Calaveras County, California

Calaveras County is a county located in the Gold Country of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2000 census, it had a population of 40,554. The county seat is San Andreas.

Mark Twain set his famous story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, in the county. Each year, the county hosts its County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee, featuring a frog jumping contest, to celebrate the association with Twain's story. The celebrated California red-legged frog, feared absent from the county by 1969, was rediscovered in 2003.

Angels Camp is the only incorporated city in the county.

Chupacabra sightings have been reported in Calaveras County.

History

Calaveras County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Parts of the county's territory were given to Amador County in 1854 and to Alpine County in 1864.

The meaning of the word calaveras is "skulls." This county takes its name from the Calaveras River which was reportedly so designated by Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga when he found, on the banks of the stream, many skulls of Native Americans who had either died of famine or had been killed in tribal conflicts over hunting and fishing grounds.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,685 km² (1,037 mi²). 2,642 km² (1,020 mi²) of it is land and 44 km² (17 mi²) of it (1.62%) is water. A California Department of Forestry report lists the county's area in acres as 663,000.

Adjacent Counties

Stanislaus County, California - southwest
San Joaquin County, California - west
Amador County, California - north
Alpine County, California - northeast
Tuolumne County, California - south, southeast

Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 40,554 people, 16,469 households, and 11,742 families residing in the county. The population density was 15/km² (40/mi²). There were 22,946 housing units at an average density of 9/km² (22/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.19% White, 0.75% Black or African American, 1.74% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 2.07% from other races, and 3.31% from two or more races. 6.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 16,469 households out of which 26.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.80% under the age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 22.40% from 25 to 44, 31.10% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,022, and the median income for a family was $47,379. Males had a median income of $41,827 versus $28,108 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,420. About 8.70% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 6.20% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Special Districts

Special districts in Calaveras County include:

Altaville-Melones Fire District
Angels Camp Fire District
Bret Harte Union High School District
Calaveras County Air Pollution Control District
Calaveras Unified School District
Central Fire District (one of many in California)
Copperopolis Fire Protection District
Ebbetts Pass Fire Protection District
Foothill Fire District
Jenny Lind Fire District
Mark Twain Union Elementary School District
Mokelumne Hill Fire District
Murphys Fire District
San Andreas Fire District
Vallecito Union Elementary School District
Valley Springs Public Utilities District
West Point Fire District

Sources

"Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit: 2005 Pre-Fire Management Plan September 28, 2005 Edition," California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 09-28-2005, pp. 16, 17
US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.

External links

Calaveras County government services

Calaveras County, California | California counties

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