468: 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

2772-505: 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

2871-546: 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 (0.51 cm) 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 (18 cm) in January 1907. See or edit raw graph data . The population of

2970-418: The contiguous US , with the all-time highest and lowest temperatures recorded in Eureka being only 87 °F (30.6 °C) on October 26, 1993, September 2, 2017, and September 28, 2020, and 20 °F (−6.7 °C) on January 14, 1888, respectively. On average, the highest temperature seen throughout the entire year is only 79 °F (26.1 °C), one of the coolest in the contiguous US, while on average

3069-457: The sea otter had devastated the Pomo , were uninterested in the area, which was not a sea-otter habitat. The way of life of the Wiyot people, after many centuries of isolated development, was disrupted by the settlement of Europeans . The Josiah Gregg exploring party spent the turn of the years 1849–1850 at Humboldt Bay; subsequent to their return to San Francisco several ships set out to settle

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3168-538: 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

3267-419: The 1770 population of the Wiyot at 1,000. Sherburne F. Cook initially offered an estimate of 1,500 but subsequently raised this to 3,300. Kroeber reported the population of the Wiyot in 1910 as 100. The Wiyot suffered a devastating onslaught of violence by American settlers in the 1850s and 1860s, wiping out the majority of those alive in 1850 and dispossessing them of their lands. Surviving members of

3366-467: The 1850s to the 20th century. Though not officially within the district, the Carson Mansion commands the highest elevation at the eastern edge of the district. The city began as an 1850 settlement on the edge of Humboldt Bay . Developers and settlers planned for Eureka to aid in the provision of miners working inland to the east. By 1865, the central core of what would become Eureka's "Old Town"

3465-653: 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

3564-490: The 50th parallel. The seasonal temperature variation is very small; the difference between the August average of 58.5 °F (14.7 °C) and the December average of 47.8 °F (8.8 °C) is only 10.7 °F (5.9 °C), 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

3663-524: The City of Eureka voted unanimously to return 45 acres (18 ha) of Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot Tribe as an act of reparation , representing a historic victory for the Land Back movement. 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

3762-592: The Eureka Slough (mouth of the Freshwater Creek). [REDACTED] 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 . Wiyot people The Wiyot and Yurok are

3861-501: The Humboldt County Office of Education. St. Joseph Hospital is the largest private employer in Eureka. 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

3960-606: The Ultimate West." The tourism industry, lodging to support it, and related marketing had been born. 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

4059-651: 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

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4158-686: The area was the 7.2 M w   event on November 8, 1980 . The larger earthquakes can pose a tsunami threat to coastal areas. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 14.5 square miles (38 km ), of which 9.4 square miles (24 km ) is land and 5.1 square miles (13 km ) 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

4257-585: The area. Commercial Pacific oyster aquaculture in Humboldt Bay produced an average of 7,600,000 pounds (3,400,000 kg) of oysters from 1956 to 1965 an average of 844,444 pounds (383,033 kg) per year. In 2004, only 600,000 pounds (270,000 kg) 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

4356-414: 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

4455-524: The bay. The crew of seafarer Douglass Ottinger became, in 1850, the first Americans to enter Humboldt Bay. White settlement followed swiftly. Fort Humboldt was established on January 30, 1853, by the Army as a buffer between Native Americans, gold-seekers and settlers under the command of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Buchanan of the U.S. 4th Infantry Regiment . Among the miners, farmers, ranchers and loggers pouring into California, many settled at what

4554-567: 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. 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

4653-422: 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 36,000,000 pounds (16,000,000 kg) in 1981. Racist views of Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century led to violent attacks on them by White settlers across

4752-861: 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. 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,

4851-735: 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

4950-436: 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

5049-505: 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 (1,024 mm). 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 (203.2 mm) of precipitation, virtually all of it rain. The wettest "rain year"

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5148-593: The coolest month, is 55.0 °F (12.8 °C), while the average high temperature in August, the warmest month, is 64.3 °F (17.9 °C), 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

5247-651: 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 ,

5346-407: 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,

5445-422: 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. A bustling commercial district with ornate Victorian-style buildings rose in proximity to the waterfront, reflecting

5544-557: The entire coastline of Humboldt Bay, stretching inland to the mountains. The Wiyot people 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 . The Yurok people share linguistic and cultural practices with the Wiyot people, and their traditional territory

5643-486: 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

5742-477: 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

5841-666: 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 twelve miles (19 km) of track. Eureka's transportation connection to

5940-444: 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

6039-478: 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

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6138-489: The guilty to justice, but learned "We soon found that we had better keep our mouths shut." Three other attacks on Indian settlements took place within two days: at the South Spit (Eureka), at South Fork Eel River (Rohnerville), and at Eagle Prairie (Rio Dell). Gunther said, "It was never publicly known who did the killing, yet secretly the parties were pointed out." The 1860 massacre was well documented historically and

6237-441: The island. In his army reports, appalled at the massacres and at the openly discussed aims of the local white settlers to kill the Wiyot, he stated there were 55 killed at Indian Island, 40 on South Fork Eel River, and 35 at Eagle Prairie. South Fork Eel River became Rohnerville and was later annexed by Fortuna ; Eagle Prairie is now the site of the town of Rio Dell . Meanwhile, The Humboldt Times newspaper editorialized, "For

6336-607: 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

6435-528: The latter decades of the twentieth century. Today, the major industries are tourism, timber (in value), and healthcare and services (in number of jobs). As a part of the Emerald Triangle , Eureka is known for the sale of cannabis and as a center for cannabis tourism . Major employers today in Eureka include the following governmental entities: College of the Redwoods , The County of Humboldt, and

6534-501: The lowest temperature seen in the year (most often occurring at night) is only a similarly moderate 29 °F (−1.7 °C), yielding a very short and mild temperature range of about 50 °F (28 °C) 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 (32.2 °C). Temperatures drop to freezing or below only on

6633-557: The lowest were in 2001 with 9.4 million lb (4.3 million kg). 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

6732-479: The massacre, 25 February, the Weekly Humboldt Times editorialized: "The Indians are still killing stock of the settlers in the back country and will continue to do so until they are driven from that section, or exterminated"; meanwhile prominent local residents had already formed a vigilante committee to deal with the problem, and were sworn to never reveal their membership. For several days before

6831-526: The massacre, World Renewal ceremonies were being held at the village of Tuluwat, on Indian Island less than a mile offshore from Eureka in Humboldt Bay. Up to 250 Wiyot participated in the ceremonies. The leader of the Humboldt Bay Wiyots was Captain Jim. He organized and led the ceremony to start a new year. A group of white men came to the island in the early morning after the last ceremony

6930-422: 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. The 2010 United States Census reported that Eureka had a population of 27,191. The population density

7029-483: 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

7128-437: 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

7227-475: The night. The Wiyot religion shares much in common with that of the neighboring Yurok with certain differences. A central act in the Wiyot people's spirituality is an annual World Renewal Ceremony held at Tuluwat village. Indian Island, formerly called Duluwat Island, was and is the center of the Wiyot world. On the island, at the start of each year, a ceremonial dance called the World Renewal ceremony

7326-461: The northeast tip of the 275-acre (1.11 km ) island on May 18, 2006. Tuluwat, the sacred Wiyot village of Indian Island, is currently being restored by the Wiyot tribe. Eureka businesses have stepped forward to donate supplies and trash barges, and the citizens of Eureka have donated to a Tuluwat restoration fund. In 2013, Wiyot tribe members returned to Indian Island by canoe, and announced plans to hold another World Renewal Ceremony; it will be

7425-460: The number of Wiyots killed that night vary from 80 to 200; they were mostly women and children, who were apart from the men conducting ceremonies. There was one survivor of the massacred group on Tuluwat, an infant named Jerry James. Gunther had been asleep on the mainland across Humboldt Bay from the Island and had awakened to what he thought were screams, but went back to sleep. The next morning he

7524-460: The past four years we have advocated two—and only two—alternatives for ridding our country of Indians: either remove them to some reservation or kill them. The loss of life and destruction of property by the Indians for ten years past has not failed to convince every sensitive man that the two races cannot live together, and the recent desperate and bloody demonstrations on Indian Island and elsewhere

7623-654: 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

7722-408: 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

7821-458: 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

7920-416: 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

8019-677: The settlement of Eureka on its shore by the Union and Mendocino Exploring (development) companies. 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

8118-468: The state for its seal. Incoming settlers began encroaching on Wiyot people by cutting off their access to ancestral sources of food in addition to the outright theft of their land. Fort Humboldt was established by the U.S. Army on January 30, 1853, to establish peaceful relations between Native Americans, gold-seekers and settlers, often at the expense of the life and liberty of the Native people. The fort

8217-959: The steamer Columbia for San Francisco, where an anonymous letter published in a city paper is attributed to him, describing widespread community approval of the massacre. The Wiyot people were thus decimated. They were corralled at Fort Humboldt for protection however many died there. Survivors were herded mostly to Round Valley, established as an Indian reservation within California, but they kept escaping and returning to their homeland. By 1850, there were about 2,000 Wiyot and Karok people living within this area. After 1860, there were an estimated 200 people left. By 1910, there were fewer than 100 full-blood Wiyot people living within their ancestral territory. This rapid decline in population occurred due to disease , slavery , target practice, protection, being herded from place to place (survivors' descendants describe this as "death marches"), and massacres. Memorials have been held annually at Tuluwat village, on what

8316-701: The tribe intermarried with neighboring groups, including the Yurok. About 500 Wiyot live in Northern California today, still well below their mid-19th century population of 2,000. In a step towards making amends, in June 2004 the Eureka City Council transferred 40 acres (160,000 m ) of Indian Island back to the Wiyot tribe, to add to 1.5 acres (6,100 m ) the Wiyot had purchased. The council also transferred 60 acres (240,000 m ) on

8415-543: The victims were primarily 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." Although the perpetrators were known, they never faced any legal consequences. Remaining Wiyot people took refuge at Fort Humboldt, but they were not given adequate living accommodations, and so half of them died from starvation or exposure. In 2004,

8514-491: The westernmost people to speak an Algic language. Their languages, Wiyot and Yurok , are distantly related to the Algonquian languages . The Wiyot people's traditional homeland ranged from Mad River (Wiyot name: potawot ) through Humboldt Bay (including the present cities of Eureka and Arcata ) to the lower Eel River basin. Inland, their territory was heavily forested in ancient redwood. Their stretch of shoreland

8613-413: Was 1,881.3 inhabitants per square mile (726.4/km ). 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. There were 3,143 Hispanic or Latino people of any race (11.6%). The census reported that 25,308 people (93.1% of

8712-438: 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. The economic base of the city was founded on timber and fishing and supplying resources for the gold mining efforts further inland. Gold mining diminished quickly in the early years, and activities of timber and fishing have also diminished, especially in

8811-749: 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. There were 5,431 residents (20.0%) under the age of 18, 3,102 (11.4%) aged 18 to 24, 8,021 (29.5%) aged 25 to 44, 7,422 (27.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,215 (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 units per square mile (317.6 units/km ), 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

8910-543: 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 million lb (16.7 million kg) in 1981 while

9009-573: Was awakened by the Justice of the Peace who went with Gunther to inspect the Island following reports that Indians had been killed. He was appalled by what he saw, recalling " …what a sight presented itself to our eyes. Corpses lying all around, and all women and children, but two. Most of them had their skulls split. One old Indian, who looked to be a hundred years old, had his skull split, and still he sat there shivering". Gunther initially desired to bring

9108-411: Was commanded by Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Buchanan of the U.S. 4th Infantry Regiment . These tensions between Native people and settlers eventually led to the massacre on Tuluwat Island in 1860. The attackers, who were thought to be composed primarily of Eureka businessmen, killed as many as 250 Wiyot people. The Wiyot men had left the island during their annual World Renewal Ceremony, so

9207-512: Was completed and most of the Indian men had left the island, leaving only women and children. The whites were armed with hatchets, clubs and knives and had left their guns behind so the noise of the slaughter would be only screams rather than gunshots. This was not the only massacre that took place that night. Two other village sites were raided, on the Eel River and on the South Spit. Reports of

9306-602: Was considered "a lively place for a small town, full of business and with plenty of money." The roads beyond Second street (the equivalent of "Main" Street) were covered with stumps from the (recently logged) Redwood forest, and had not opened yet. Old Town Eureka was named as one of the 100 best art towns in America. Within its bounds is the Clarke Historical Museum . Eureka, California Eureka ( / j ʊ ˈ r iː k ə / yuurr- EE -kə ; Wiyot : Jaroujiji ; Hupa : dahwilahłding ; Karok : Uuth )

9405-498: Was from July 1889 to June 1890 with 73.30 in (1,861.8 mm) and the driest from July 1976 to June 1977 with 17.56 in (446.0 mm). The greatest monthly precipitation was 23.21 in (589.5 mm) in December 2002. The greatest 24-hour precipitation was 6.79 in (172.5 mm) on December 27, 2002. However, historic 100-year dramatic weather events such as the Christmas Week flood of 1955 and, especially,

9504-420: Was held, which lasted seven to ten days. Ceremonial masks were worn during the dance. All people were welcomed; no one was turned away. It was held at the village site of Tuluwat on the northern part of the island. Traditionally the men would leave the island and return the next day with the day's supplies. The elders, women and children were left to rest on the island along with a few men. Alfred L. Kroeber put

9603-402: Was mostly sandy, composed of dunes and tidal marsh. They recognized three divisions based on dialect and geography (from north to south): The Wiyots were among the last indigenous people in California to encounter white settlers. Spanish missions extended only as far north as San Francisco Bay . Following a brief visit in 1806, Russian fur traders, whose 18th-century invasion in search of

9702-573: 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 miles (56 km) northwest of the community of Petrolia and nearly 50 miles (80 km) west of Eureka. The shaking was felt within a 150-mile (240 km) radius, as far north as southern Oregon and as far south as Sonoma County . The largest recorded in

9801-468: Was reported in San Francisco and New York City by the young American writer Bret Harte . Harte was working as a printer's helper and assistant editor at a local newspaper at the time, and his boss was temporarily absent, leaving Harte in charge of the paper. Harte published a detailed account condemning the event, writing, "a more shocking and revolting spectacle never was exhibited to the eyes of

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