Ferndale Facts

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Explore Humboldt County

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• Latitude: 41 degrees, 34' North
• Longitude: 124 degrees, 15' West
• Elevation: 50 feet; topographical map of Ferndale
• Area Size: 1 square mile within the city limits
• Settled: 1852
• Incorporated: 1893
• Population: 1,390 (2000 census)

Government: 1 elected mayor, four at-large councilpersons, all volunteers. City Council meets at 7 p.m. the 1st Thursday of each month at City Hall, 834 Main Street. Volunteer Planning Commissioners are appointed to 4-year terms. Planning Commission meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month at City Hall, 7 p.m.

Staff: City manager, police chief and four officers, city clerk, deputy city clerk, 2 public works personnel. City Hall: 786-4224.

Design Review: Structures along many of the main streets are subject to design review to remain in keeping with the City's designation as a State Historic Landmark. Check with City Hall for design review areas.

Animal Care: Ferndale Veterinary. Sparky's Pet Sitting

Banks/ATMs: North Valley Bank, US Bank.

Chamber: The Ferndale Chamber of Commerce meets every Monday at 5:30 p.m. Volunteers respond to an average of 3,600 inquiries annually at PO Box 325, Ferndale, CA 95536-0325. Phone/fax: 707-786-4477, www.victorianferndale.com. No drop-in location.

Churches: Assumption Church (Roman Catholic), Ferndale Community Church (Independent), Living Waters Foursquare Church, Our Savior's Lutheran Church (EICA), St. Mark's Lutheran Church (LCMS), St. Mary's Episcopal Church

Climate: Mild and moist, highs to 78, lows to mid-30s. Average rainfall, 41 inches annually.

Employment / Industries / Sources of Income: Dairy farming, cattle ranching, service industries, tourism, lumber and wood products, sheep ranching, potato farming. Economics of the area (statistical reporting and analysis of economic factors for Humboldt County, CA).

Fire Protection: Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department, since 1897.

Health Care: The nearest hospitals are Redwood Memorial, Fortuna, and St. Joseph's Hospital, Eureka. Humboldt Medical Group maintains offices in Ferndale and Fortuna. Larry Denning, D.D.S., operates a dental office in Ferndale.Complementary care is available from local massage practitioner, Heart & Soul. There is also a countywide network of clinics, including Six Rivers Planned Parenthood.

Library: Ferndale Library, 807 Main. Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 12-5 p.m.; Friday 12-4 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday 7-9 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. Computer available for free, 1-hour internet access.

Licenses: Business licenses, $60-80/year. Dog licenses, $10/year for spayed/neutered dogs; others are $25/year. Proof of rabies vaccination required. CalGOLD: Business permits made simple.

Meeting Halls: Danish Hall, Firemen's Pavilion, Masonic Hall, Portuguese Hall, Veterans Memorial Hall, Humboldt County Fairgrounds (Belotti Hall, Art Building/Red Barn, Turf Room).

Museums: Ferndale Museum, 515 Shaw. Historical settings and equipment, open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11-4; Sundays, 1-4; plus Tuesdays in summer. Kinetic Sculpture Race Museum, 580 Main. Collection of entries from races past, open daily 10-5.

Newspapers: The Ferndale Enterprise, 707-786-4611; The Humboldt Beacon (Fortuna), 707-725-6166; The Times-Standard (Eureka), 707-442-1711.

Parks: Russ Park, 110-acre bird sanctuary wilderness forest park, open dawn to dusk; Firemen's Park, picnic grounds, bocce courts, ball fields, play area, restrooms, open until dusk. Centerville Beach is 5 miles west of Main Street on Ocean Avenue/Centerville Road.

Post Office / U.S. Mail: A PO Box is required to receive mail in Ferndale proper. There is mail delivery only on the rural route. Stop in during business hours at 536 Main, between Shaw and Washington Sts., or sign up for a 95536 PO Box online. 707-786-4642

Real Estate: Ferndale Real Estate, 707-786-4720 / 707-786-4323. Landmark Real Estate, 707-786-9300. Perra Properties, 707-499-3303 / 786-4080. RE/Max Realtor Beth Wayne, CRS, ABR, SRES, 707-269-2328.

Recycling: Eel River Disposal offers curbside pickup service for Ferndale residents. Volunteers with Ferndale Recycling focus on education for waste reduction.

Schools/Education: Ferndale Elementary, grades K-8, 707-786-5300; Ferndale High School, grades 9-12, 707-786-5900. Preschool: Ferndale Children's Center, 100 Berding St. 707-786-4386.

Telephone: Frontier, a Citizens Communications Company, 800-921-8101.

Theatre: Ferndale Repertory Theatre, 447 Main. Community theater producing year-round with performances Thursday through Saturday evenings, matinees on selected weekends.

Utilities: Water: Del Oro Water Co., 800-655-3582; Electricity (no natural gas in Ferndale): PG&E, 800-743-5000; Propane: Sequoia Gas, 707-725-4465; Garbage: Eel River Disposal & Resource Recovery, Inc., 707-725-5156; Telephone: Frontier, 800-921-8101.

More Ferndale Facts have been collected and posted online at city-data.com

For more information, call the
Ferndale Chamber of Commerce: (707) 786-4477

More Ferndale Fun:

Centerville Beach named Best
Beach on the North Coast!

Ferndale is listed in many guidebooks, including Weekend Adventures in
San Francisco & Northern California