Plaza Plaque Plucked…McKinley Statue Still Stands

The boulder which used to hold the Jacoby Building historical plaque. [Photo by Bobby Kroeker]

The California Historical Landmark #783 plaque on the Arcata Plaza designating the Jacoby Building of historical interest was removed early today. It’s controversial language referred to the “Indian Troubles” and, along with a statue of President McKinley, was recently slated for removal by the Arcata City Council.

Crews prepare to remove Jacoby building plaque early this morning.  Arcata plaza

Crews prepare to remove Jacoby building plaque early this morning. [Crop of a photo provided by Michael Riggs]

The plaque read,

JACOBY BUILDING – The basement and first story of this building at 8th and H Streets (opposite) was constructed in 1857 for Augustus Jacoby. For many years it was a principal supply point for the Klamath-Trinity mining camp trade. From 1858 through 1864 it served periodically as a refuge in time of Indian troubles. Housing various mercantile firms during its early years. It was acquired by A. Brizard in 1880.

California Registered Historical Landmark No. 783.

Plaque placed by the State Park Commission in cooperation with the Humboldt County Historical Society. The city of Arcata, and Brizard Company June 8, 1963.

Jacoby Building historical plaque removed

Current view of the Arcata Plaza. The statue of President McKinley still stands [Photo by Bobby Kroeker]

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Mogtx
Guest
6 years ago

This whole thing with the statue Ludacris don’t they th e people have something better to bitch abou? And they take the plaque States the history of the Jacoby Storehouse I don’t understand any of this mind-boggling

Buster
Guest
Buster
6 years ago
Reply to  Mogtx

Agree…where do you draw the line?

Should we all band together in differing camps and attempt to tear down or erase anything that we decide to be controversial or offends us in some way.

hotdog
Guest
hotdog
6 years ago
Reply to  Buster

I’m offended by your comment, I want it removed

Taurus Ballzhoff
Guest
Taurus Ballzhoff
6 years ago
Reply to  Buster

And erase the history, where the new Americans slaughtered, imprisoned, killed off the livestock of, and stole all the lands from the Native population…

The “Indian problem” is still alive and waiting to be paid for their properties.

Dan
Guest
Dan
6 years ago
Reply to  Mogtx

Why shouldn’t we be demanding an accurate history?

just me
Guest
just me
6 years ago
Reply to  Mogtx

mogtx maybe this will help you understand. there tide pod eating morons. threes no reasoning with them

DELUSIONAL LIBERAL
Guest
DELUSIONAL LIBERAL
6 years ago
Reply to  Mogtx

This kind of thing is happening now all across our country; removal of landmarks and historical artifacts. The partisan progressives want to replace the past, and control the future. Look up the movie “Agenda: Grinding America Down” and buy a copy

Esme
Guest
Esme
6 years ago

There’s a difference between erasing history and deciding not to glorify some of it’s ugliest parts. I didn’t see any statues of Nazi leaders in Germany, but they don’t have any trouble remembering their history or preserving it.

Nor Cal Patriot
Guest
Nor Cal Patriot
6 years ago

Snowflakes celebrate everywhere.

Kidding Me
Guest
Kidding Me
6 years ago

The plague represents “Indian troubles” during a time when this government was paying people to kill Indians do more research before thinking it is unjust. The statue shouldn’t have been standing this long…. that President was responsible for thousands of Indian deaths, yet all the history books wanna talk about is this ” great nation” and slavery yet Indians were treated much worse

Mike
Guest
Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Kidding Me

You know what you’re right, and these horrible crimes against humanity that you speak of are still being committed across several continents. Instead of attempting to help people who are being enslaved and murdered in third world countries it is nice that you are able to feel that you have made a difference by having a plaque removed. The whole world will feel better now that Arcata has sent a example that plaques will not be tolerated.

Kidding Me
Guest
Kidding Me
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Not against humanity, but Indian people! We want it taken down because of what it represents, not the lies printed and glorified

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

The problem with common language is that can be used subliminally, and to great effect. Like the “N” word, it can normalize what ought to be aberrant.

Not stupid
Guest
Not stupid
6 years ago
Reply to  Kidding Me

Amen to that statement.. In the south there were no statues of general Lee and other “war hero’s” until after slaves were freed and “white folk” got scared and were desperate to maintain and enforce some sort of superiority. How about put a statue in front of every courthouse glorifying the violent oppressiors. Just in case they forgot!! So bring it on.. knock them all down.. the time has come!!

guest
Guest
guest
6 years ago

Sooooo PC.
The first people to occupy this hemisphere seem to think anywhere an ancestor took a wee-wee is sacred ground. And yes they were treated badly.
Anyone alive today had ancestors that were treated badly. Should we all go back and demand things be set the way we think they should be?
Damn that Gengus Kahn.
Get over it.
Time to move on!

Kidding Me
Guest
Kidding Me
6 years ago
Reply to  guest

No you should go ahead have ur DNA tested find out where you belong and go back…. while your at it give back any land you have back to the people it was once taken from

Kidding Me
Guest
Kidding Me
6 years ago

Look at Hawaii same thing happend to them, yet only thing talked about is how cool it is to have vacation there. Meanwhile government and white people profit

M T
Guest
M T
6 years ago

What a bunch of “Political CRAP” removing what ever offends you? Well, snowflakes…we won’t have anything left!! Boooo Hoooo!!!

Allen
Guest
Allen
6 years ago

Costs 70000$s to remove, leave it alone. Don’t cave into a few people throwing a tantrum.

Buster
Guest
Buster
6 years ago
Reply to  Allen

Maybe the school children of Arcata could hold a fundraiser by cutting out paper snowflakes in art class and sell them on the Plaza for a dollar.

farce
Guest
farce
6 years ago
Reply to  Allen

The city council is all about placating the crybaby mob. 4-1 vote. $70,000 that now everybody has to pay instead of $70,000 into the schools we will have an empty space because we are better and more progressive and super-concerned about the natives and stuff like that!

Jeffersonian
Guest
Jeffersonian
6 years ago
Reply to  farce

I’ll remove that plaque for a lot less than $70k. Although I gotta say, statues like these are such a thing of the past, who really wants more archaic symbols, time for something a tad more modern

James vanderbeek
Guest
6 years ago

if you look into it the Indians that were here when we came to America, we’re not here first. Humans were present in North America at least one thousand years before Clovis. Clovis was previously thought to be the first humans in America, which were Indians in New Mexico. As more sites are unearthed we will find that the Indians killed these previous people who were much less advanced. Then we came in and killed a lot of the Indians. You will find this around the world. We kill the Indians the Indians killed Indians, those Indians prolly killed indians so on so on. I am part Indian, and I Think all of us have done horrible things in the past, and the only way to push forward is reconize study and learn from our past. Not destroy it to make a few children feel better.

Fish
Guest
Fish
6 years ago

Makes you wanna drop another dime in an Indian controlled casino, don’t it?

Adam Harrold
Guest
Adam Harrold
6 years ago

Have we had a president who didn’t do at least one terrible thing? Should all presidential statues be removed?

Esme
Guest
Esme
6 years ago
Reply to  Adam Harrold

Maybe. Not sure why we need to exalt and worship them, exactly. Do we have no exemplary teachers, mentors, rescuers, volunteers… ?

Adam Harrold
Guest
Adam Harrold
6 years ago

After they decided to remove the McKinley statute, I noticed the Arcata city seal. It features an image of the plaza (including the statue). Won’t that seal need to be changed too?

Adam Harrold
Guest
Adam Harrold
6 years ago

It looks like they sent four men to remove the plaque. That seems like three more than necessary.

I find many aspects of this plaza PC movement interesting.

Alex Brizard
Guest
Alex Brizard
6 years ago

I liked the statue. It’s been there as long as I remember. That means a little something.

I like old connections that I remember of the recent past. Things you might remember of old Arcata. The Boot Club, Geraldine’s Cafe, Tatman’s bakery, the Franklin store, Whole Earth, Marino’s, even Don of donut fame himself to name a few.

So yeah, the statue’s been there for awhile, longer than the above places and anyone of us, for sure. It stood the test of time for generations of Arcatans. Many things change in the days and times. I miss these little things as I get older, things that have permanence, memory, nostalgia and connections. The old houses, forgotten alley ways, the family names and stories and such. It’s wistful and melancholy to see them go. To just have them disappear. Poof.

I lived in the old Zehnder house at 1309 Q Street. He, George, was a community booster and had bought the statue as a gift for the town. You know, I always felt safe and protected in that house even through the biggest storms and earthquakes thrown at it. It stood the test of time and nature long after George was gone. The humble house is still there. I hope they don’t tear that down because George, now out of favor, bought the statue. How far does one have to purge?

Sure, McKinley had issues. I imagine all monuments of time are viewed differently with whatever optics you use in the present.

Maybe I’m too old school for the new and up-and-coming generation. The political winds change and newer thinking prevails. Some day they’ll cart you and me away just like McKinley after the both of us expire, old and tired, and of no purpose or point anymore. Like our grandfathers of past generations, our spoken names, too, will soon be shuttered and uttered and forgotten for the last time.

Ozymandias. (If you remember it)

I like reading about history.
Guest
I like reading about history.
6 years ago

The update to the language is going to be pretty easy.
Like this…
JACOBY BUILDING – The basement and first story of this building at 8th and H Streets (opposite) was constructed in 1857 for Augustus Jacoby. For many years it was a principal supply point for the Klamath-Trinity mining camp trade. From 1858 through 1864 it served periodically as a refuge for –settlers during times of trouble between tribes and settlers.– Housing various mercantile firms during its early years. It was acquired by A. Brizard in 1880.
Pretty easy, if you ask me. Though, it should be re-mounted on the building, and a different plaque should go on that rock, with text about the PLAZA instead. Just a thought.
I must admit, I’m looking forward to that ol’ statue being replaced with a nice band gazebo. They should go ahead and put the statue on one of the corners (like across from Brio, looking at incoming traffic), so we can keep dressing it up for holidays.

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
6 years ago

Just put a cloak and hat on McKinley and call him the Wizard of Oz.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/the_wizard_of_oz

Livin' Easy
Guest
Livin' Easy
6 years ago

No Matter what you feel, think or know; you can’t change history. Our schools teach history. So, you want them to teach only what was good; but not about the struggles and injustice our country is still trying to change???? This Statue, good or bad, is history. Take down the statue, but don’t try to change, or hide, history. Because the statue is was removed , doesn’t mean history can be removed. Generations to come deserve to know truth about our history, good, bad, right or wrong.

DELUSIONAL LIBERAL
Guest
DELUSIONAL LIBERAL
6 years ago

Which one? The casino I’ve been in would probably take it in a few hours, without even a bonus spin. Those machines are so tight they will get old and burn out before paying anything back, it’s a one way transaction, insert all your money, done.

Bill
Guest
Bill
6 years ago

What a pathetic display the Arcata City Council put on by bowing out to a radical mob. The mob at the Council meeting shouted down all those that opposed their position…..how democratic!! And the City Council just stood by and let it all happen. Susan Ornelas, piss poor management, the mayor even more so pathetic to allow the meeting to be hijacked.

Put it to a vote of the citizens of the city, that is how it should have been handled in the first place.

Dede
Guest
Dede
6 years ago

Waste of time, energy and trouble. You cannot erase the past. The native Americans are not so native – came here over the Bering Straights when it was covered with ice.

Am I supposed to hold Iceland accountable for what the Vikings did to my great, great, great, great grandmother or her family? No. Or how about Alexander the Great a few centuries before that?

These are just self-serving snowflakes that want to make themselves feel about thinking they did something constructive with their life.

Our council members are weak, selfish and pathetic – except the one who refused to be bullied and harassed into caving.

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
6 years ago

First, take down all the statues and pictures, next, burn all the books, then, take all the guns. Don’t worry… big brother will take care of you.

Those that don’t know the past are condemned to repeat it. What an awful thought! Very little of the truth of history is known. The more we ignore and remove history, the more likely we are to make the same mistakes. My 3g Grandfather and one of his sons was killed during an Indian raid on their wagon train. They were coming to california during the Gold Rush.

One of my Grandfathers was involved in killing some “gun Indians” from Modoc County. The Modocs killed and butchered some breeding stock horses. The laytonville Valley people formed a search party and they found the Indians. The indians that resisted were killed. the ones that surrendered were taken to the Covelo Indian reservation. My grandfather “adopted” two of the Indian children. Some of my relatives are Indian.

Another one of my Grandfathers was instrumental in hiding the Indians from the Eel River Rangers, and some of my family wrote letters to Sacramento and washington D.C. asking for protection for them.

Many of my family and friends are from the local Wailaki tribe. They are some of the most productive people in the valley. I honor them and especially their history.

What we should do is leave some reminder of our past and learn about our history, we should teach our children well.

Most of you have probably not read “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury. The book is about destroying books and history. In the end there was a group of people that honored history, and they had memorized the books before they were burned. There was a great civilization ending war, the people that had memorized the books gathered in the hills and formed a plan to rebuild civilization.

I am one of them.

Rusty Cage
Guest
Rusty Cage
6 years ago

Ditto for Ernie.

Bill
Guest
Bill
6 years ago

Well said Ernie!!

Esme
Guest
Esme
6 years ago

Removing something from a place of honor is not the same as erasing it. It reflects a change of views and values not an attempt to change or hide facts. Quite the contrary. Old signs describing massacres as ‘battles’ or genocide as ‘troubles’ seem more like a crime against history.

Cliffhanger
Guest
Cliffhanger
6 years ago

Now we just need to figure out how to convince the city of arcata that potholes are somehow racist and demeaning to the Indians and we might get some roads fixed…

Simtroll
Guest
Simtroll
6 years ago

LOL you lost now the lot of you are online crying about it like the snowflakes you mock.

J Dubbs
Guest
J Dubbs
6 years ago

And Washington DC just put up a statue of former drug dealing crack smoking mayor Marion Berry

jeffersonian
Guest
jeffersonian
6 years ago

well stated. the arcata crowd, which mostly came from somewhere else, cant possibly understand what you are saying. they are hypocrites to the max. i remember the days when arcata was not such a hateful place.too bad what its become.

unbridled phillistine
Guest
unbridled phillistine
6 years ago
Reply to  jeffersonian

Statue? Just like the local liberals to make a non issue an issue! What is it now? last year it was prejudism, Even though I have never see it in my whole life. Another non issue brought to you by Arcata libs! That statue never bothered anybody until the left figured out how to use it to their agenda.

Ron Barager
Guest
Ron Barager
6 years ago

Hey Alex Brizard. Remember Mr. Bragen in English 1A, 1964-65? Good to see you’re still around.