Arcan, John B.

John B. [Baptiste] Arcan (1813-1869), born in France, came to California in 1849. He was the first to build on the southeast corner of what is now Pacific Avenue and Soquel Avenue, where New Leaf Market repurposed the 1929 Bank of Italy (which later became Bank of America) building in 2023. Today's short segment of Soquel Avenue west of the river was once known as Arcan Street.

• John L. Chase, The Sidewalk Companion to Santa Cruz Architecture (4th ed. 2023), Chapter Five, entry (32), page 151.
• Riptide CE32. Also on that page (with a photo) is son Charles.

To get to California, the family survived a trip through Death Valley.

• Traci Bliss, Evergreen Cemetery of Santa Cruz (2020 book), pages 31-33.

The Death Valley party also included Methodist minister James Briar.