Historic Preservation


Arcata's Historic Residential & Commercial Structures



 Arcata, first known as Union, was settled in the spring of 1850 as a supply center for the interior mining districts. The town site at the foot of Fickle Hill was selected by the Union Company and subdivided into blocks and lots. Timber resources sustained the development of Arcata through the 19th century and into the mid 20th century. A public water system and fire department came along in 1884, followed by the Arcata Union newspaper in 1886, electricity in 1895, railroad connections with San Francisco in 1914, the establishment of Humboldt State Normal School (now Cal Poly Humboldt) in 1914, and the Redwood Highway in 1925. By 1930 Arcata's population had reached 1,700 and was growing.


 Many fine examples of both residential and commercial structures from Arcata's early history survive today. The Plaza itself dates from the town's beginnings and recalls the "greens" of New England or the town squares of the south. In addition to the Modern Period (1930 - present), an inventory of Arcata's historical structures and sites identified 4 early periods of residential building styles include:

  • Craftsman (1910 - 1930)
  • Settlement (1850 - 1885)
  • Transitional (1900 - 1910)
  • Victorian (1885 - 1900)

The City's first historic preservation ordinance (Ordinance No. 935) was adopted by the City Council in 1980. Since that time, 96 structures or sites have been formally designated by ordinance as local historic landmarks.


Mills Act Preservation Incentive 


 The city has recently implemented the Mills Act Tax Abatement Program to promote the restoration and preservation of qualified historic buildings by private property owners. You can find more information here.


Chapman House

Helpful Documents & Resources

  1. City of Arcata Historic Context Statement - March 2012 (PDF)
  2. "Period of Significance" Interpretation and Permit Requirements 08-16-10 (PDF)
  3. 2006 Bayview Survey

Neighborhood Conservation Area

A Neighborhood Conservation Area (NCA) is an area within the City designated by the General Plan to be historically noteworthy where review is conducted to assure that new construction, modifications or alterations of noteworthy structures, and significant changes to other structures are harmonious with the existing character of the neighborhood. The Central Arcata and Plaza Districts, Arcata Heights and Bayview areas are designated as NCAs to assure that changes are harmonious with the existing character of these neighborhoods. The application for the designation of a district, site, area, or structure may be initiated by the owner, Historical Sites Society Association (HSSA), Council, Planning Commission or Historic Design Review Commission (HDRC). If initiated by the HSSA or the City, the owner shall be notified and will be able to contest the process. There are also the Bayside and South of Samoa Specific Plans with properties of interest, but which have not been adopted as an NCA by the City Council. The maps of the NCA's are:

Historical House Name, Address, Year Built & Historic Period

  • Fry House, 290 12th Street, 1874, Settlement Period
  • Dillon House, 188 11th Street, 1886, Settlement Period
  • Cates House, 185 12th Street, 1884, Settlement Period
  • Malvich House, 1030 C Street, 1914, Craftsman Period
  • Moore House, 930 D Street, 1903, Transitional Period
  • Shuman House, 965 A Street, 1906, Transitional Period
  • Aaron Alden House, 947 A Street, 1908, Transitional Period
  • Putnam-McCready House, 913 A Street, 1910, Transitional Period
  • Simms-Hunt House, 855 A Street, 1905, Transitional Period
  • Phillips House, 71 7th Street, 1855, Settlement Period
  • Beacom House, 68 12th Street, 1889, Settlement Period
  • Maronich House, 87 12th Street, 1889, Victorian Period
  • Susan House, 67 11th Street, 1874, Settlement Period
  • Leveque House 320 Park Avenue
  • California Central Creameries Plant, 2151 9th Street, 1918, Craftsman Period
  • Thomas Devlin House, 885 K Street, 1900, Transitional Period
  • Burrows House, 453 F Street, 1883, Settlement Period
  • Simpson House, 493 G Street, 1877, Settlement Period
  • Truesdell House, 494 H Street, 1876, Settlement Period
  • Fleckenstein-Newton House, 588 H Street,
  • Monette House, 665 F Street, 1885, Settlement Period
  • Senevey-Menefee House, 513 I Street, 1880, Settlement Period
  • Baiocchi House, 895 7th Street, 1925, Craftsman Period
  • Selvage House, 609 J Street, 1874, Settlement Period
  • Eddy-Greene House, 987 8th Street
  • Vaissade House, 927 J Street, 1905, Transitional Period
  • Nixon House, 1022 10th Street, 1858, Settlement Period
  • Minor Theatre, 1013 H Street, 1914, Craftsman Period
  • Minor Building, 1015 H Street, 1914, Craftsman Period
  • Epicurean Restaurant, 1057 H Street, 1884, Victorian Period
  • First National Bank, 1000 H Street, 1913, Craftsman Period
  • Arcata Theater, 1036 G Street, 1937, Modern Period
  • Seely & Titlow Building, 970 I Street, 1875, Settlement Period
  • Chevret House, 739 10th Street, 1875, Settlement Period
  • Murray House 987 F Street 1901 Victorian Period
  • Hotel Arcata 780 9th Street 1915 Craftsman Period
  • Hunt House, 839 9th Street,1886, Settlement Period
  • Plaza, Block 167, 1850, Settlement Period
  • Union Building, 898 G Street, 1890, Victorian Period
  • KXGO Radio/Western Auto, 826 G Street
  • Old Post Office Building, 735 8th Street
  • Jacoby Building, 791 8th Street, 1857, Settlement Period
  • Packer's House, 630 11th Street, 1870, Settlement Period
  • Sowash House, 1160 G Street, 1914, Craftsman Period
  • Morgan House, 1192 G Street, 1901, Victorian Period
  • Miller House, 1193 G Street, 1900, Transitional Period
  • Pythian Castle, 1100 H Street, 1884, Victorian Period
  • Stewart Foster House, 1139 H Street, 1907, Transitional Period
  • Moulton-Barlow House, 860 11th Street, 1907, Transitional Period
  • Wagner Block House, 1157 J Street, 1920, Craftsman Period
  • Wagner Block House, 1187 J Street, 1920, Craftsman Period
  • Wagner Block House, 1087 12th Street, 1920, Craftsman Period
  • Schorlig House, 1050 12th Street, 1885, Victorian Period
  • C.E. Daniels House, 918 12th Street, 1885, Victorian Period
  • Beers-Ely House, 1285 I Street, 1877, Settlement Period
  • Bair-Stokes House, 916 13th Street, 1888, Victorian Period
  • Horel House, 980 13th Street, 1904, Transitional Period
  • McCormack/MacMillan House, 1056 13th Street, 1903, Transitional Period
  • Gastman-Gaynor Beer House, 1362 K Street, 1902, Transitional Period
  • David Wood House, 1318 H Street, 1910, Craftsman Period
  • Ericson House, 1376 H Street, 1870, Settlement Period
  • Whaley House, 1395 H Street, 1855, Settlement Period
  • Zehndner-Parton House, 1164 14th Street, 1902, Transitional Period
  • Stone House, 902 14th Street, 1888, Victorian Period
  • Cullberg House, 1452 I Street, 1862, Settlement Period
  • A. Gastman House, 1492 H Street, 1898, Victorian Period
  • William-Smith House, 1542 H Street, 1888, Victorian Period
  • Jako-Wagner House, 1593 F Street
  • Barter Bungalow/Court, 1645 G Street, 1930, Craftsman Period
  • Smith-Mckenzie House, 1619 H Street, 1877, Settlement Period
  • Scribner House, 1661 H Street, 1885, Victorian Period
  • Sweet House, 1717 H Street, 1911, Craftsman Period
  • Godden House, 938 17th Street, 1919, Craftsman Period
  • Davidson-Carroll Store/House, 1593 I Street, 1914, Craftsman Period
  • Keller House, 1566 I Street, 1894, Victorian Period
  • Stewart School Building, 1125 16th Street, 1925, Craftsman Period
  • St. Mary's Church, 1090 16th Street, 1884, Victorian Period
  • Greenwood Cemetery, 1757 J Street, 1860, Settlement Period
  • Nelson Hall Humboldt St. University, 1940, Craftsman Period
  • Gist Hall Humboldt St. University,1933, Craftsman Period
  • Jenkins Hall Humboldt St. University, 1950, Craftsman Period
  • Founders Hall Humboldt St. University, 1921, Craftsman Period
  • * Bayside Post Office, 1786 Old Arcata Road, 1887, Victorian Period
  • * Chaffey House, 1220 Spear Avenue, 1887, Victorian Period
  • * O'Grady House, 1630, 27th Street
  • * Strobel House, 1621 J Street, 1874, Settlement Period
  • * Zehndner-Harpst-Austin House, 1860 11th Street, 1870, Settlement Period
  • * McMillian House, 589 F Street
  • * Old Methodist Church-Parsonage House, 1166 H Street, 1876, Settlement Period
  • * Liscom-Morrell House, 1166 I Street,
  • * Morrell-St. Louis House/Barn/Milk House, 3215 St. Louis Rd/3501 St. Louis Rd, 1906, Transitional Period (Barn, 1920s)
  • * Janes School House, 1105 Spear Ave., 1876, Settlement Period
  • * Pointsett House, 3501 Boyd Rd (moved to 1101 Giuntoli Rd), 1899, Victorian Period
  • * Morrell-Christie House, 1465 G Street, 1901, Transitional Period


* Numbers do not appear on map.