Fernley, Nevada
Encyclopedia
Fernley is a city in Lyon County
, Nevada
, United States
, within Reno-Sparks-Lake Tahoe metropolitan. The city incorporated in 2001, including land in Washoe County
; prior to that it was a census-designated place
(CDP). The population of the CDP was 8,543 at the 2000 census
; the city itself had an estimated population of 12,673 in 2007, almost all of whom lived in Lyon County. Fernley is home to Reno-Fernley Raceway.
, U.S. Route 50 Alternate
, and US 95A. Although it originally spanned the Lyon/Washoe County line, a county boundary change in 2005 left it entirely in Lyon County.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP had a total area of 35.4 mi2, all land.
of 2000, there were 8,543 people, 3,151 households, and 2,366 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 241.2 people per square mile (93.2/km²). There were 3,432 housing units at an average density of 96.9 per square mile (37.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.11% White, 2.16% Asian, 1.53% Native American, 1.00% African American, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 3.59% from other races
, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.87% of the population.
There were 3,151 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples
living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 29.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $44,695, and the median income for a family was $49,596. Males had a median income of $37,480 versus $26,938 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $18,622. About 4.9% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
.
Much of the farmland in the Fernley area was developed through the Newlands Irrigation Project which was a result of the Newlands Reclamation Act
of 1902. The project established an irrigation system that delivers water to an area stretching from Derby Dam
, along the Truckee River
, to the Lahontan Reservoir near Fallon, Nevada
. Construction and expansion of the system took place from the inception through the 1960s. Many of the concrete irrigation headgates, still in use today, are embossed with the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps
)stamp and date of construction. In addition to the irrigation system in the Fernley, a drainage system was also constructed to carry away excess water and mineral salts from the farmlands. This system consists of channels (5 to 15 feet (4.6 m) deep) dug adjacent to fields and eventually terminates in the sink northeast of Fernley. The irrigation system is administered and maintained through the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District
.
In 1965, the Nevada Cement Company started operation in a new plant built on the north side of the city between Fernley and Wadsworth. This was the first significant non-agricultural/ranching business to come to Fernley, aside from the railroad. Primary employment in Fernley began a steady transition to an industrial and commuter base continuing through to the present time. Beginning in the 1970s, parts of the formerly agricultural and ranching based lands were transitioning to housing subdivisions to support the growing population, much of which was spilling over from rapid growth in the Reno-Sparks area. Close proximity to Interstate 80 and abundant land for housing made Fernley an attractive alternative to the increasingly congested and expensive Truckee Meadows housing market. Beginning near the established parts of the town, growth moved to the Fremont Street area in the mid to late 1970s, nearer farming areas in the 1980s, and has continued along the Farm District Road areas to the present. Numerous subdivisions now exist along the Farm District Road including an 18-hole golf course and a new elementary school.
In 1999, Amazon.com
opened a 750000 square feet (69,677.3 m²) order fulfillment center in the industrial park located in the northeast side of the city, following major initiatives and investments by investors from Seattle. Stanley Works had previously used the facility; Amazon.com redesigned the interior systems and greatly expanded the capacity in the years since. The investment has provided thousands of new jobs for the city and invigorated economy in metropolitan area. Since that time, more companies have opened facilities in the park including Trex Inc., Allied Signal, UPS Worldwide Logistics (Honeywell), ARE Campers, Johns Manville, and Sherwin Williams Paint.
On July 1, 2001, the city of Fernley was incorporated.
Fernley is home to Fernley High School, Vaqueros. The school is currently located off of U.S. 95 on the south side of town. Prior to 1980, the High School was located at the current Fernley Intermediate School on Hardie Lane. Founded in late 1950s, the original High School was demolished in the early 1960s and was located on the block now occupied by the In-Town Park near the old downtown area between U.S. 95 and Center Street.
On January 5, 2008, a levee along the Truckee Canal broke, forcing the rescue and evacuation of 3,500 from the town as 3–6 feet of water filled houses.
Lyon County, Nevada
Lyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2010 census, the population was 51,980. Its county seat is Yerington.-History:...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, within Reno-Sparks-Lake Tahoe metropolitan. The city incorporated in 2001, including land in Washoe County
Washoe County, Nevada
Washoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. The population was 421,407 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Reno. Washoe County includes the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area.-History:...
; prior to that it was a census-designated place
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). The population of the CDP was 8,543 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
; the city itself had an estimated population of 12,673 in 2007, almost all of whom lived in Lyon County. Fernley is home to Reno-Fernley Raceway.
Geography
Fernley is located at the intersection of Interstate 80Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
, U.S. Route 50 Alternate
U.S. Route 50 Alternate (Nevada)
In the U.S. state of Nevada, U.S. Route 50 Alternate is an east–west alternate route of U.S. Route 50. The highway splits from US 50 in Silver Springs, heading north to Fernley and then southeast to rejoin US 50 west of Fallon...
, and US 95A. Although it originally spanned the Lyon/Washoe County line, a county boundary change in 2005 left it entirely in Lyon County.
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 had a total area of 35.4 mi2, all land.
Climate
Fernley's climate is typical of high desert environments. The winter may bring cold temperatures and some snow, but nothing extreme is normally experienced. Summers are generally hot and very dry. Fernley's average annual rainfall is 5 inches (127 mm) per year.Demographics
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 8,543 people, 3,151 households, and 2,366 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 241.2 people per square mile (93.2/km²). There were 3,432 housing units at an average density of 96.9 per square mile (37.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.11% White, 2.16% Asian, 1.53% Native American, 1.00% African American, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 3.59% 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 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.87% of the population.
There were 3,151 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% 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, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 29.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $44,695, and the median income for a family was $49,596. Males had a median income of $37,480 versus $26,938 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 $18,622. About 4.9% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
History
Fernley was established in 1904 developed as primarily an agricultural and ranching community in proximity to Reno-Sparks-Lake Tahoe metropolitan. Early in its history Fernley established its first schoolhouse. The one room school house is still in use today as the home of the Fernley Chamber of CommerceChamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
.
Much of the farmland in the Fernley area was developed through the Newlands Irrigation Project which was a result of the Newlands Reclamation Act
Newlands Reclamation Act
The Reclamation Act of 1902 is a United States federal law that funded irrigation projects for the arid lands of 20 states in the American West....
of 1902. The project established an irrigation system that delivers water to an area stretching from Derby Dam
Derby Dam
Derby Dam is a diversion dam on the Truckee River, located between Reno and Fernley in Storey and Washoe counties in the U.S. state of Nevada. It diverts water that would otherwise feed Pyramid Lake into the Carson River watershed for irrigation use. It is operated by the Truckee-Carson...
, along the Truckee River
Truckee River
The Truckee River is a stream in the U.S. states of California and Nevada. The river is about long. Its endorheic drainage basin is about , of which about are in Nevada. The Truckee is the sole outlet of Lake Tahoe and drains part of the high Sierra Nevada, emptying into Pyramid Lake in the Great...
, to the Lahontan Reservoir near Fallon, Nevada
Fallon, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,536 people, 3,004 households, and 1,877 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,474.1 people per square mile . There were 3,336 housing units at an average density of 1,095.2 per square mile...
. Construction and expansion of the system took place from the inception through the 1960s. Many of the concrete irrigation headgates, still in use today, are embossed with the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
)stamp and date of construction. In addition to the irrigation system in the Fernley, a drainage system was also constructed to carry away excess water and mineral salts from the farmlands. This system consists of channels (5 to 15 feet (4.6 m) deep) dug adjacent to fields and eventually terminates in the sink northeast of Fernley. The irrigation system is administered and maintained through the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District
Truckee-Carson Irrigation District
The Truckee-Carson Irrigation District is a political subdivision of the State of Nevada, which operates dams at Lake Tahoe, on the Truckee River and Lake Lahontan as well as of canals and of drains in support of agriculture in Lyon County and Churchill County.Diversion of water by the TCID from...
.
In 1965, the Nevada Cement Company started operation in a new plant built on the north side of the city between Fernley and Wadsworth. This was the first significant non-agricultural/ranching business to come to Fernley, aside from the railroad. Primary employment in Fernley began a steady transition to an industrial and commuter base continuing through to the present time. Beginning in the 1970s, parts of the formerly agricultural and ranching based lands were transitioning to housing subdivisions to support the growing population, much of which was spilling over from rapid growth in the Reno-Sparks area. Close proximity to Interstate 80 and abundant land for housing made Fernley an attractive alternative to the increasingly congested and expensive Truckee Meadows housing market. Beginning near the established parts of the town, growth moved to the Fremont Street area in the mid to late 1970s, nearer farming areas in the 1980s, and has continued along the Farm District Road areas to the present. Numerous subdivisions now exist along the Farm District Road including an 18-hole golf course and a new elementary school.
In 1999, Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
opened a 750000 square feet (69,677.3 m²) order fulfillment center in the industrial park located in the northeast side of the city, following major initiatives and investments by investors from Seattle. Stanley Works had previously used the facility; Amazon.com redesigned the interior systems and greatly expanded the capacity in the years since. The investment has provided thousands of new jobs for the city and invigorated economy in metropolitan area. Since that time, more companies have opened facilities in the park including Trex Inc., Allied Signal, UPS Worldwide Logistics (Honeywell), ARE Campers, Johns Manville, and Sherwin Williams Paint.
On July 1, 2001, the city of Fernley was incorporated.
Fernley is home to Fernley High School, Vaqueros. The school is currently located off of U.S. 95 on the south side of town. Prior to 1980, the High School was located at the current Fernley Intermediate School on Hardie Lane. Founded in late 1950s, the original High School was demolished in the early 1960s and was located on the block now occupied by the In-Town Park near the old downtown area between U.S. 95 and Center Street.
On January 5, 2008, a levee along the Truckee Canal broke, forcing the rescue and evacuation of 3,500 from the town as 3–6 feet of water filled houses.