Bear Valley Springs, California
Encyclopedia
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) and Community Service District in the Tehachapi Mountains
Tehachapi Mountains
The Tehachapi Mountains , regionally also called The Tehachapis, are a mountain range in the Transverse Ranges system of California in the Western United States...
, in Kern County
Kern County, California
Spreading across the southern end of the California Central Valley, Kern County is the fifth-largest county by population in California. Its economy is heavily linked to agriculture and to petroleum extraction, and there is a strong aviation and space presence. Politically, it has generally...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 5,172 at the 2010 census, up from 4,232 at the 2000 census. Bear Valley Springs' Elevation ranges from 4121 feet (1,256.1 m) to 6,934 feet (Bear Mountain). Bear Valley Springs is located in the greater Tehachapi
Tehachapi, California
Tehachapi is a city incorporated in 1909 located in the Tehachapi Mountains between Bakersfield and Mojave in Kern County, California. Tehachapi is located east-southeast of Bakersfield, at an elevation of...
area.
Geography
Bear Valley Springs is located at 35°09′33"N 118°37′42"W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 41.6 square miles (107.7 km²), of which, 41.5 square miles (107.5 km²) of it is land and 0.07 square mile (0.1812991677 km²) of it (0.16%) is water.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Bear Valley Springs had a population of 5,172. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 124.5 people per square mile (48.1/km²). The racial makeup of Bear Valley Springs was 4,776 (92.3%) White, 74 (1.4%) African American, 46 (0.9%) Native American, 57 (1.1%) Asian, 3 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 89 (1.7%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 127 (2.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 399 persons (7.7%).
The Census reported that 5,171 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 1 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 2,124 households, out of which 571 (26.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,467 (69.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 103 (4.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 54 (2.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 44 (2.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 16 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 429 households (20.2%) were made up of individuals and 214 (10.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43. There were 1,624 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(76.5% of all households); the average family size was 2.79.
The population was spread out with 1,068 people (20.6%) under the age of 18, 246 people (4.8%) aged 18 to 24, 684 people (13.2%) aged 25 to 44, 1,941 people (37.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,233 people (23.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.0 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.
There were 2,729 housing units at an average density of 65.7 per square mile (25.4/km²), of which 1,860 (87.6%) were owner-occupied, and 264 (12.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 10.5%. 4,470 people (86.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 701 people (13.6%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,232 people, 1,586 households, and 1,329 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 101.9 people per square mile (39.4/km²). There were 2,147 housing units at an average density of 51.7 per square mile (20.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.89% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.37% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.31% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.71% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.07% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.95% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.70% from two or more races. 7.84% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 1,586 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.2% were non-families. 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 3.1% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $61,169, and the median income for a family was $64,583. Males had a median income of $61,834 versus $31,591 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $27,388. About 5.4% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.
History
While the nation had pushed to the western coast, the land the Fickert family settled in 1869 was still isolated and remote...a rich, virtually hidden valley. For centuries, it had been the untamed realm of Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. Over the years, after purchasing squatter's rights to 160 acre (0.6474976 km²), the Fickerts expanded their holdings until, by 1900's their ranch encompassed a vast region, approximately 25000 acres (101.2 km²).
By 1959, the last of the immediate Fickert family were gone, joining their kin who had gone before in the tiny family cemetery just up the hill from the main house. A quiet rural dynasty was ended.
After long negotiations Dart Resorts purchased the ranch, in its entirety, from the Fickert heirs. An outstanding ecological organization, Resource Ecology Associates, was employed by Dart to plan and maintain the original natural value of the property, including wildlife. Bear Valley Springs was born.
The first sales of property were in late 1970 with a full sales team starting January 1971. The project was sold out in November 1977. The Bear Valley Springs Community Services District was formed to act as a nonprofit organization for management and maintenance of the water, roads, and police protection. At the same time, the Bear Valley Springs Property Owners Association was formed to administer the amenity package. These groups acted to insure the upkeep of the facilities of Bear Valley Springs. Many projects in California have taken on one or the other. Bear Valley Springs has taken on both entities to protect the stability of the project.
The original concept was a second home destination resort where families could come to spend a weekend or longer and have a complete amenities package. As the uniqueness of Bear Valley Springs became apparent, many families moved here permanently, some retired and some to raise their families. The concept slowly changed from second homes to full time residents, approximately 1,700 homes. In these changing, clamorous times, the historic legacy of the Fickert family lives on. A number of athletes and tv/movie stars have also made BVS their home.