Los Banos, California
Encyclopedia
Los Banos is a city in Merced County
, California
, near the junction of State Route 152
and Interstate 5. Los Banos is located 26 miles (42 km) southwest of Merced
, at an elevation of 118 feet (36 m). The population was 35,972 at the 2010 census, up from 25,869 at the 2000 census. The name los banos has its origins with Spanish
and was named after a natural water spring that feeds natural wetlands in the western San Joaquín Valley
. The original Spanish spelling was Los Baños, meaning "the baths" in reference to the adjacent water source. Its official spelling is without the eñe
. Official signs do not insert the tilde above the n. It can be pronounced as if the eñe were present as in "los banyos," or as it is spelled - an anglicized "loss bannos", though the latter is often preferred. The city is served by Los Banos Municipal Airport
for air transport access.
at 37°03′30"N 120°51′00"W. To the west is the San Luis Reservoir
and Interstate 5, which runs north-to-south between the Bay Area and Los Angeles
. Los Banos is located next to the Diablo Range
, coastal range mountains and hills.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26.2 km²), of which, 10 square miles (25.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.22%) is water. It sits approximately fifty feet above sea level in elevation.
This land is usually windy and receives rain about 20 times a year.
Los Banos sits on the southwestern edge of extensive national and state game refuges; wetlands that support waterfowl and other wildlife habitat along a stretch of the San Joaquin river that still carries water and the Grasslands Ecological Area, home to rare California Grasslands habitat. The San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex includes San Luis National Wildlife Refuge
which includes the Kesterson Unit, East Bear Creek, West Bear Creek and the Blue Goose Unit. Nearby are the Merced National Wildlife Refuge
and the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge
. Fishers, hunters, birdwatchers and other recreational users flock to Los Banos year round.
Los Banos has an arid climate with cool winters and hot summers. Most of the rainfall occurs in the winter months. Average January temperatures are a maximum of 55.1 °F (12.8 °C) and a minimum of 36.2 °F (2.3 °C). Average July temperatures are a maximum of 96.5 °F (35.8 °C) and a minimum of 60.4 °F (15.8 °C). There are an average of 96.9 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher. There are an average of 29.4 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The record high temperature of 116 °F (46.7 °C) was on July 25, 1931. The record low temperature of 14 °F (-10 °C) was on January 11, 1949, and December 22, 1990. Gusty winds are common in the late afternoon, especially in the vicinity of nearby Pacheco Pass
.
Average annual rainfall in Los Banos is 9.21 inches (233.9 mm). There an average of 46 days with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1998 with 21.08 inches (535.4 mm) and the dryest year was 1947 with 4.61 inches (117.1 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 8.08 inches (205.2 mm) in March 1998. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 2.4 inches (61 mm) on January 18, 1914. Although snow is rare, 3.0 inches fell in January 1916 and 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) fell in January 1962.
was 3,555.6 people per square mile (1,372.8/km²). The racial makeup of Los Banos was 20,846 (58.0%) White, 1,354 (3.8%) African American, 512 (1.4%) Native American, 1,162 (3.2%) Asian, 134 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 10,123 (28.1%) from other races
, and 1,841 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23,346 persons (64.9%).
The Census reported that 35,791 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 103 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 78 (0.2%) were institutionalized.
There were 10,259 households, out of which 5,451 (53.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,018 (58.7%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 1,474 (14.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 838 (8.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 791 (7.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 78 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,551 households (15.1%) were made up of individuals and 653 (6.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.49. There were 8,330 families
(81.2% of all households); the average family size was 3.84.
The population was spread out with 12,102 people (33.6%) under the age of 18, 3,703 people (10.3%) aged 18 to 24, 9,596 people (26.7%) aged 25 to 44, 7,494 people (20.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,077 people (8.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.8 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
There were 11,375 housing units at an average density of 1,124.4 per square mile (434.1/km²), of which 6,197 (60.4%) were owner-occupied, and 4,062 (39.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.4%. 20,687 people (57.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 15,104 people (42.0%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 25,869 people, 7,721 households, and 6,223 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,218.7 people per square mile (1,242.3/km²). There were 8,049 housing units at an average density of 1,001.5 per square mile (386.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 58.61% White, 4.25% African American, 1.35% Native American, 2.34% Asian, 0.33% Pacific Islander, 26.90% from other races
, and 6.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 50.44% of the population.
There were 7,721 households out of which 48.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples
living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 15.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.69.
In the city the population was spread out with 35.1% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,690, and the median income for a family was $45,304. Males had a median income of $38,294 versus $27,994 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,582. About 9.8% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
Since the 1980s, the city's population has changed with a continuing influx of people who work in the San Jose
/Silicon Valley
area but seek more affordable housing, a pattern seen in many other small towns within commuting distance of Silicon Valley.
Los Banos is located in the 12th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Anthony Cannella
, and in the 17th Assembly
District, represented by Democrat
Cathleen Galgiani
. Federally, Los Banos is located in California's 18th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +4 and is represented by Democrat Dennis Cardoza
. Mike Villalta is the mayor.
. The town was essentially a trading post and received its name when the Post Office was established and the Post Office Department designated the office "Los Banos" after the nearby creek. When the railroad arrived, Los Banos relocated to its present day site.
The first post office opened in 1873.
Land and water rights were important to early Los Banos residents. But those rights were recognized only when the land and deed were registered. Sometimes those rights depended on fleet footedness, as it did in the "race" between Los Banos residents Uriah Wood and Henry Miller. Wood, whose homestead resided off of Badger Flat Road, raced Miller to the land office in Stockton to insure his claim to the land would be recognized. After crossing the San Joaquin River, Wood paid the ferryman $5 to hold the boat on the east side of the river to insure he would gain sufficient distance from Miller to insure he would reach the land office first. Wood did and the seven sections that he registered cost him only .45¢ an acre.
The centerpiece of downtown Los Banos is the newly created Miller Plaza which honors early California rancher, Henry Miller
. The 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) half-oval public plaza features a monumental scale bronze arrangement of Miller with cattle. At one time in the late nineteenth century, Miller was the largest land owner in the United States. His company, the Miller & Lux Corporation, was headquartered in Los Banos on a site currently housing the Mexican restaurant España's and the Canal Farm Inn.
Los Banos has a long history of Portuguese
and Spanish
immigrants, as do many of the nearby towns on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. This is reflected both in local restaurants and in several festivals and parades that take place during the year. Los Banos is locally known for its annual May Day
Fair during the first week of May.
Los Banos is home to The Randall Fawcett House
which is a Frank Lloyd Wright
designed Usonia
n home.
A member of the Manson family, Susan Atkins
attended Los Banos High School
, before joining the family.
Merced County, California
Merced County , is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, north of Fresno and southeast of San Jose. As of the 2010 census, the population was 255,793, up from 210,554 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Merced...
, 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...
, near the junction of State Route 152
California State Route 152
State Route 152 is a state highway that runs near the latitudinal middle of the U.S. state of California from Watsonville to Route 99 southeast of Merced...
and Interstate 5. Los Banos is located 26 miles (42 km) southwest of Merced
Merced, California
Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government...
, at an elevation of 118 feet (36 m). The population was 35,972 at the 2010 census, up from 25,869 at the 2000 census. The name los banos has its origins with Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and was named after a natural water spring that feeds natural wetlands in the western San Joaquín Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
. The original Spanish spelling was Los Baños, meaning "the baths" in reference to the adjacent water source. Its official spelling is without the eñe
Ñ
Ñ is a letter of the modern Latin alphabet, formed by an N with a diacritical tilde. It is used in the Spanish alphabet, Galician alphabet, Asturian alphabet, Basque alphabet, Aragonese old alphabet , Filipino alphabet, Chamorro alphabet and the Guarani alphabet, where it represents...
. Official signs do not insert the tilde above the n. It can be pronounced as if the eñe were present as in "los banyos," or as it is spelled - an anglicized "loss bannos", though the latter is often preferred. The city is served by Los Banos Municipal Airport
Los Banos Municipal Airport
Los Banos Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located one mile west of the central business district of Los Banos, a city in Merced County, California, United States.- Facilities and aircraft :...
for air transport access.
Geography and climate
Los Banos is located on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley in an area north of the Westlands Water DistrictWestlands Water District
Westlands Water District is a water district in central California, formed in 1952.The Westlands Water District receives its water from the Central Valley Project, and provides water to farms in an area of approximately 600,000 acres in Fresno County and Kings County...
at 37°03′30"N 120°51′00"W. To the west is the San Luis Reservoir
San Luis Reservoir
The San Luis Reservoir is an off-stream artificial lake in the eastern slopes of the Diablo Range of Merced County, California, approximately west of Los Banos on State Route 152, which crosses Pacheco Pass and runs along its north shore. The reservoir stores water taken from the San...
and Interstate 5, which runs north-to-south between the Bay Area and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Los Banos is located next to the Diablo Range
Diablo Range
The Diablo Range is a mountain range in the California Coast Ranges subdivision of the Pacific Coast Ranges. It is located in the eastern San Francisco Bay area south to the Salinas Valley area of northern California, the United States.-Geography:...
, coastal range mountains and hills.
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 city has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26.2 km²), of which, 10 square miles (25.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.22%) is water. It sits approximately fifty feet above sea level in elevation.
This land is usually windy and receives rain about 20 times a year.
Los Banos sits on the southwestern edge of extensive national and state game refuges; wetlands that support waterfowl and other wildlife habitat along a stretch of the San Joaquin river that still carries water and the Grasslands Ecological Area, home to rare California Grasslands habitat. The San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex includes San Luis National Wildlife Refuge
San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex
The San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex is managed by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service and is composed of the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, Merced National Wildlife Refuge, San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge and the Grasslands Wildlife Management Area which consists of nearly of...
which includes the Kesterson Unit, East Bear Creek, West Bear Creek and the Blue Goose Unit. Nearby are the Merced National Wildlife Refuge
Merced National Wildlife Refuge
The Merced National Wildlife Refuge encompasses of wetlands, native grasslands, vernal pools, and riparian areas. It was established in 1951 under the Lea Act to attract wintering waterfowl from adjacent farmland where their foraging was causing crop damage...
and the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge
San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge
The San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge encompasses more than of riparian woodlands, wetlands, and grasslands that host a diversity of wildlife native to California's Central Valley...
. Fishers, hunters, birdwatchers and other recreational users flock to Los Banos year round.
Los Banos has an arid climate with cool winters and hot summers. Most of the rainfall occurs in the winter months. Average January temperatures are a maximum of 55.1 °F (12.8 °C) and a minimum of 36.2 °F (2.3 °C). Average July temperatures are a maximum of 96.5 °F (35.8 °C) and a minimum of 60.4 °F (15.8 °C). There are an average of 96.9 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher. There are an average of 29.4 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The record high temperature of 116 °F (46.7 °C) was on July 25, 1931. The record low temperature of 14 °F (-10 °C) was on January 11, 1949, and December 22, 1990. Gusty winds are common in the late afternoon, especially in the vicinity of nearby Pacheco Pass
Pacheco Pass
Pacheco Pass, elevation , is a mountain pass located in the Diablo Range in southeastern Santa Clara County, California. It is the main road over the hills separating the Santa Clara Valley and the Central Valley....
.
Average annual rainfall in Los Banos is 9.21 inches (233.9 mm). There an average of 46 days with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1998 with 21.08 inches (535.4 mm) and the dryest year was 1947 with 4.61 inches (117.1 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 8.08 inches (205.2 mm) in March 1998. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 2.4 inches (61 mm) on January 18, 1914. Although snow is rare, 3.0 inches fell in January 1916 and 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) fell in January 1962.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Los Banos had a population of 35,972. 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 3,555.6 people per square mile (1,372.8/km²). The racial makeup of Los Banos was 20,846 (58.0%) White, 1,354 (3.8%) African American, 512 (1.4%) Native American, 1,162 (3.2%) Asian, 134 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 10,123 (28.1%) 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 1,841 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23,346 persons (64.9%).
The Census reported that 35,791 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 103 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 78 (0.2%) were institutionalized.
There were 10,259 households, out of which 5,451 (53.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,018 (58.7%) 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, 1,474 (14.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 838 (8.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 791 (7.7%) 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 78 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,551 households (15.1%) were made up of individuals and 653 (6.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.49. There were 8,330 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...
(81.2% of all households); the average family size was 3.84.
The population was spread out with 12,102 people (33.6%) under the age of 18, 3,703 people (10.3%) aged 18 to 24, 9,596 people (26.7%) aged 25 to 44, 7,494 people (20.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,077 people (8.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.8 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
There were 11,375 housing units at an average density of 1,124.4 per square mile (434.1/km²), of which 6,197 (60.4%) were owner-occupied, and 4,062 (39.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.4%. 20,687 people (57.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 15,104 people (42.0%) 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 25,869 people, 7,721 households, and 6,223 families residing in the city. 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 3,218.7 people per square mile (1,242.3/km²). There were 8,049 housing units at an average density of 1,001.5 per square mile (386.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 58.61% White, 4.25% African American, 1.35% Native American, 2.34% Asian, 0.33% Pacific Islander, 26.90% 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 6.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 50.44% of the population.
There were 7,721 households out of which 48.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% 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, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 15.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.69.
In the city the population was spread out with 35.1% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,690, and the median income for a family was $45,304. Males had a median income of $38,294 versus $27,994 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 city was $15,582. About 9.8% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
Since the 1980s, the city's population has changed with a continuing influx of people who work in the San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
/Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
area but seek more affordable housing, a pattern seen in many other small towns within commuting distance of Silicon Valley.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Los Banos is located in the 12th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Anthony Cannella
Anthony Cannella
Anthony Cannella is an American politician currently serving in the California State Senate. He is a Republican representing the 12th district, encompassing Merced and San Benito counties, as well as parts of Madera, Monterey, and Stanislaus counties...
, and in the 17th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Cathleen Galgiani
Cathleen Galgiani
Cathleen Galgiani is an American politician who currently serves in the California State Assembly, where she has represented the 17th district since December 2006...
. Federally, Los Banos is located in California's 18th congressional district
California's 18th congressional district
California's 18th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California. The district is located in the northern San Joaquin Valley and includes the cities of Modesto, Stockton, Ceres, Atwater, Merced and Los Banos...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +4 and is represented by Democrat Dennis Cardoza
Dennis Cardoza
Dennis A. Cardoza is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. The district takes in a large swath of the Central Valley, from Stockton to Fresno. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
. Mike Villalta is the mayor.
History and culture
Los Banos area was initially settled, according to Mexican land grant records, back in the 1840s. The first white settler in the area was Uriah Wood, who built his two room cabin in 1859. The original site of Los Banos was located several miles from the current town center, about a mile and half west of the railroad near present day VoltaVolta, California
Volta is a census-designated place in Merced County, California. It is located west-northwest of Los Banos, at an elevation of 105 feet . The population was 246 at the 2010 census.A post office operated at Volta from 1890 to 1972...
. The town was essentially a trading post and received its name when the Post Office was established and the Post Office Department designated the office "Los Banos" after the nearby creek. When the railroad arrived, Los Banos relocated to its present day site.
The first post office opened in 1873.
Land and water rights were important to early Los Banos residents. But those rights were recognized only when the land and deed were registered. Sometimes those rights depended on fleet footedness, as it did in the "race" between Los Banos residents Uriah Wood and Henry Miller. Wood, whose homestead resided off of Badger Flat Road, raced Miller to the land office in Stockton to insure his claim to the land would be recognized. After crossing the San Joaquin River, Wood paid the ferryman $5 to hold the boat on the east side of the river to insure he would gain sufficient distance from Miller to insure he would reach the land office first. Wood did and the seven sections that he registered cost him only .45¢ an acre.
The centerpiece of downtown Los Banos is the newly created Miller Plaza which honors early California rancher, Henry Miller
Henry Miller (rancher)
Henry Miller was a German-American rancher who at one point in the late 19th century was one of the largest land-owners in the United States.-Biography:...
. The 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) half-oval public plaza features a monumental scale bronze arrangement of Miller with cattle. At one time in the late nineteenth century, Miller was the largest land owner in the United States. His company, the Miller & Lux Corporation, was headquartered in Los Banos on a site currently housing the Mexican restaurant España's and the Canal Farm Inn.
Los Banos has a long history of Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
and Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
immigrants, as do many of the nearby towns on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. This is reflected both in local restaurants and in several festivals and parades that take place during the year. Los Banos is locally known for its annual May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
Fair during the first week of May.
Los Banos is home to The Randall Fawcett House
Randall Fawcett House
The Randall Fawcett House is a Frank Lloyd Wright designed Usonian home in Los Banos, California. The home was designed in 1955 and completed in 1961....
which is a Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
designed Usonia
Usonia
Usonia was a word used by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright to refer to his vision for the landscape of the United States, including the planning of cities and the architecture of buildings...
n home.
A member of the Manson family, Susan Atkins
Susan Atkins
Susan Denise Atkins was a convicted American murderer who was a member of the "Manson family", led by Charles Manson. Manson and his followers committed a series of nine murders at four locations in California, over a period of five weeks in the summer of 1969...
attended Los Banos High School
Los Banos High School
Los Banos High School is a high school located in Los Banos, California, in the county of Merced....
, before joining the family.