Fairhaven, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fairhaven, California
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 Fairhaven, California
Location in California
Fairhaven, California
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Humboldt County |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 165 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
95564
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| Area code(s) | 707 |
| FIPS code | 06-23196 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2628729 |
Fairhaven is a small community in Humboldt County, California. It's located right next to Humboldt Bay. Fairhaven is considered an "unincorporated community." This means it's not officially a city or town with its own local government. It's also a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means the US Census Bureau counts its population. In 2020, about 165 people lived there. Fairhaven is only about 10 feet above sea level. It is also very close to the city of Eureka.
A Place for Ships
Fairhaven has a cool history linked to ships. In 1867, a man named Hans Ditlev Bendixsen started a shipbuilding yard here. He built many ships. These ships were important for carrying lumber.
Building Many Vessels
Between 1869 and 1901, Bendixsen built 92 sailing ships. A big part of these were "three-masters." These are ships with three tall masts for sails. One famous ship he built was the C.A. Thayer. You can still see this ship today. It is preserved at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.
How Fairhaven Got Its Name
Fairhaven wasn't always called Fairhaven. For a short time, from 1918 to 1921, it was known as Rolph. This name honored James Rolph, who was the Governor of California. Later, the community changed its name to Fairhaven. The name "Fairhaven" came from a neighborhood called Fair Haven in New Haven, Connecticut.
