The area that is now known as Arcata was originally called Union when it was founded in 1850. The city was formally incorporated in 1858 and given its current name in 1860. It can be reached from San Francisco by traveling north on Highway 101 for 280 miles (450 kilometers), and it is the location of the California State Polytechnic University in Humboldt.
What county is Arcata in?
In the U.S. state of California’s Humboldt County, you’ll find the city of Arcata right next to the Arcata Bay, which is the northernmost part of Humboldt Bay.