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Three Rivers, California

Three Rivers is an unincorporated community in Tulare County, California, United States. Located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada at the edge of the San Joaquin Valley, the town is near the entrance to the national parks of Sequoia and Kings Canyon. The town's name comes from its location near the junction of the North, Middle, and South Forks of the Kaweah River.

The population was 2,053 at the 2020 census, down from 2,182 at the 2010 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Three Rivers as a census-designated place (CDP). The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same name.

The two national parks, which border the town to the northeast, are the prime attraction of Three Rivers.

Geography
Three Rivers is located in the Kaweah River canyon, just above Lake Kaweah. Surrounding terrain is marked by oak woodland forest and foothills. The Kaweah River drainage is a very short river drainage, and quickly terrain climbs from around 1000 feet. ASL in Three Rivers to 3,000-5,000 ft ASL on the surrounding hills, and upward to 14,000+ ft ASL at Mt. Whitney, fifty miles to the East. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 44.5 sqmi, all land.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Three Rivers has a hot-summer mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Three Rivers was 114 F on August 13, 1996, while the coldest temperature recorded was 16 F on December 22–23, 1990.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Three Rivers had a population of 2,182. The population density was 49.0 /mi2. The racial make-up was 1,976 (90.6%) White, 7 (0.3%) African American, 27 (1.2%) Native American, 31 (1.4%) Asian, 1 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 75 (3.4%) from other races and 65 (3.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 212 people (9.7%).

The Census reported that 2,177 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and 5 (0.2%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,018 households, of which 207 (20.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 519 (51.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 65 (6.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 33 (3.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 35 (3.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 10 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 341 households (33.5%) were made up of individuals, and 159 (15.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14. There were 617 families (60.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.71.

354 people (16.2%) were under the age of 18, 90 people (4.1%) aged 18 to 24, 369 people (16.9%) aged 25 to 44, 837 people (38.4%) aged 45 to 64 and 532 people (24.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.

There were 1,312 housing units at an average density of 29.5 /mi2, of which 741 (72.8%) were owner-occupiedand 277 (27.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.6%. 1,604 people (73.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 573 people (26.3%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the 2000 census, there were 2,248 people, 985 households and 659 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 49.6 /mi2. There were 1,217 housing units at an average density of 26.8 /mi2. The racial make-up was 89.86% White, 0.22% African American, 1.29% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 3.74% from other races and 4.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.58% of the population.

There were 985 households, of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 33.0% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.75.

20.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 20.3% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64 and 22.1% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.

The median household income was $42,727 and the median family income was $48,843. Males had a median income of $39,355 and females $31,875. The per capita income was $23,475. About 7.5% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Kaweah Colony
In 1886, a group of utopian socialists founded an intentional community along the upper North Fork of the Kaweah River. Named Kaweah Colony, it was inspired by the ideas of Laurence Gronlund. When Congress created Sequoia National Park they lost their timber claims and in 1891 were ordered off the land.

Rhodesian pioneers
The Three Rivers cemetery contains the bodies of nine Rhodesian pioneers who lived in Africa ca. 1900 and fought in several wars. The Burnham and Blick families started a 5000 acre cattle ranch, La Cuesta, in Three Rivers and built homes there. The scenery at Three Rivers is said to be almost identical to that of the Rhodesian kopje country. La Cuesta was sold by John and Judd Blick in 1947 for $90,000.

Mineral King and Walt Disney
In the 1960s and 70s, Walt Disney had plans to develop a year-round resort at Mineral King. Ultimately, these plans were withdrawn when Mineral King was annexed into Sequoia National Park in 1978.

Artists' colony
In the 1960s, several local artists held exhibitions in the old Apple House on the North Fork Drive. Some of these artists included Adrian Green, Gene Gray, Caroll Barnes, Frank Treuting, Jean Caulfeild and Pauline Whitsun. Present day artists open their studios every other year for the Three Rivers Artists' Biennial Studio Tour, which was started in 1994 by Elsah Cort (then associated with the Cort Gallery.) More than thirty artists are living and working in Three Rivers, including Mona Fox Selph, James Entz, and Aranga Firstman, who all taught at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California. Other well-known artists are Martha Widmann, Rick Badgley, Jana Botkin, Nikki Crain, Tina St. John, Nadi Spencer and Martin Pugh.

The Arts Alliance of Three Rivers is the local arts organization, started in 1985, with many local artists and art patrons as members. It sponsors the annual Redbud Arts and Craft Festival every May. It also established the Lorraine Young Scholarship Fund, which awards art scholarships to local Three Rivers graduating high school students. This fund was established by the Arts Alliance in honor of the many years of service Lorraine gave to both the Arts Alliance and to the community of Three Rivers. The Arts Alliance became a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization in 2010.

Politics

In the state legislature, Three Rivers is located in the 18th Senate District, represented by Republican Jean Fuller and formerly held by Republican Roy Ashburn, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Three Rivers is in.

Schools

 * Three Rivers Union School District (K-8, average attendance: 157 students)
 * Woodlake Union High School (9–12), Three Rivers Students usually go to high school in Woodlake, CA

Three Rivers is the location of the Diocese of Fresno's St. Anthony Retreat Center and Santa Teresita Youth Conference Center, and of Riata Ranch International, a world-renowned Western Performance Arts Training Facility and home of the world famous Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls.

Three Rivers was one site of a handful of U.S. boarding schools run by the Hare Krishna movement. These schools, called "gurukulas", were closed by the mid-1980s. Other locations included Los Angeles, Moundsville in West Virginia and Dallas.

Notable people

 * Mary Harris - longtime Three Rivers resident and noted musician.
 * Curt Siodmak (August 10, 1902 – September 2, 2000) was a German-American novelist and screenwriter, who was a longtime resident of Three Rivers with his wife Henrietta (November 14, 1903 - May 10, 2001).
 * Adin Ross - American streamer, YouTuber, internet personality

title: Three Rivers, California


text:
Tipton, California

Tipton is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 2,543 at the 2010 census, up from 1,790 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Tipton is located at 36.05917°N, -119.31028°W (36.059115, -119.310409).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.0 sqmi, all of it land.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Tipton had a population of 2,543. The population density was 2,518.5 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Tipton was 1,535 (60.4%) White, 3 (0.1%) African American, 15 (0.6%) Native American, 9 (0.4%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 924 (36.3%) Portuguese and other races, and 57 (2.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,147 persons (84.4%).

The Census reported that 2,543 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 610 households, out of which 393 (64.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 353 (57.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 92 (15.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 80 (13.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 58 (9.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 6 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 67 households (11.0%) were made up of individuals, and 30 (4.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.17. There were 525 families (86.1% of all households); the average family size was 4.45.

The population was spread out, with 1,036 people (40.7%) under the age of 18, 276 people (10.9%) aged 18 to 24, 745 people (29.3%) aged 25 to 44, 360 people (14.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 126 people (5.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.7 males.

There were 645 housing units at an average density of 638.8 /sqmi, of which 290 (47.5%) were owner-occupied, and 320 (52.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.5%. 1,174 people (46.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,369 people (53.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,790 people, 473 households, and 402 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,765.4 PD/sqmi. There were 488 housing units at an average density of 481.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 28.99% White, 0.17% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 62.51% from other races, and 7.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 67.71% of the population.

There were 473 households, out of which 53.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.8% were non-families. 11.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.78 and the average family size was 4.08.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 38.8% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $26,379, and the median income for a family was $27,069. Males had a median income of $24,362 versus $19,821 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $8,464. About 18.3% of families and 20.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.6% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government
In the California State Legislature, Tipton is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Tipton is in

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Tipton, California


text:
Traver, California

Traver is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 713 at the 2010 census, down from 732 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Traver is located at 36.45417°N, -119.48417°W (36.454300, -119.484182).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.8 sqmi, all of it land.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Traver had a population of 713. The population density was 845.4 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Traver was 302 (42.4%) White, 1 (0.1%) African American, 22 (3.1%) Native American, 6 (0.8%) Asian, 2 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 357 (50.1%) from other races, and 23 (3.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 551 persons (77.3%).

The Census reported that 713 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 164 households, out of which 89 (54.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 96 (58.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 32 (19.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 11 (6.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 5 (3.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 0 (0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 19 households (11.6%) were made up of individuals, and 8 (4.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.35. There were 139 families (84.8% of all households); the average family size was 4.50.

The population was spread out, with 222 people (31.1%) under the age of 18, 89 people (12.5%) aged 18 to 24, 187 people (26.2%) aged 25 to 44, 138 people (19.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 77 people (10.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 127.3 males.

There were 184 housing units at an average density of 218.2 /sqmi, of which 95 (57.9%) were owner-occupied, and 69 (42.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.8%. 382 people (53.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 331 people (46.4%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 732 people, 173 households, and 155 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 890.6 PD/sqmi. There were 182 housing units at an average density of 221.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 53.28% White, 2.32% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 41.94% from other races, and 2.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 75.41% of the population.

There were 173 households, out of which 53.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couples living together, 20.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.4% were non-families. 5.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.23 and the average family size was 4.12.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 37.4% under the age of 18, 12.2% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 14.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $24,500, and the median income for a family was $22,750. Males had a median income of $17,188 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $7,642. About 23.5% of families and 33.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 50.2% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
In the state legislature Traver is located in the 16th Senate District, represented by Democrat Dean Florez, and in the 30th Assembly District, represented by Republican Danny Gilmore.

In the United States House of Representatives, Traver is in

Notable people

 * Paul Hurst (1888–1953), American film actor

title: Traver, California


text:
Tulare, California

Tulare is a city in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 68,875 per the 2020 census. It is located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, 8 mi south of Visalia and 60 mi north of Bakersfield. The city is named after the Tulare Lake, once the largest freshwater lake west of the Great Lakes.

Etymology
The English name Tulare derives ultimately from Classical Nahuatl tōllin, "sedge" or "reeds", by way of Spanish tule, which also exists in English as a loanword. The name is cognate with Tula, Tultepec, and Tultitlán de Mariano Escobedo.

History
The Yokuts people built reed boats and fished in what was later to be called Tulare Lake in their homeland for centuries, until the invasion and settlement by the Spanish and American pioneers. When California became a state in 1850, Tulare did not yet exist as a town. Tulare was founded in 1872, by the Southern Pacific Railroad. The town was named for Lake Tulare. The lake had been named for the tule rush plant (Schoenoplectus acutus) (pictured left), a species of bulrush that predominantly lined the marshes and sloughs of its shore.

Transportation was the first impetus behind the establishment of the town. Tulare flourished as the headquarters of the railroad in the area. The town suffered through many difficult challenges, but despite burning down and being rebuilt three times in its first fourteen years of existence, it was eventually incorporated in 1888.

In 1891, the railroad moved its headquarters to Bakersfield, decimating the community. Although the railroad was gone, the community of Tulare struggled to become an agricultural center for California, which it is today. Due to the inadequate 10 in of rainfall per year, water resources had to be found. In order to bring water to Tulare, citizens established the Tulare Irrigation District and issued $500,000 in bonds to build an extensive canal system carrying water from the Sierra Nevada. In 1903, when the bonds were paid off early, they celebrated by having a bond-burning celebration. Once the water system was established, Tulare burgeoned, becoming a center for farming and agriculture because of its central location.

In 1912, Hulett C. Merritt founded Tagus Ranch, which at 7000 acre was the largest fruit ranch in the world. Until its close, Tagus Ranch produce was known the world over, and was served in the finest restaurants throughout America. At the end of World War II, a portion of Tagus Ranch served as a German POW camp.

The cotton strike of 1933 was planned in Tulare by a group of seventy-eight men and women. As recorded by Chicano historian Rodolfo Acuña, "they concluded that it took the average picker 10 hours to harvest 300 pounds. Planters offered 40 cents a hundredweight – that was not enough to buy enough food and gas to get to the next job."

In 1940, famed aerobatic stunt pilot J.G. "Tex" Rankin secured a U.S. War Department contract to open and operate a civilian flying school to train United States Army Air Corps flight cadets. Rankin opened the Rankin Aeronautical Academy in Tulare in February 1941, where it operated throughout the duration of World War II. During its heyday Rankin Field, as it was otherwise known, trained 10,000 pilots in primary flight training, including twelve future Army Air Corps Aces and two Medal of Honor recipients. During World War II, in response to the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the West Coast wartime hysteria, the U.S. Army temporarily assumed control of the Tulare County Fairgrounds, converting it to the Tulare Assembly Center, a temporary detention center for Japanese Americans. The Assembly Center was administered by the Wartime Civil Control Administration, under the Western Defense Command and the U.S. 4th Army. The first internee was inducted on April 27, 1942, and the last internee departed on September 4, 1942. The top population numbered 4,978 residents, many of whom were citizens born in the United States. In the latter part of 1942, internees began being moved to the ten more permanent "War Relocation Camps". The majority of internees from the Tulare Assembly Center were sent to the Gila River War Relocation Center in Arizona. These temporary sites were largely located on fairgrounds or race tracks in completely public and visible locations.

Tulare was the site of the National Championships for the Decathlon in Track and Field in 1949, 1950, 1952, and 1962, as well as the Olympic Trials for the Decathlon in 1952.

Geography
Tulare is located at 36.20667°N, -119.3425°W (36.206601, −119.342404). Located directly between Fresno and Bakersfield, Tulare is in the heart of the Central Valley. Although the foothills of the Sierra Nevada are only about 20 miles east of town, they are seldom visible due to the chronically poor air quality and very high levels of airborne particulate matter, soot, and other pollution.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.0 sqmi, of which 20.9 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi (0.41%) is water.

Climate
The climate of this agricultural community is varied, with cool and damp winters with a mean temperature of 45 degrees, but very hot dry summers, with a mean temperatures of 95 to 110 degrees. The mean average rainfall was 10 inches prior to the drought that began in 2012 and remains ongoing as of September 2018. Tulare consistently suffers from year round air pollution and air quality that is among the worst in the United States because of both geographic conditions (hemmed in valley, weak winds) and the prevalence of diesel fuel exhaust from farming and truck traffic on Highway 99. Farming also exacerbates this because it kicks up tremendous amounts of dust, especially in the late summer and autumn months.

2010
At the 2010 census Tulare had a population of 59,278. The population density was 2,820.5 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Tulare was 36,347 (61.3%) White, 2,328 (3.9%) African American, 694 (1.2%) Native American, 1,276 (2.2%) Asian, 80 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 15,713 (26.5%) from other races, and 2,840 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 34,062 persons (57.5%).

The census reported that 59,000 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 62 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 216 (0.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 17,720 households, 8,991 (50.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 9,373 (52.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 3,190 (18.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,507 (8.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,543 (8.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 120 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,862 households (16.2%) were one person and 1,249 (7.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.33. There were 14,070 families (79.4% of households); the average family size was 3.68.

The age distribution was 19,757 people (33.3%) under the age of 18, 6,229 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 16,247 people (27.4%) aged 25 to 44, 11,707 people (19.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,338 people (9.0%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 29.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.

There were 18,863 housing units at an average density of 897.5 per square mile, of the occupied units 10,389 (58.6%) were owner-occupied and 7,331 (41.4%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%. 33,367 people (56.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 25,633 people (43.2%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,994 people in 13,543 households, including 10,753 families, in the city. The population density was 2,648.2 PD/sqmi. There were 14,253 housing units at an average density of 858.0 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 56.38% White, 5.02% African American, 1.40% Native American, 2.02% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 29.09% from other races, and 5.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 65.59% of the population.

Of the 13,543 households 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.6% were non-families. 16.7% of households were one person and 8.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.22 and the average family size was 3.57.

The age distribution was 34.6% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% 65 or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.

The median household income was $33,637 and the median family income was $36,935. Males had a median income of $31,467 versus $23,775 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,655. About 16.9% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.1% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.

Culture
There is a large population of Portuguese residents in Tulare, many of whom immigrated from the Azores Islands to start farms and dairies in the Central Valley, becoming part of the now famous Central Valley agricultural boom of the 20th century.

Largest employers
According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

The backbone of Tulare's economy continues to be its agricultural and dairy industry. Tulare is responsible for a significant part of Tulare County's 342,600 dairy cows, which produce more than 8.9 billion pounds of milk each year. The nation's largest single-site dairy complex, operated by Land O'Lakes, is located in Tulare.

Tulare is the home of the Tulare County Fair, held since 1915. Tulare is also home to the internationally known World Ag Expo, held annually at the International Agri-Center. Since 1968, the three-day event in February is the largest annual agricultural exposition in the world. Over 100,000 people from throughout the world visit the Expo annually.

Local government
The Mayor and Vice-Mayor are selected by the council for two-year terms.
 * Mayor: Terry A. Sayre
 * Vice-mayor: Patrick Isherwood

List of mayors
This is a list of Tulare mayors by year.

State and federal
In the California State Legislature, Tulare is in, , and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Tulare is in, and.

Elementary and middle schools
The Tulare City School District operates 10 elementary schools, five middle schools, and two k-8 schools in Tulare. The ten elementary schools are Cypress, Heritage, Garden, Kohn, Lincoln, Maple, Mission Valley, Pleasant, Roosevelt, and Wilson. Lincoln, Maple, and Kohn Elementary also have Title I preschools. The five middle schools are Cherry Avenue, Live Oak, Los Tules, Mulcahy, and Community Day School. The K-8 school is Alpine Vista, opened in the 2013–14 school year. There is also a private K-8 school called St. Aloysius. There are also five K-8 country schools: Buena Vista, Oak Valley, Palo Verde, Waukena and Sundale.

High schools
Secondary education in Tulare is provided by the Tulare Joint Union High School District. The district operates five high schools in the city: Tulare Union, Tulare Western, Mission Oak, Tech Prep, and Sierra Vista.

Higher education
Tulare students have two local area community colleges from which to choose: College of the Sequoias in Tulare, and College of the Sequoias in nearby Visalia. College of the Sequoias new Tulare Center for Agriculture and Technology campus, located on East Bardsley Ave in Tulare, opened in 2013. The Tulare Center is forecast to be a full 10,000 student college by 2040.

Transportation
Tulare is located on California's central corridor, State Route 99. State Routes 63 and 137 also serve the city.

Air
The City of Tulare owns and operates their own municipal airport, Mefford Field, which has an asphalt runway of 3,914 feet. 60 private planes are currently based there.

National/international commercial air service is available from: Fresno (1 hr), Bakersfield (1 hr. 15 min.), as well as limited commercial service available from Visalia (15 min) and Porterville (40 min).

Rail
Tulare is located on the main line of the Union Pacific Railroad.

Tulare was formerly a station stop on the Visalia District of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The rail line has since been removed and converted into a Rail trail.

Bus
Tulare's Greyhound bus depot offers frequent packages and personnel service to all points in the west. The local Tulare InterModal Express offers a "fixed route" schedule in the city, as well as a Dial-A-Ride service. Tulare County Area Transit connects Tulare and Delano.

Honors
In December 2010 the City of Tulare was recognized with an honorable mention by the California Sustainability Alliance's Sustainability Showcase Awards. The honor commends the city for its commitment to sustainability through extensive building retrofits, residential solar programs and forthcoming citywide Climate Action Plan.

In April 2011 the City of Tulare received the Climate Change Award for the city's Energy Efficient Strategy at the 2011 Green California Summit and Exposition.

In September 2011, the city of Tulare's Redevelopment Agency received a total of two awards for a single redevelopment project. The Tule Vista Housing Development received the first place American Planning Association 2011 Central Section Outstanding Planning Project award, as well as the 2011 Award of Excellence from the California State Chapter of the American Planning Association. The two awards also went to Pacific West Communities and Tulare County Housing Authority, who worked in conjunction with the Tulare Redevelopment Agency on the project.

Twin towns – sister cities
Tulare's sister cities are:
 * Angra do Heroísmo, Azores
 * Inverell, Australia

Notable people

 * Jack Aker – Major League Baseball player, born in Tulare
 * Bryan Allen – pedal-powered aircraft pilot
 * Albert Greenwood Brown - on death row for rape and murder
 * Bonnie Bryant – LPGA golfer; born in Tulare
 * The Charades – popular R&B/doo-wop musical group of the 1960s
 * Max Choboian – professional football player for Denver Broncos
 * Matt Crafton – NASCAR driver
 * Zac Diles – professional football player for Kansas City Chiefs
 * Dominique Dorsey – professional football player, the running back for Saskatchewan Roughriders of Canadian Football League
 * Jim Ellis – professional baseball player; born in Tulare.
 * Fred Ford – professional football player for Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers
 * Hal Fowler - American poker player, world championship winner in 1979, at the 1979 World Series of Poker; long-time resident of Tulare
 * Jeremiah Green – professional football player, for Jacksonville Jaguars
 * Virgil Green – professional football player, member of Super Bowl 50 champion Denver Broncos; born in Tulare
 * Bryce Harris – professional football player for New Orleans Saints
 * Sim Iness – Olympic discus gold medalist in 1952 Summer Olympics
 * Odell Jones – professional baseball player for five MLB teams; born in Tulare
 * Bob Mathias – two-time Olympic decathlon gold medalist and U.S. Congressman; born in Tulare
 * Mike Morgan – professional baseball player, member of 2001 World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks; born in Tulare
 * Rance Mulliniks – professional baseball player and broadcaster; born in Tulare
 * Lois Neilson – silent movie actress: first wife of actor and comedian Stan Laurel; born in Tulare
 * Devin Nunes – U.S. Congressmen from CA; born in Tulare
 * General Maurice A. Preston – Air Force four-star general, Commander of USAFE 1966–1968
 * Tex Rankin – international aerobatic champion, air racer, barnstormer, and stunt pilot
 * Shirley Shahan – pioneering drag racer; first female driver to win an NHRA title
 * James Stallworth – world high school record holder for the long jump
 * Bob Veith – auto racer; born in Tulare
 * Marquess Wilson – professional football player, wide receiver for New York Jets; born in Tulare
 * Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. – Chief of Naval Operations 1970–1974
 * Richard Torez – Super Heavyweight boxer, silver medalist in Tokyo

title: Tulare, California


text:
Visalia, California

Visalia  is a city in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley of California. The population was 141,384 as per the 2020 census. Visalia is the fifth-largest city in the San Joaquin Valley, the 40th most populous in California, and 192nd in the United States. As the county seat of Tulare County, Visalia serves as the economic and governmental center to one of the most productive agricultural counties in the country.

History
The area around Visalia was first settled by the Yokuts and Mono Native American tribes hundreds of years ago. When the first Europeans arrived is unknown, but the first to make a written record of the area was Pedro Fages in 1722.

When California achieved statehood in 1850, Tulare County did not exist. The land that is now Tulare County was part of the vast County of Mariposa. In 1852, some pioneers settled in the area, then called Four Creeks. The area got its name from the many watershed creeks and rivers flowing from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. All the water resulted in a widespread swampy area with a magnificent oak forest. The industrious group of settlers petitioned the state legislature for county status, and on July 10 of that same year, Tulare County became a reality.

One of the first inhabitants of a fort built by the settlers was Nathaniel Vise, who was responsible for surveying the new settlement. In November 1852, he wrote, "The town contains from 60–80 inhabitants, 30 of whom are children of school age. The town is located upon one of the subdivisions of the Kaweah River and is destined to be the county seat of Tulare." In 1853, that prediction became a reality and Visalia has remained the county seat since that time. Visalia is named for Nathaniel Vise's ancestral home, Visalia, Kentucky.

Early growth in Visalia can be attributed in part to the gold rush along the Kern River. The gold fever brought many transient miners through Visalia along the way, and when the lure of gold failed to materialize, many returned to Visalia to live their lives and raise families. In 1859, Visalia was added to John Butterfield's Overland Stage route from St. Louis to San Francisco. A plaque commemorating the location can be found at 116 East Main Street. Included in the early citizens were some notorious and nasty individuals who preyed upon the travelers along the Butterfield Stage route. Many saloons and hotels sprouted up around the stage stop downtown and commerce was brisk if a bit risky.

The next memorable event was the arrival of the telegraph in 1860. Visalians then could get timely information of the events taking place on the East Coast that would ultimately develop into the Civil War. During the war, many citizens of Visalia could not decide whether Visalia should stand on the side of the North or the South, so they simply had a mini Civil War of their own on Main Street. No one really knows the outcome of the war, but apparently it was concluded to the satisfaction of the participants and life returned to normal. The federal government, however, was not so easily convinced, and reacting to concern about sedition, banned Visalia's pro-South Equal Rights Expositor newspaper and established a military garrison. Camp Babbitt was built in 1862 to stop overt Southern support and maintain law and order in the community. During these Civil War years, Visalia was incorporated, which gave the town new rights.

The second incorporation in 1874 moved Visalia into city status with a common council and an ex-officio mayor and president. In 1893, the train bandits and murderers John Sontag and Chris Evans were apprehended, badly wounded, outside Visalia in what is called the Battle of Stone Corral. Sontag died three weeks later in police custody in Fresno; Evans was sent to Folsom State Prison. In 1904, the Visalia Electric Railroad was incorporated.

In October 1933, Visalia was the site of a fact-finding committee appointed by Governor James Rolph and charged with investigating labor violence in the San Joaquin cotton strike. Labor activist Caroline Decker led hundreds of strikers in a march on the courthouse, and led the questioning of strikers during the investigation. In the mid-1970s, the area was known for the serial burglaries of the then unidentified Visalia Ransacker. More recently, Visalia served as a host city for the Amgen Tour of California in 2009 and 2010.

Geography
Visalia is irregularly shaped and covers a total area of 36.3 sqmi, of which 36.3 sqmi are land and 0.05% is covered by water. Visalia is located at 36°19'27" North, 119°18'26" West (36.324100, −119.307347).

The highest point in the Visalia–Porterville area is Mount Whitney. Located at the far reaches of the Sierra Nevada roughly 58 mi east of the city, it reaches a height of 14505 ft, and was long famous as the highest mountain in the lower 48 states. The hilliest parts of the Visalia area are the Venice Hills and the entire Sierra Nevada foothills east of the city. Four main streams run through the city. The major stream is the St. John's River, which begins at the diversion dam in the Kaweah River and is largely seasonal. The others are Mill Creek, Cameron Creek, and Packwood Creek. Many smaller creeks also flow through the city. The Friant-Kern Canal runs just east of the city along the western edge of the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Cityscape
The city is divided into neighborhoods, some of which were incorporated places or communities. Also, several independent cities around Visalia are popularly grouped with the city of Visalia, due to its immediate vicinity. Generally, the city is divided into these areas: Downtown Visalia, North Visalia, the Eastside, Southwest Visalia, the Industrial Area, Mooney, and the Westside.

Climate
Visalia has a semi-arid climate (BSk, under the Köppen climate classification), and receives just enough annual precipitation to stay out of Köppen's BWk (desert climate) classification. Visalia enjoys plenty of sunshine throughout the year, with an average of only 26 days with measurable precipitation annually.

Visalia averages 10.32 in of precipitation annually, which mainly occurs during the winter and spring (November through April) with generally light rain showers, but sometimes as heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. Years of average rainfall are rare; the usual pattern is bimodal, with a short string of dry years (perhaps 7 –) followed by one or two wet years that make up the average. While the Sierra Nevada mountains farther east in Tulare County tend to receive snow every winter, snowfall is extremely rare in Visalia. The greatest snowfall recorded in the city was 2 in on January 25, 1999.

Importance of the valley oak
Visalia's Valley Oak Ordinance, adopted in 1971, regulates pruning and removing valley oak (Quercus lobata) trees. The area was once a dense oak woodland and the city is trying to maintain a healthy urban forest partly through preserving Mooney Grove Park, one of the largest valley oak groves in California. Also, just outside the city limits is the Kaweah Oaks Preserve, which is a 322 acre nature preserve. It protects one of the last remaining valley oak riparian forests in the San Joaquin Valley.

The Visalia Rawhide
The Visalia Rawhide are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They have played their home games at Valley Strong Ballpark since their inception in 1946.

The team has had nine names, most of which reflected its changing major-league affiliates, most recently the Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, Oakland A's, Tampa Bay Rays, and Diamondbacks. They took the name Rawhide in 2009.

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Rawhide were organized into the Low-A West at the Low-A classification. In 2022, the Low-A West became known as the California League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization, and was reclassified as a Single-A circuit.

Environmental issues
Owing to geography Visalia suffers from air pollution in the form of smog, agricultural and other particulates. The Visalia area and the rest of the San Joaquin Valley are susceptible to atmospheric inversion, which holds in the exhausts from road vehicles, airplanes, locomotives, manufacturing, and other sources. Unlike other cities that rely on rain to clear smog, Visalia gets only 11.03 in of rain each year; pollution accumulates over many consecutive days. Issues of air quality in Visalia and other major cities led to the passage of early national environmental legislation, including the Clean Air Act. More recently, the state of California has led the nation in working to limit pollution by mandating low emission vehicles. Particulate pollution can also be high during the winter due to frequent low-level inversions and during longer periods of dry weather. The same low-level inversions that cause high pollution levels in the winter also cause the frequent dense fog, locally known as Tule fog.

As a result, pollution levels have dropped in recent decades. The number of stage 1 smog alerts has declined from over 100 per year in the 1970s to almost zero in the new millennium. Despite improvement, the 2006 annual report of the American Lung Association ranked the city as the 11th-most polluted in the country with short-term particle pollution and year-round particle pollution. In 2007, the annual report of the American Lung Association ranked the city as the fourth-most polluted in the country with short-term particle pollution and year-round particle pollution. In 2008, the city was ranked the third-most polluted and again fourth for highest year-round particulate pollution.

Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Visalia had a population of 124,442. The population density was 3,431.4 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Visalia was 80,203 (64.5%) White, 2,627 (2.1%) African American, 1,730 (1.4%) Native American, 6,768 (5.4%) Asian, 164 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 27,249 (21.9%) from other races, and 5,701 (4.6%) from two or more races. There were 57,262 people (46.0%) people of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race.

The Census reported that 123,116 people (98.9% of the population) lived in households, 606 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 720 (0.6%) were institutionalized.

There were 41,349 households, out of which 18,102 (43.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 21,219 (51.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 6,508 (15.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,909 (7.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,282 (7.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships. 8,383 households (20.3%) were made up of individuals, and 3,330 (8.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98. There were 30,636 families (74.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.42.

The population was spread out, with 37,406 people (30.1%) under the age of 18, 12,461 people (10.0%) aged 18 to 24, 33,922 people (27.3%) aged 25 to 44, 27,779 people (22.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 12,874 people (10.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.

There were 44,205 housing units at an average density of 1,218.9 /sqmi, of which 25,380 (61.4%) were owner-occupied, and 15,969 (38.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.7%. 73,980 people (59.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 49,136 people (39.5%) lived in rental housing units.

2006–2008
According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, the racial composition of Visalia was as follows:

 * White: 84.0% (Non-Hispanic Whites: 50.0%)
 * Black or African American: 2.2%
 * Native American: 1.8%
 * Asian: 5.0%
 * Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%
 * Some other race: 7.6%
 * Two or more races: 2.9%
 * Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 40.6%

African Americans make up 2.2% of Visalia's population. According to the survey, there were 2,574 African Americans residing in Visalia.

Native Americans make up 0.7% of Visalia's population. According to the survey, there were 827 Native Americans residing in Visalia.

Asian Americans make up 5.0% of Visalia's population. According to the survey, there were 5,762 Asian Americans residing in Visalia. The seven largest Asian American groups were the following:

 * Other Asian (Cambodian, Laotian, Thai, Hmong, Lahu, Mien, etc.): 2.7% (3,092)
 * Vietnamese: 0.7% (804)
 * Filipino: 0.5% (597)
 * Chinese: 0.4% (500)
 * Indian: 0.4% (437)
 * Japanese: 0.2% (237)
 * Korean: 0.1% (97)

Pacific Islander Americans make up 0.1% of Visalia's population. According to the survey, there were 138 Pacific Islander Americans residing in Visalia.

Multiracial Americans make up 2.9% of Visalia's population. According to the survey, there were 3,350 multiracial Americans residing in Visalia. The four main multiracial groups were the following:

 * White & Black: 0.4% (468)
 * White & Native American: 0.9% (1,007)
 * White & Asian: 0.5% (534)
 * Black & Native American: 0.1% (68)

Hispanics and Latinos make up 40.6% of Visalia's population. According to the survey, there were 47,251 Hispanics and Latinos residing in Visalia. The four main Hispanic/Latino groups were the following:

 * Mexican: 38.2% (44,397)
 * Puerto Rican: 0.2% (177)
 * Cuban: 0.1% (91)
 * Other Hispanic or Latino (Guatemalan, Salvadoran, Honduran, etc.): 2.2% (2,586)

White Americans make up 84.0% of Visalia's population. According to the survey, there were 97,735 White Americans residing in Visalia. Much of the European American population is of German, Irish, English, Italian, Russian, Polish, and French descent.

Source:

According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, the top ten European ancestries were the following:

 * German: 8.2% (9,486)
 * English: 6.4% (7,445)
 * Irish: 5.8% (6,726)
 * Portuguese: 2.5% (2,983)
 * Italian: 2.4% (2,792)
 * French: 2.0% (2,278)
 * Dutch: 1.6% (1,877)
 * Scottish: 1.0% (1,178)
 * Scotch-Irish: 0.8% (953)
 * Polish: 0.7% (820)

Source:

2000
The 2000 census recorded 91,565 people, 30,883 households, and 22,901 families residing in the city, with a population density of 3,203.8 people per square mile. There were 32,658 housing units. As of the 2000 US Census, the racial distribution in Visalia was 54.9% White American, 2.3% African American, 6.0% Asian American, 2.4% Native American, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 20.3% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. 35.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

The census indicated that 70.9% spoke English, 12.1% Spanish, 1.0% Lahu, 0.8% Mien, 0.7% Hmong, 0.6% Laotian and 0.5% Tagalog as their first language.

According to the census, 41.1% of households had children under 18, 54.9% were married couples, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 20.7% of households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size 3.37.

The age distribution was: 31.3% under 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32. For every 100 females, there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.

The median income for a household was $53,975, and for a family was $61,823. Males had a median income of $46,423, females $34,265. The per capita income was $23,751. 14.8% of the population and 13.2% of families were below the poverty line. 21.4% of those under the age of 18 and 9.4% of those aged 65 or older were below the poverty line.

Religion
About 233,293 Christians are in the metropolitan area (85,000 in the city proper). Churches of the Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian. Lutheran, Baptist, Church of Christ, Assemblies of God, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pentecostal, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, Mennonite, and other denominations can be found throughout the city. Some of the larger Protestant Christian congregations include Radiant Church, Visalia First Assembly, Neighborhood Church, Gateway Church, Grace Community Church, Christ Lutheran Church, Visalia Nazarene Church, and Visalia Community Covenant Church.

St. Charles Borromeo is the largest Catholic parish church in North America.

Visalia has a multiethnic population practicing a variety of faiths, including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism, Baháʼí, Sufism. Immigrants from Southeast Asia have formed the Lao Buddhist Temple of Visalia, one of two Buddhist temples in the Visalia Area.

Economy
The economy of Visalia is driven by agriculture (especially grapes, olives, cotton, citrus, and nursery products), livestock, and distribution and manufacturing facilities (electronics and paper products are significant manufacturing sectors). Light manufacturing and industrial/commercial distribution represent the fastest growing portion of Visalia's employer base.

Top employers
According to the city's June 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Arts and culture
The Tulare County Public Library operates its largest branch, the Visalia Branch, in Downtown Visalia. There are other smaller libraries in Visalia, such as the Visalia Learning Center.

Historic brick structures include the Bank of Italy, and the Visalia Town Center Post Office, both of which are registered with the National Register of Historic Places. Other historic buildings include the Fox Theatre, used for music and stage performances.

Sports
Visalia is home to the Visalia Rawhide (a "single-A" class team of the Arizona Diamondbacks) of Minor League Baseball. The Rawhide compete in the California League at Recreation Park.

It is also home to the Visalia Vapor Trailers, the longest-active official National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) car club.

Local government
Like much of the San Joaquin Valley, more resident voters are registered in the Republican Party than the Democratic Party.

Of the 51,718 registered voters in Visalia; approximately 31.9% are Democrats and 49.1% are Republicans. The remaining 19.0% are Independents or are registered with one of the many smaller political parties, like the Green Party or the Libertarian Party.

Visalia is a charter city with a city charter approved by the electorate that acts as a "constitution" for the city. Until the November 2012 elections, Visalia voters at large, elected the five-member City Council that serves as the city's legislative and governing body. The city council members serve four-year terms, and they select one member to serve as mayor and one to serve as vice mayor. The City Council hires a powerful city manager that serves as executive officer, administers city operations, and carries out city policies. Every odd-numbered year either two or three members are elected by the people to serve a four-year term. Each March, the City Council meets and chooses one of its members as mayor and one as vice-mayor. The current mayor of Visalia is Bob Link and vice mayor is Steve Nelsen.

The City of Visalia had been threatened with a lawsuit from a network of civil-rights attorneys claiming the city violated the California Voting Rights Act, passed into law in 2002. On March 5, 2012, the Visalia City Council voted to put on the November 2012 ballot an initiative that changed the way that Visalia voters get to elect their city council. The measure passed and since the November 2016 elections, Visalia holds district elections in which the candidates must live in one of the five areas (or "districts") forming the city, and only residents of that area cast their votes.

List of mayors
This is a list of Visalia mayors by year.
 * 2003-2005 Bob Link
 * 2009-2011 Bob Link
 * 2011-2013 Amy Shuklian
 * December 2016 – 2018 E. Warren Gubler

State and federal representation
In the California State Legislature, Visalia is split between, and. Visalia is also split between, and.

In the United States House of Representatives, Visalia is split between, and.

Colleges and universities
College of the Sequoias, a community college, is the only public college located in Visalia.

Universities with branch campuses located within the city limits: Private colleges in Visalia include:
 * Fresno State
 * Chapman University
 * Fresno Pacific University
 * Brandman University
 * San Joaquin Valley College
 * University of Phoenix

Visalia is the only major city in the Central Valley with a population over 100,000 that does not have a local four-year university.

Schools
Visalia Unified School District serves the entire city of Visalia, as well as several surrounding communities, with a student population of about 30,000.

Media
The daily newspaper is the Visalia Times-Delta.

Freeways and highways
California State Route 99, known as the Pearl Harbor Survivors Memorial Freeway, is the major north–south highway that heads north to Fresno and south to Bakersfield. California State Route 198 runs east to Sequoia National Park and west to San Lucas. California State Route 63, Mooney Boulevard, heads north towards Orosi and Kings Canyon National Park, and south to Tulare. California State Route 216, Lovers Lane, heads east to Woodlake.

Public transportation
Visalia Transit (formerly Visalia City Coach) operates public transportation to, from and within the communities of Visalia, Goshen, Farmersville and Exeter. The Visalia Transit also provides Dial-A-Ride curb-to-curb para-transit service on a shared-ride, demand-response basis to locations within the city limits of Visalia, Goshen and Farmersville.

Tulare County Area Transit (TCaT) provides the public transit services between Visalia and smaller communities throughout the greater Visalia area. Service includes Fixed Route and Demand Responsive services that are offered Monday through Saturday.

Orange Belt Stages has a bus stop in Visalia for commuting Amtrak rail passengers with Visalia as their final destination.

Amtrak Thruway 18 provides daily connections to the nearest Amtrak station in Hanford. The bus continues on to Santa Maria, with several stops in between.

The Sequoia Shuttle provides an alternative form of transportation from Visalia and Three Rivers to Sequoia National Park.

The Loop is an easy, free way for all school-aged children to get to community centers and recreation centers throughout Visalia where activities for youth are happening.

In late 2015, city officials unveiled the V-Line, a bus that connects Visalia and Fresno. Its stops, in order, are the Visalia Transit Center, Visalia Municipal Airport, Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Fresno State University, and the Fresno Courthouse, which is walking distance to the Fresno Amtrak station. The bus fare is $10 each way. Discounted fares are available for students, seniors, and disabled riders. This bus has amenities such as free WiFi and charging ports.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority has plans to build a high speed rail station 20 miles west of Visalia named Kings–Tulare Regional Station, which will service the city of Hanford as well as Visalia. Originally planned to be at-grade, the High-Speed Rail Authority has now built a viaduct crossing California State Route 198, which the station will be situated atop.

Air transportation
Visalia Municipal Airport is located here.

Current
Visalia is currently served by the San Joaquin Valley Railroad as part of its Goshen Subdivision, which runs from Goshen, California (a connection with the Union Pacific Fresno Subdivision) to Exeter, California. This line was originally built by the Visalia Railroad (incorporated May 19, 1874) and was later acquired by the Southern Pacific in 1895. SP sold the line to the SJVR in 1992. The railroad primarily serves the Visalia Industrial Park, on the western side of the city limits.

Former
The Visalia Electric Railroad ran eastward from the city, and at one time had lines extending to Woodlake and Strathmore, with the line to Woodlake being electrified. The VE was operational from 1906 to 1990, when the line was abandoned and pulled up east of Exeter.

Visalia was formerly a station stop on the Visalia District of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. A depot and small yard were located in the city. The line was originally built by the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad. The portion of this rail line through Visalia was abandoned and removed in 1994.

In 1887, the Visalia and Tulare railroad was established between its two namesake cities. The railroad ceased operation by October 1900, a victim of competition and an accident with a wandering calf on May 7, 1900, which injured several people.

Sister cities

 * 🇮🇹 Putignano, Italy
 * 🇯🇵 Miki, Japan

title: Visalia, California


text:
Woodlake, California

Woodlake is a city in the San Joaquin Valley in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 7,419 at the 2020 census, up from 7,279 at the 2010 census. In 1912, the city of Woodlake was founded by Gilbert F. Stevenson.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 sqmi, of which, 2.2 sqmi of it is land and 0.5 sqmi of it (18.69%) is water.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Woodlake has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Demographics
The 2010 census reported that Woodlake had a population of 7,279. The population density was 2,633.5 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Woodlake was 3,691 (50.7%) White, 37 (0.5%) African American, 108 (1.5%) Native American, 52 (0.7%) Asian, 9 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 3,072 (42.2%) from other races, and 310 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6,381 persons (87.7%).

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.

There were 1,966 households, 1,169 (59.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,055 (53.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 403 (20.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 175 (8.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 177 (9.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 9 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 271 households (13.8%) were one person and 127 (6.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.70. There were 1,633 families (83.1% of households); the average family size was 4.03.

The population was spread out, with 2,626 people (36.1%) under the age of 18, 857 people (11.8%) aged 18 to 24, 1,883 people (25.9%) aged 25 to 44, 1,382 people (19.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 531 people (7.3%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 26.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.

There were 2,067 housing units at an average density of 747.8 /mi2, of which 970 (49.3%) were owner-occupied, and 996 (50.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.2%. 3,708 people (50.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,571 people (49.1%) lived in rental housing units.

Economy
In 2017, the city approved two companies’ cannabis dispensary proposals in hopes of generating tax revenue for the public service budget.

Government
The community of Woodlake is serviced by its own municipal police department. The police services building is adjacent to the City Hall complex on Valencia Boulevard.

In the state legislature Woodlake is located in, and in. In the United States House of Representatives, Woodlake is in.

Education
The schools include, Woodlake High School, Woodlake Valley Middle School, Castle Rock Elementary School, F.J. White Elementary. Woodlake high school consists of grades 9–12. Woodlake Valley Middle School consists of grades 6–8. Castle Rock Elementary School consists of grades 3–5. F.J. White Elementary consists of grades K-2. Woodlake High School provides an anonymous tip line to help ensure the safety of their students. This tip line can consist of bullying, threats, suspicious activity, etc.

title: Woodlake, California


text:
Woodville, California

Woodville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 1,740 at the 2010 census, up from 1,678 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Woodville is located at 36.09194°N, -119.2°W (36.091847, -119.200116).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 4.4 sqmi, all of it land.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Woodville had a population of 1,740. The population density was 399.9 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Woodville was 1,345 (77.3%) White, 1 (0.1%) African American, 31 (1.8%) Native American, 6 (0.3%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 324 (18.6%) from other races, and 33 (1.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,545 persons (88.8%).

The Census reported that 1,740 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 409 households, out of which 269 (65.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 246 (60.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 59 (14.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 62 (15.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 40 (9.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 5 (1.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 32 households (7.8%) were made up of individuals, and 9 (2.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.25. There were 367 families (89.7% of all households); the average family size was 4.34.

The population was spread out, with 624 people (35.9%) under the age of 18, 215 people (12.4%) aged 18 to 24, 477 people (27.4%) aged 25 to 44, 312 people (17.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 112 people (6.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 117.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.1 males.

There were 425 housing units at an average density of 97.7 /sqmi, of which 224 (54.8%) were owner-occupied, and 185 (45.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.1%. 916 people (52.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 824 people (47.4%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,678 people, 371 households, and 316 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 385.3 PD/sqmi. There were 384 housing units at an average density of 88.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 27.23% White, 0.06% African American, 1.49% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 67.16% from other races, and 3.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 82.54% of the population.

There were 371 households, out of which 52.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.6% were non-families. 12.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.51 and the average family size was 4.87.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 39.9% under the age of 18, 13.8% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 13.8% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 116.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 124.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $25,474, and the median income for a family was $22,946. Males had a median income of $16,917 versus $14,821 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $6,824. About 33.6% of families and 36.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.9% of those under age 18 and 25.0% of those age 65 or over.

The languages spoken at home were Spanish 81.5%, English 17.46%, and Portuguese 1.02%.

Government
In the California State Legislature, Woodville is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Woodville is in

H.A. Vossler & Sons

title: Woodville, California


text:
Chinese Camp, California

Chinese Camp is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tuolumne County, California, United States. The population was 126 at the 2010 census, down from 146 at the 2000 census. It lies in the grassy foothills of the Sierra Nevada near the southern end of California's Gold Country.

Chinese Camp is California Historical Landmark #423, since 1949.

Geography
Chinese Camp is located at 37.87028°N, -120.43361°W (37.870294, −120.433526). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.9 sqmi, 99.72% of it land and 0.28% of it water.

Natural history
Wilderness near Chinese Camp is the location of the last remaining known population of the federally listed threatened plant species Brodiaea pallida, the Chinese Camp brodiaea.

History
Chinese Camp is the remnant of a notable California Gold Rush mining town. Between 1849 and 1882, thousands of Chinese immigrants arrived in the area to look for good fortune on the legendary “Gold Mountain.”

The settlement was first known as "Camp Washington" or "Washingtonville" and one of the few remaining streets is Washington Street. Some of the first Chinese laborers arriving in California in 1849 were driven from neighboring Camp Salvado and resettled here, and the area started to become known as "Chinee" or "Chinese Camp" or "Chinese Diggings". At one point, the town was home to an estimated 5,000 Chinese.

The Chinese Camp post office was established in the general store on April 18, 1854. This building is currently vacant, and a post office is in operation on a plot of land rented from a local resident.

An 1892 Tuolumne County history indicates that, in 1856, four of the six Chinese companies (protective associations) had agents here and that the first tong war (between the Sam Yap and Yan Woo tongs) was fought near here when the population of the area totaled several thousand. The actual location is several miles away, past the 'red hills', near the junction of Red Hills Road and J-59.

An 1860 diary says Chinese Camp was the metropolis for the mining district, with many urban comforts. While placer mining had played out in much of the Gold Country by the early 1860s, it was still active here as late as 1870. An 1899 mining bulletin listed the total gold production of the area as near US$2.5 million.

Chinese Camp is the location and subject of California Historical Landmark #423, dedicated on March 4, 1949. The Saint Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church, established in 1855, making it the oldest church in the county. The church was renovated in 1949, by John Nicolini but has since fallen into disrepair. The church itself is owned by the Stockton archdiocese.

The current Chinese Camp School is very distinctive, having been designed by Dolores Nicolini in the style of a Chinese pagoda. This school has been in operation since 1970. Previously, the school was in a building near the church. This building was lost in a fire on May 4, 2006.

2010
At the 2010 census Chinese Camp had a population of 126. The population density was 139.9 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Chinese Camp was 92 (73%) White, 0 African American, 7 (6%) Native American, 0 Asian, 0 Pacific Islander, 16 (13%) from other races, and 11 (9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25 people (20%).

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized. 0 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 were institutionalized.

There were 50 households, 15 (30%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 23 (46%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2 (4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 6 (12%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 5 (10%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1 (2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 15 households (30%) were one person and 6 (12%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.5. There were 31 families (62% of households); the average family size was 3.2.

The age distribution was 30 people (24%) under the age of 18, 11 people (9%) aged 18 to 24, 24 people (19%) aged 25 to 44, 46 people (37%) aged 45 to 64, and 15 people (12%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 43.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.7 males.

There were 60 housing units at an average density of 66.6 per square mile, of the occupied units 36 (72.0%) were owner-occupied and 14 (28.0%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3%; the rental vacancy rate was 0%. 99 people (79% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 27 people (21%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 146 people, 57 households, and 38 families in the CDP. The population density was 162.5 PD/sqmi. There were 64 housing units at an average density of 71.2 /mi2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 92% White, 1% African American, 3% Native American, 1% Asian, 1% from other races, and 2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12%.

Of the 57 households 32% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54% were married couples living together, 12% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32% were non-families. 30% of households were one person and 9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.2.

The age distribution was 28% under the age of 18, 10% from 18 to 24, 32% from 25 to 44, 20% from 45 to 64, and 10% 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 117.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.0 males.

The median household income was $31,875 and the median family income was $35,833. Males had a median income of $25,833 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $11,501. There were 21% of families and 23% of the population living below the poverty line, including 36% of under eighteens and 14% of those over 64.

Government
In the California State Legislature, Chinese Camp is in, and.

In the United States House of Representatives, Chinese Camp is in.

Montezuma
Montezuma just north of Chinese Camp is a California Historical Landmark. The Montezuma is a current tungsten mine at an elevation of 9,439 feet. A marker is on California State Route 49, the California Historical Landmark number 122 reads:
 * NO. 122 MONTEZUMA - First record of Montezuma was June 1850 when partners Solomon Miller and Peter K. Aurand, proprietors of the 'Montezuma Tent,' were attacked and Aurand killed by a group of Mexicans during the foreign miners tax excitement of that period. Due to the lack of water, little mining occurred here until 1852 when a ditch and flume were completed bringing water for placer mining. Two types of mining were carried on, placer operations on the flats and tunnels extending under Table Mountain. The gravel produced 3-1/2 C. per pan in the mid 50s. The yield was from $5 to $10 per day. One placer nugget found in 1853 weighed 18 lbs. 8 oz. By late 1852 the population was about 800. At its zenith Montezuma City had four saloons, two hotels, Adams Express Co., post office, church, some homes, and many tents and cabins. The town was nearly destroyed by an incendiary fire which started in Clarks Hotel on June 29, 1866.

title: Chinese Camp, California


text:
Columbia, California

Columbia is a census-designated place (CDP) located in the Sierra Nevada foothills in Tuolumne County, California, United States. It was founded as a boomtown in 1850 when gold was found during the California Gold Rush, and was known as the "Gem of the Southern Mines."

The town's historic central district is within the Columbia State Historic Park, which preserves the 19th century mining town legacy. The U.S. historic district is a National Historic Landmark District and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
Columbia is located along State Route 49 just north of Sonora, at an altitude of 2139 ft.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.0 sqmi. Only 0.31% of the total area is covered by water.

Climate
This region experiences hot and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 90.1 °F (32.3 °C). According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Columbia has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.

History

The original indigenous people in the Columbia region were the Miwok.

Rev. John Steele wrote about his time in the gold rush era and about the "Mi-wuk" of Columbia in his memoirs In Camp and Cabin.

Within weeks of finding gold in the vicinity of Columbia, thousands of people arrived and the population climbed to 5,000. By 1852, there were 8 hotels, 4 banks, 17 general stores, 2 bookstores, 1 newspaper, 3 churches, and over 40 drinking/gambling establishments. Between 1850 and the early 1900s, $87 million (~$ in ) in gold was removed from the surrounding hills.

In 1851, the local community brass band, a popular institution, greeted the arrival of the first "white woman" in town. Columbia had five cemeteries, including a Boot Hill, where burials were made without markers.

In 1854, Columbia's first major fire destroyed a majority of the city. The wealthier merchants began rebuilding their business using brick with iron construction materials, the remainder of town was rebuilt of wood and canvas. In 1857, another fire burned down nearly everything else, except three brick buildings. The Columbia one-room school house was built in 1860, renovated in 1872, and finally closed in 1937. It was purchased by the state of California for $1 in 1947, and incorporated into the historic district park.

According to the 1954 episode "11,000 Miners Can't Be Wrong" of the western anthology series Death Valley Days, Columbia lost out in an 1854 bid to become the permanent California state capitol: When Jim Hardwicke, a respected settler, informs the sheriff that he had killed a man in self-defense, Hardwicke is forced to stand trial. Because of jury tampering by a corrupt district attorney, Hardwicke was found guilty. His lawyer, Ed Barrett and his fiancée develop a bizarre scheme to free his client from the hangman's noose; Barrett steals from a safe in the local bank a petition with 11,000 signatures of persons who at the instigation of the same district attorney want Columbia to be the capital, rewrites the first page to call for a pardon for Hardwicke and appeals to the governor, who is impressed that so many signed. The governor orders Hardwicke's release, but Sacramento became the capital. However, the series' episodes tended to be "based on fact" rather than historically accurate.

By 1860, the gold mined in Columbia was diminishing rapidly. The only land left to mine was in the city itself. Miners dug under buildings and tore down houses to get at the gold beneath the city. Copper deposits were found in the area, with the nearby town of Copperopolis experiencing a boom. The bricks from the destroyed buildings in Columbia were sold for new construction in Copperopolis.

In 1862, just days after the Battle of Puebla in Mexico, Columbia was the site of the first official Cinco de Mayo celebrations. According to a paper published by the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture about the origin of the observance of Cinco de Mayo in the United States, the modern American focus on that day first started in Columbia in response to the resistance to French rule in Mexico. "Far up in the gold country town of Columbia, California, Mexican miners were so overjoyed at the news that they spontaneously fired off rifle shots and fireworks, sang patriotic songs and made impromptu speeches."

Columbia, in its heyday, was California's fifth-largest city, boasting a population of about 25,000 people although only about 2,000 people now live in this region. Unlike many gold rush boomtowns, Columbia never became a ghost town. In 1934 under a state sponsored New Deal program of archaeological research, the SERA (State Emergency Relief Administration) hired 65 research workers at U.C. Berkeley's Bancroft Library and 56 additional workers in the field to gather the necessary information to provide for the restoration of the old town. In 1945, California created Columbia State Historic Park from the remains of the historical buildings of the city.

Visitor attractions

Columbia's main street in the historic district, part of the Columbia State Historic Park, is closed to automobile traffic, but horses, carriages, bicycles and pedestrians are welcomed. Known for the huge rock gardens left over from the hydro mining efforts in the 1800s, the area is very popular with families for picnicking and leisurely walks. The antique buildings are leased to era-themed businesses such as gold-panning, candle-dipping, iron-mongering, and crafts. There are several eating establishments. A chicken coop with beautiful Dominique hens lends a sweet background sound to Main Street. A horse-drawn wagon ride for a fee is the main attraction. There are numerous events throughout the year; some of the notable occasions are the Fourth of July parade and Pioneer Days. Occasionally local crafters set up booths along Main Street. Costumed State Park employees and shopkeepers lend to the era-theme of the park. Picnic tables are situated throughout the downtown. There is a short hiking trail from the School House, which is located a couple of blocks from the town. The school is open with static exhibits. Two campgrounds nearby accommodate tenting and motorhomes, as well as a small general store for supplies. Two well-stocked thrift stores are within walking distance.

Other points of interest in the area include Columbia Community College, a two-year, community college; and the Columbia Airport (FAA designator: O22), which has one 4670 ft runway and is busy with firefighting aircraft during summer.

The annual Columbia Fire Muster here is often the earliest of California's summer musters.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Columbia had a population of 2,297. The population density was 384.1 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Columbia was 2,064 (89.9%) White, 27 (1.2%) African American, 26 (1.1%) Native American, 29 (1.3%) Asian, 1 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 27 (1.2%) from other races, and 123 (5.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 171 persons (7.4%).

The Census reported that 2,226 people (96.9% of the population) lived in households, 71 (3.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,002 households, out of which 243 (24.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 432 (43.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 125 (12.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 51 (5.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 53 (5.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 4 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 330 households (32.9%) were made up of individuals, and 142 (14.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22. There were 608 families (60.7% of all households); the average family size was 2.80.

The population was spread out, with 470 people (20.5%) under the age of 18, 201 people (8.8%) aged 18 to 24, 406 people (17.7%) aged 25 to 44, 735 people (32.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 485 people (21.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.

There were 1,117 housing units at an average density of 186.8 /sqmi, of which 661 (66.0%) were owner-occupied, and 341 (34.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.1%. 1,389 people (60.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 837 people (36.4%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,405 people, 1,063 households, and 659 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 389.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,162 housing units at an average density of 188.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.10% White, 0.87% African American, 1.41% Native American, 1.29% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.29% from other races, and 4.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.90% of the population.

There were 1,063 households, out of which 22.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.65.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 20.2% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 18.8% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $29,173, and the median income for a family was $35,000. Males had a median income of $40,729 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $18,731. About 20.2% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.7% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Delmer Berg, veteran of both the Spanish Civil War and World War II, lived in Columbia.
 * Jon Robert Cavaiani, Medal of Honor recipient who lived in Columbia.
 * Drew Gagnon, Major League and KBO pitcher, was born in Columbia.
 * Red Kress, Major League Baseball player and coach, was born in Columbia.
 * Peter Muldoon, Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Rockford, was born in Columbia.
 * Slim Pickens, actor, lived in Columbia in the last decades of his life and was a member of the Church of the 49er.
 * Keith Matthew Emerald, hunter, Columbia resident who started the illegal campfire in 2013 that caused the ‘Rim Fire’ wildfire, the 5th largest wildfire in CA history, which destroyed parts of Yosemite National Park, and which burned for a year.

As a filming location
A few of the more than 100 movies and TV series filmed in Columbia include:
 * Sierra Spirits, 2007
 * Behind the Mask of Zorro, 2005
 * Radio Flyer, 1992
 * Blood Red, 1989
 * Pale Rider, 1985
 * The Shadow Riders, 1982
 * Joe Dancer: The Big Trade, 1981
 * The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang, 1979
 * Law of the Land, 1976
 * Little House on the Prairie, 1974
 * Something for a Lonely Man, 1968
 * Bullwhip, 1958
 * Rage at Dawn, 1955
 * Texas Lady, 1955
 * The Cimarron Kid, 1952
 * Death Valley Days, 1952
 * High Noon, 1952
 * The Lone Ranger, 1949
 * The Red House, 1947
 * Rustlers' Valley, 1937
 * Wells Fargo, 1937
 * The Best Bad Man, 1925
 * Timber Stampede, 1939

Government
In the California State Legislature, Columbia is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Columbia is in.

Airport
The Columbia Airport, a general aviation airfield located approximately one mile from the city, is home to an aerial firefighting air attack base operated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) which bases fixed-wing turboprop aircraft as well as a helicopter there.

title: Columbia, California


text:
East Sonora, California

East Sonora is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tuolumne County, California, United States. The population was 2,266 at the 2010 census, up from 2,078 at the 2000 census.

Geography
East Sonora is located at 37.98056°N, -120.34806°W (37.980561, -120.347961).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.5 sqmi, 99.79% of it land and 0.21% of it water.

2010
At the 2010 census East Sonora had a population of 2,266. The population density was 913.4 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of East Sonora was 2,129 (94.0%) White, 7 (0.3%) African American, 16 (0.7%) Native American, 32 (1.4%) Asian, 1 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 35 (1.5%) from other races, and 46 (2.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 152 people (6.7%).

The census reported that 2,151 people (94.9% of the population) lived in households, 1 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 114 (5.0%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,150 households, 167 (14.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 422 (36.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 80 (7.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 26 (2.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 63 (5.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 9 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 544 households (47.3%) were one person and 393 (34.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 1.87. There were 528 families (45.9% of households); the average family size was 2.62.

The age distribution was 288 people (12.7%) under the age of 18, 128 people (5.6%) aged 18 to 24, 314 people (13.9%) aged 25 to 44, 557 people (24.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 979 people (43.2%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 60.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 74.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.9 males.

There were 1,279 housing units at an average density of 515.6 per square mile, of the occupied units 694 (60.3%) were owner-occupied and 456 (39.7%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 5.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 11.1%. 1,338 people (59.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 813 people (35.9%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 2,078 people, 1,064 households, and 600 families in the CDP. The population density was 805.9 PD/sqmi. There were 1,145 housing units at an average density of 444.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.98% White, 0.82% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.96% from other races, and 3.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.11%.

Of the 1,064 households 15.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.6% were non-families. 39.8% of households were one person and 30.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.94 and the average family size was 2.53.

The age distribution was 15.0% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 14.9% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 42.7% 65 or older. The median age was 60 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.2 males.

The median household income was $34,922 and the median family income was $50,222. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $23,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $23,254. About 2.8% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

History
There really is not a place called East Sonora, at least no signs to signify it as such, so most people just say they are from Sonora, California, proper. They would be Sonorans in the 21st century, or Sonorians in the 19th century.

Government
In the California State Legislature, East Sonora is in, and.

In the United States House of Representatives, East Sonora is in.

title: East Sonora, California


text:
Groveland-Big Oak Flat, California

Groveland-Big Oak Flat is an unincorporated community and former census-designated place (CDP) in Tuolumne County, California, United States. The population was 3,388 at the 2000 census. This CDP included the communities of Groveland, Big Oak Flat and Pine Mountain Lake (PML).

The CDP was abolished prior to the 2010 census, and Groveland and Pine Mountain Lake were made into separate CDPs.

The town hosts an annual 49er Festival on the 3rd Saturday of September, hosted by the Yosemite Chamber of Commerce,. Groveland is the location of the Groveland Ranger District office of the Stanislaus National Forest. The Groveland Community Services District provides services, including fire protection, to the community. The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Tuolumne-Calaveras Ranger Unit, Battalion 16, has a Forest Fire Station west of Groveland on State Route 120.

Geography and climate
Groveland-Big Oak Flat is located at 37.84587°N, -120.2077°W. Elevation is 867 m (2,846 ft).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 28.8 sqmi, of which, 28.5 sqmi of it is land and 0.3 sqmi of it (0.90%) is water.

Groveland has cold, wet winters and very warm, mostly dry summers. Average January temperatures are a maximum of 57.5 °F and a minimum of 30.2 °F. Average July temperatures are a maximum of 90.8 °F and a minimum of 54.2 °F. There are an average of 32.4 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 81.6 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The highest recorded temperature was 103 °F on July 26, 1980, and the lowest recorded temperature was -2 °F on January 30, 1916.

Annual precipitation averages 37.28 inches. There are an average of 58 days with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1982 with 66.95 inches and the dryest year was 1976 with 12.27 inches. The most precipitation in one month was 30.76 inches in January 1911. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 8.26 inches on January 27, 1914. Average annual snowfall is 15.3 inches. The snowiest year was 1967 with 65.0 inches. The most snow in one month was 42.0 inches in April 1967.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,388 people, 1,533 households, and 1,100 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 118.7 PD/sqmi. There were 2,904 housing units at an average density of 101.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.62% White, 0.65% African American, 1.59% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.06% from other races, and 3.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.93% of the population.

There were 1,533 households, out of which 18.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.55.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 17.4% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 16.5% from 25 to 44, 34.0% from 45 to 64, and 28.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $41,928, and the median income for a family was $48,386. Males had a median income of $39,861 versus $21,161 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $27,394. About 2.6% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

title: Groveland-Big Oak Flat, California


text:
Jamestown, California

Jamestown is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tuolumne County, California, United States. The population was 3,433 at the 2010 census, up from 3,017 at the 2000 census. Formerly a California Gold Rush town, Jamestown is a California Historical Landmark since March 16, 1949. It is the home of Railtown 1897 State Historic Park and the Sierra Railway, which operates steam passenger trains.

Geography
Jamestown is located at 37.95496°N, -120.40531°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 3.0 sqmi, 99.93% of it land and 0.07% of it water.

2010
At the 2010 census Jamestown had a population of 3,433. The population density was 1,145.7 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Jamestown was 2,948 (85.9%) White, 20 (0.6%) African American, 96 (2.8%) Native American, 27 (0.8%) Asian, 4 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 135 (3.9%) from other races, and 203 (5.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 511 people (14.9%).

The census reported that 3,423 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 10 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 1,501 households, 399 (26.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 592 (39.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 209 (13.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 80 (5.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 100 (6.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 4 (0.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 513 households (34.2%) were one person and 299 (19.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.28. There were 881 families (58.7% of households); the average family size was 2.89.

The age distribution was 752 people (21.9%) under the age of 18, 289 people (8.4%) aged 18 to 24, 686 people (20.0%) aged 25 to 44, 938 people (27.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 768 people (22.4%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 44.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.

There were 1,645 housing units at an average density of 549.0 per square mile, of the occupied units 885 (59.0%) were owner-occupied and 616 (41.0%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.5%. 1,857 people (54.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,566 people (45.6%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 3,017 people, 1,293 households, and 812 families in the CDP. The population density was 987.0 PD/sqmi. There were 1,446 housing units at an average density of 473.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.48% White, 0.10% African American, 2.22% Native American, 1.19% Asian, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 1.92% from other races, and 2.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.48%.

Of the 1,293 households 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 31.1% of households were one person and 18.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.84.

The age distribution was 23.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 24.2% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.

The median household income was $25,847 and the median family income was $34,896. Males had a median income of $27,083 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,209. About 14.1% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.3% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government
In the California State Legislature, Jamestown is in, and.

In the United States House of Representatives, Jamestown is in.

Jamestown is the headquarters for the Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California, a federally recognized tribe of Miwok people.

Appearances in popular culture
Scenes from Back to the Future Part III, the final installment of the Back to the Future trilogy, were filmed in Jamestown. A scene from the 2004 movie Hidalgo was also filmed there. Exterior scenes from the TV series Petticoat Junction, The Wild Wild West, and Green Acres were filmed in and near Jamestown, as well as parts of the Little House on the Prairie TV series.

Jamestown was featured by Huell Howser in Road Trip Episode 153.

title: Jamestown, California