Oroville, California
Encyclopedia
Oroville is the county seat
of Butte County, California
. The population was 15,506 at the 2010 census, up from 13,004 at the 2000 census. The Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California
is headquartered here.
where it flows out of the Sierra Nevada onto the flat floor of the California Central Valley
. It was established as the head of navigation on the Feather River to supply gold miners during the California Gold Rush
.
The town was originally called Ophir City; the name was changed to Oroville when the first post office opened in 1854.
Gold found at Bidwell Bar, one of the first gold mining sites in California, brought thousands of prospectors to the Oroville area seeking riches. Now under the enormous Lake Oroville
, Bidwell Bar is memorialized by the Bidwell Bar Bridge
, an original remnant from the area and the first suspension bridge
in California (California Historical Landmark
#314). In the early 20th century the Western Pacific Railroad
completed construction of the all-weather Feather River Canyon route through the Sierra Nevadas giving it the nickname of "The Feather River Route". Oroville would serve as an important stop for the famous California Zephyr
during its 20 year run. In 1983, this became a part of the Union Pacific Railroad
as their Feather River Canyon Subdivision. A major highway, State Route 70
, roughly parallels the railroad line through the canyon.
The Chinese Temple
(CHL #770 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
is another monument to Oroville's storied past. Chinese laborers from the pioneer era established the Temple as a place of worship for followers of Chinese Popular Religion
and the three major Chinese religions: Taoism
, Buddhism
, and Confucianism
. The Chinese Temple and Garden, as it is now called, has an extensive collection of artifacts and a serene garden to enjoy.
Ishi
, Oroville's most famous resident, was the last of the Yahi Indians and is considered the last "Stone Age" Indian to come out of the wilderness and into western civilization. When he appeared in Oroville around 1911, he was immediately thrust into the national spotlight. The Visitor's Center at Lake Oroville has a thorough exhibit and documentary film on Ishi and his life in society.
Archaeological finds place the northwestern border for the prehistoric Martis people
in the Oroville area.
On June 1, 2011, a tornado rated at EF-2
, struck northwest of Oroville, causing significant damage to a ranch and a garage.
. The Yuba River
flows into the Feather River near Marysville, California
and these flow together to the Sacramento River
. Geologically, Oroville is situated at the meeting place of three provinces: the Central Valley alluvial plain to the west, the crystalline Sierra Nevada to the SE and the volcanic Cascade Mountains to the north. It has a Mediterranean climate
.
Oroville sits on the eastern rim of the Great Valley, defined today by the floodplains of the Sacramento River and its tributaries. Around Oroville these sediments are dominated by thick fans of Feather River sediments, but just east of this there is a thin, N-S band of late Cretaceous
sediments. These sit on top of the Sierran basement, which beneath eastern Oroville comprise greenschist
-facies metavolcanic rocks of Jurassic
age, giving way to granites of the Sierra batholith
to the east. These are manifestations of a vigorous island arc
sequence, built out over an east-dipping subduction zone of mid- to late Mesozoic
age. The gold veins lace this ancient arc, remobilized by Mesozoic shearing and intrusions of igneous rock
. The crystalline foothills are locally overlain by a Cenozoic
sequence of Eocene
clean beach sands overlain by Neogene
volcanics, including the Diamond Head
-like profile of Table Mountain.
.
was 1,194.8 people per square mile (461.3/km²). The racial makeup of Oroville was 11,686 (75.2%) White, 453 (2.9%) African American, 573 (3.7%) Native American, 1,238 (8.0%) Asian, 56 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 554 (3.6%) from other races
, and 986 (6.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,945 persons (12.5%).
The Census reported that 14,662 people (94.3% of the population) lived in households, 72 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 812 (5.2%) were institutionalized.
There were 5,646 households, out of which 2,126 (37.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,893 (33.5%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 1,174 (20.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 430 (7.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 615 (10.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 33 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,699 households (30.1%) were made up of individuals and 718 (12.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60. There were 3,497 families
(61.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.22.
The population was spread out with 4,267 people (27.4%) under the age of 18, 1,969 people (12.7%) aged 18 to 24, 3,940 people (25.3%) aged 25 to 44, 3,417 people (22.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,953 people (12.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.5 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
There were 6,194 housing units at an average density of 476.0 per square mile (183.8/km²), of which 2,423 (42.9%) were owner-occupied, and 3,223 (57.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.4%. 6,293 people (40.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 8,369 people (53.8%) lived in rental housing units.
, the city has a total area of 12.3 square miles (31.8 km²), of which, 12.2 square miles (31.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.16%) is water.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 13,004 people, 4,881 households, and 2,948 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,061.4 people per square mile (409.9/km²). There were 5,419 housing units at an average density of 442.3 per square mile (170.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.2% White
, 4.0% Black
or African American
, 3.9% Native American
, 6.3% Asian
, 0.3% Pacific Islander
, 2.8% from other races
, and 5.4% from two or more races. 8.3% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 4,881 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were married couples
living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,911, and the median income for a family was $27,666. Males had a median income of $28,587 versus $21,916 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $12,345. About 16.2% of families and 23.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.3% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
has grown as a regional commercial giant, more people have been drawn to Oroville for close shopping, and lower property prices. It has been speculated that Oroville has undergone more construction of homes in the last four years than it has in the last 30 before it. A possible reason for this could be that the skyrocketing of property values in the San Francisco Bay Area has caused migration
of new families.
Oroville is also home to a considerable amount of ethnic Hmong
. The Hmong migrated from Southeast Asia, especially from the country Laos, after the Vietnam War. The Hmong were allies of the American forces during the Vietnam War, many were recruited to help fight the Communist forces in Laos and Vietnam. Thus the Hmongs were given political asylum after the fall of Saigon to the Communist in 1975. Every year there is an annual festival during autumn which was originally a harvest festival but now called the New Year celebration. Ethnic Hmong make up 4.8% of Oroville's population, one of the larger communities in the north state. In the 1950s, a community of Romanians migrated from Europe, with 560 still there today.
Nearby Indian reservations led to a surge in the Native American population, measured at 6.7% of the population in the 2000 census, but may be as high as 12%. The largest tribal group is the local Maidu
. The world's largest museum of Maidu culture is located in Oroville East, at the Lookout Museum.
The 2008 cost of living index in Oroville was 79.0 (low, U.S. average is 100).
and Oroville High School
, and Prospect High School, which functions as a continuation school. The city also has an Adult School, Oroville Adult School.
The Oroville Elementary School District includes five primary schools and two middle schools, Central Junior High School and the recently-opened Ishi Hills.
There are also many small rural school districts in the surrounding area.
Higher educational opportunities are found at Butte Community College, just north of town, and at nearby California State University, Chico
.
Middle Schools
station owned and operated by the Bird Street Arbor Day Media Project. The station was built by numerous volunteers from Oroville and around the region in April 2002 at the second Prometheus Radio Project
barnraising. KRBS broadcasts music, news, and public affairs to listeners at 107.1FM.
cleanup sites, two of which have been cleaned up and delisted: a Koppers Co. wood treatment plant, a Louisiana Pacific sawmill, and the Western Pacific railyard.
The Koppers Co.
plant was listed on September 21, 1984 for pentachlorophenol
(PCP), dioxin, furan
, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
(PAH), and heavy metals (copper
, chromium
, and arsenic
) contamination due to chemicals spilled on unpaved areas.
The Louisiana-Pacific
sawmill was listed on June 10, 1986 for pentachlorophenol
PCP, dioxin, furan
, heavy metals (arsenic
, boron
, and copper
), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
(PAH) contamination. Following remediation, the site was delisted on November 21, 1996. The sawmill was shut down in 2001.
The Western Pacific Railroad yard was listed on August 30, 1990 for volatile organic compound
(VOC) and heavy metals (arsenic
, lead
, and chromium
) contamination. Following remediation, the site was delisted on August 29, 2001.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Butte County, California
Butte County, California
Butte County is a county located in the Central Valley of the US state of California, north of the state capital of Sacramento. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 220,000. The county seat is Oroville. Butte County is the "Land of Natural Wealth and Beauty."Butte County is watered by the...
. The population was 15,506 at the 2010 census, up from 13,004 at the 2000 census. The Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California
Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California
The Berry Creek Rancheria of Tyme Maidu Indians are a Native American people inhabiting a northeastern part California, south of Lassen Peak.They are a federally recognized Maidu tribe, headquartered in Oroville in Butte County. Their reservation is , located south of Oroville, and within a mile of...
is headquartered here.
History
Oroville is situated on the banks of the Feather RiverFeather River
The Feather River is the principal tributary of the Sacramento River, in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California. The river's main stem is about long. Its length to its most distant headwater tributary is about . Its drainage basin is about...
where it flows out of the Sierra Nevada onto the flat floor of the California Central Valley
California Central Valley
California's Central Valley is a large, flat valley that dominates the central portion of California. It is home to California's most productive agricultural efforts. The valley stretches approximately from northwest to southeast inland and parallel to the Pacific Ocean coast. Its northern half is...
. It was established as the head of navigation on the Feather River to supply gold miners during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
.
The town was originally called Ophir City; the name was changed to Oroville when the first post office opened in 1854.
Gold found at Bidwell Bar, one of the first gold mining sites in California, brought thousands of prospectors to the Oroville area seeking riches. Now under the enormous Lake Oroville
Lake Oroville
Lake Oroville, also known as Lake Edmonston, is a reservoir in the U.S. state of California, formed by the Oroville Dam across the Feather River. The lake is situated in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada about northeast of Oroville. At over , it is one of the largest reservoirs in California,...
, Bidwell Bar is memorialized by the Bidwell Bar Bridge
Bidwell Bar Bridge
The Bidwell Bar Bridge, in Oroville, California, refers to two suspension bridges which cross different parts of Lake Oroville. The original Bidwell Bar Bridge was the first steel suspension bridge in California. The $35,000, 240-foot long original was completed in December 1855, and was built of...
, an original remnant from the area and the first suspension bridge
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
in California (California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
#314). In the early 20th century the Western Pacific Railroad
Western Pacific Railroad
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
completed construction of the all-weather Feather River Canyon route through the Sierra Nevadas giving it the nickname of "The Feather River Route". Oroville would serve as an important stop for the famous California Zephyr
California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
during its 20 year run. In 1983, this became a part of the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
as their Feather River Canyon Subdivision. A major highway, State Route 70
California State Route 70
State Route 70 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. Connecting Sacramento with U.S. Route 395 near Beckwourth Pass via the Feather River Canyon, it was formerly known as U.S. Route 40 Alternate, crossing the Sierra Nevada at a lower elevation than Donner Pass on U.S. Route 40...
, roughly parallels the railroad line through the canyon.
The Chinese Temple
Oroville Chinese Temple
The Oroville Chinese Temple was built in 1863 as a community center for the substantial Chinese population of Oroville, California. It was originally composed of three parts: the Chan Room for Confucian meditation, the Moon Temple, for Buddhist rites, and the Council Room, for community functions...
(CHL #770 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
is another monument to Oroville's storied past. Chinese laborers from the pioneer era established the Temple as a place of worship for followers of Chinese Popular Religion
Chinese folk religion
Chinese folk religion or Shenism , which is a term of considerable debate, are labels used to describe the collection of ethnic religious traditions which have been a main belief system in China and among Han Chinese ethnic groups for most of the civilization's history until today...
and the three major Chinese religions: Taoism
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, and Confucianism
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
. The Chinese Temple and Garden, as it is now called, has an extensive collection of artifacts and a serene garden to enjoy.
Ishi
Ishi
Ishi was the last member of the Yahi, the last surviving group of the Yana people of the U.S. state of California. Ishi is believed to have been the last Native American in Northern California to have lived most of his life completely outside the European American culture...
, Oroville's most famous resident, was the last of the Yahi Indians and is considered the last "Stone Age" Indian to come out of the wilderness and into western civilization. When he appeared in Oroville around 1911, he was immediately thrust into the national spotlight. The Visitor's Center at Lake Oroville has a thorough exhibit and documentary film on Ishi and his life in society.
Archaeological finds place the northwestern border for the prehistoric Martis people
Martis people
The Martis were a group of Native Americans who lived in Northern California on both the eastern and western sides of the Sierra Nevada. The Martis complex lasted from 2000 BCE to 500 CE, during the Middle Archaic era. Evidence of Martis habitation has been found from Carson River and Reno, Nevada...
in the Oroville area.
- Train Tunnel Disaster October 7, 1965: http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=55145174707&h=aFLu7&u=7HBLw
- 5.7 magnitude earthquake: August 1, 1975: http://www.johnmartin.com/earthquakes/eqpapers/00000052.htm
- In the early 1970s the Movie "The Klansman", starring Richard Burton, Lee Marvin and O.J. Simpson, was filmed in Oroville. The story took place in rural Mississippi and at the time Oroville looked a bit like the old South. Simpson was a great favorite with local citizens, handing out awards at the high school sports award banquet and making friends everywhere he went. Marvin and Burton, whose wife Elizabeth Taylor was sometimes in residence at a rented mansion, held down the bar at the Prospectors Village Motel. While Marvin stuck to drinking, Burton presented a "pre-engagement engagement ring" to the local Miss Pepsi Cola. Toward the end of the shoot a high school janitor heard that Burton was dallying with his wife, whereupon the janitor chased the movie star out of town.
- U-2 Spy Plane Crash North of Oroville on January 31, 1980: http://www.blackbirds.net/u2/u2local.html
- U-2 Spy Plane Crash in front of Oroville Mercury-Register on August 7, 1996: http://www.blackbirds.net/u2/u2local.html
On June 1, 2011, a tornado rated at EF-2
Enhanced Fujita Scale
The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates the strength of tornadoes in the United States based on the damage they cause.Implemented in place of the Fujita scale introduced in 1971 by Ted Fujita, it began operational use on February 1, 2007. The scale has the same basic design as the original Fujita scale:...
, struck northwest of Oroville, causing significant damage to a ranch and a garage.
Geography
Oroville is situated at the head of navigation on the Feather RiverFeather River
The Feather River is the principal tributary of the Sacramento River, in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California. The river's main stem is about long. Its length to its most distant headwater tributary is about . Its drainage basin is about...
. The Yuba River
Yuba River
The Yuba River is a tributary of the Feather River in the Sacramento Valley of the U.S. state of California. It is one of the Feather's most important branches, providing about a third of its flow. The main stem of the river is about long, and its headwaters are split into North, Middle and South...
flows into the Feather River near Marysville, California
Marysville, California
Marysville is the county seat of Yuba County, California, United States. The population was 12,072 at the 2010 census, down from 12,268 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area, often referred to as the Yuba-Sutter Area after the two counties, Yuba and...
and these flow together to the Sacramento River
Sacramento River
The Sacramento River is an important watercourse of Northern and Central California in the United States. The largest river in California, it rises on the eastern slopes of the Klamath Mountains, and after a journey south of over , empties into Suisun Bay, an arm of the San Francisco Bay, and...
. Geologically, Oroville is situated at the meeting place of three provinces: the Central Valley alluvial plain to the west, the crystalline Sierra Nevada to the SE and the volcanic Cascade Mountains to the north. It has a Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
.
Oroville sits on the eastern rim of the Great Valley, defined today by the floodplains of the Sacramento River and its tributaries. Around Oroville these sediments are dominated by thick fans of Feather River sediments, but just east of this there is a thin, N-S band of late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
sediments. These sit on top of the Sierran basement, which beneath eastern Oroville comprise greenschist
Greenschist
Greenschist is a general field petrologic term applied to metamorphic or altered mafic volcanic rock. The term greenstone is sometimes used to refer to greenschist but can refer to other rock types too. The green is due to abundant green chlorite, actinolite and epidote minerals that dominate the...
-facies metavolcanic rocks of Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
age, giving way to granites of the Sierra batholith
Batholith
A batholith is a large emplacement of igneous intrusive rock that forms from cooled magma deep in the Earth's crust...
to the east. These are manifestations of a vigorous island arc
Island arc
An island arc is a type of archipelago composed of a chain of volcanoes which alignment is arc-shaped, and which are situated parallel and close to a boundary between two converging tectonic plates....
sequence, built out over an east-dipping subduction zone of mid- to late Mesozoic
Mesozoic
The Mesozoic era is an interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. It is often referred to as the age of reptiles because reptiles, namely dinosaurs, were the dominant terrestrial and marine vertebrates of the time...
age. The gold veins lace this ancient arc, remobilized by Mesozoic shearing and intrusions of igneous rock
Igneous rock
Igneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic rock. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava...
. The crystalline foothills are locally overlain by a Cenozoic
Cenozoic
The Cenozoic era is the current and most recent of the three Phanerozoic geological eras and covers the period from 65.5 mya to the present. The era began in the wake of the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous that saw the demise of the last non-avian dinosaurs and...
sequence of Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
clean beach sands overlain by Neogene
Neogene
The Neogene is a geologic period and system in the International Commission on Stratigraphy Geologic Timescale starting 23.03 ± 0.05 million years ago and ending 2.588 million years ago...
volcanics, including the Diamond Head
Diamond Head, Hawaii
Diamond Head is the name of a volcanic tuff cone on the Hawaiian island of Oahu and known to Hawaiians as Lēahi, most likely from lae 'browridge, promontory' plus ahi 'tuna' because the shape of the ridgeline resembles the shape of a tuna's dorsal fin...
-like profile of Table Mountain.
Fire department
The local fire department for the city of Oroville is the Oroville Fire DepartmentOroville Fire Department
The Oroville Fire Department is the fire department for the City of Oroville, California.-See Also:Physical Address Oroville Fire Department2055 Lincoln STOroville, CA 95966ReferencesSources###External Links#...
.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Oroville had a population of 15,546. 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 1,194.8 people per square mile (461.3/km²). The racial makeup of Oroville was 11,686 (75.2%) White, 453 (2.9%) African American, 573 (3.7%) Native American, 1,238 (8.0%) Asian, 56 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 554 (3.6%) 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 986 (6.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,945 persons (12.5%).
The Census reported that 14,662 people (94.3% of the population) lived in households, 72 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 812 (5.2%) were institutionalized.
There were 5,646 households, out of which 2,126 (37.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,893 (33.5%) 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, 1,174 (20.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 430 (7.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 615 (10.9%) 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 33 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,699 households (30.1%) were made up of individuals and 718 (12.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60. There were 3,497 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...
(61.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.22.
The population was spread out with 4,267 people (27.4%) under the age of 18, 1,969 people (12.7%) aged 18 to 24, 3,940 people (25.3%) aged 25 to 44, 3,417 people (22.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,953 people (12.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.5 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
There were 6,194 housing units at an average density of 476.0 per square mile (183.8/km²), of which 2,423 (42.9%) were owner-occupied, and 3,223 (57.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.4%. 6,293 people (40.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 8,369 people (53.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 12.3 square miles (31.8 km²), of which, 12.2 square miles (31.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.16%) is water.
As of the census
Census
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 13,004 people, 4,881 households, and 2,948 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 1,061.4 people per square mile (409.9/km²). There were 5,419 housing units at an average density of 442.3 per square mile (170.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.2% 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...
, 4.0% 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...
, 3.9% 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...
, 6.3% 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...
, 0.3% 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...
, 2.8% 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 5.4% from two or more races. 8.3% 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 4,881 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% 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, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,911, and the median income for a family was $27,666. Males had a median income of $28,587 versus $21,916 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 $12,345. About 16.2% of families and 23.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.3% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
Points of interest
- The Oroville DamOroville DamOroville Dam spans the Feather River about northeast of the city of Oroville, California. It forms Lake Oroville, which stores water for irrigation, flood control, municipal water supply and hydroelectricity generation in California's Sacramento Valley. The dam lies in the foothills of the Sierra...
, perhaps Oroville's most famous site, is one of the 20 largest dams in the world, the largest earth filled dam in the US, as well as the tallest dam in the US. This dam is 770 feet (235 m) tall and 6920 feet (2109 m) long, and it impounds Lake Oroville, which has a capacity of 3500000 acre.ft of water, making it the second largest reservoir in California. This is one of the most important parts of the California State Water Project (see also the Central Valley ProjectCentral Valley ProjectThe Central Valley Project is a Bureau of Reclamation federal water project in the U.S. state of California. It was devised in 1933 in order to provide irrigation and municipal water to much of California's Central Valley—by regulating and storing water in reservoirs in the water-rich northern...
, a Federal undertaking). Both systems move water from water-rich Northern California to water-poor Southern California. This facility is operated by the California Department of Water Resources which is undergoing contract renewal with the City of Oroville and Butte County. The state has not paid any taxes on this facility nor developed the lake for recreation as originally promised which have been a bone of contention with the local government and residents.
- The Mother Orange TreeMother Orange TreeThe Mother Orange Tree is the oldest living orange tree in Northern California. It is growing in Oroville, California.-History:Originally planted in Bidwell's Bar near the Bidwell Bar Bridge, the tree is a Mediterranean sweet orange Citrus × sinensis cultivar. The citrus rootstock was brought from...
, located in Oroville, California, is the oldest of all Northern California orange trees.
- The fish hatchery located on Table Mtn Blvd just at the river. Tours for schools and individuals available.
- Riverbend Park on Montgomery street right off Hwy 70. Boat access to the river as well as fishing, disc golf, running and walking trails, river-beach, and water fountains to play in on hot days.
- Bedrock Park - swimming and fishing in the Feather River. Picnic areas. Located on the Feather River at the North end of Feather River Blvd.
- Brad Freeman Bike Trail - 41 miles (66 km) bike trail running along the Feather River up to the Dam back down through the city then out to the forebay and afterbay.
- Chinese TempleOroville Chinese TempleThe Oroville Chinese Temple was built in 1863 as a community center for the substantial Chinese population of Oroville, California. It was originally composed of three parts: the Chan Room for Confucian meditation, the Moon Temple, for Buddhist rites, and the Council Room, for community functions...
- built in 1863 by members of the Chinese Popular ReligionChinese folk religionChinese folk religion or Shenism , which is a term of considerable debate, are labels used to describe the collection of ethnic religious traditions which have been a main belief system in China and among Han Chinese ethnic groups for most of the civilization's history until today...
.
Nearby attractions
- North and South Table MountainTable Mountain (Butte County, California)North Table Mountain and South Table Mountain, are two plateaus outside the city of Oroville, California. They are named for their flat surface, like a table top.-South Table Mountain:...
- two volcanic plateaus located 3 miles (4.8 km) outside of Oroville. Home to vernal pools, mine shafts, spring wildflowers, ancient basalt flows, and seasonal waterfalls.
- Feather FallsFeather FallsFeather Falls is a waterfall located on the Fall River, a tributary of the Middle Fork Feather River, within the Plumas National Forest in the Sierra Nevada; in Butte County, eastern California.-Description:...
- 6th highest waterfall in the U.S. Home to the ladybug migration.
- Bald Rock - granite batholithBatholithA batholith is a large emplacement of igneous intrusive rock that forms from cooled magma deep in the Earth's crust...
located in the Plumas National ForestPlumas National ForestPlumas National Forest is a 1,146,000-acre United States National Forest located in the Sierra Nevada, in northern California.-Geography:...
.
- Lake Oroville State Recreation AreaLake Oroville State Recreation AreaThe Lake Oroville State Recreation Area is a California protected area. LOSRA "includes Lake Oroville and the surrounding lands and facilities within the project area as well as the land and waters in and around the Diversion Pool and Thermalito Forebay, downstream of Oroville Dam."-References:...
- a large area of lakeshore, forest, streams, hiking, biking, and horse trails located along the shoreline of Lake OrovilleLake OrovilleLake Oroville, also known as Lake Edmonston, is a reservoir in the U.S. state of California, formed by the Oroville Dam across the Feather River. The lake is situated in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada about northeast of Oroville. At over , it is one of the largest reservoirs in California,...
.
- Thermalito Afterbay - manmade resevour located just west of Oroville. Good for boating, hunting, and fishing.
- The Mother Orange Tree - The first orange tree planted in California
- Thermalito Forebay - small manmade resevour located just off Highway 70. Good for swimming, boating, and wildlife viewing.
- Oroville State Wildlife Area - a small area of protected wetland on the Feather River near Thermalito Diversion Pool. Area known for hunting and birdwatching.
Commerce and culture
Recently, as ChicoChico
-Given name:* Chico Marx , actor and one of the Marx Brothers* Chico Buarque , Brazilian singer and writer* Chico DeBarge , R&B singer* Chico Ejiro, Nigeria film director* Chico Mendes , Brazilian environmental activist...
has grown as a regional commercial giant, more people have been drawn to Oroville for close shopping, and lower property prices. It has been speculated that Oroville has undergone more construction of homes in the last four years than it has in the last 30 before it. A possible reason for this could be that the skyrocketing of property values in the San Francisco Bay Area has caused migration
Human migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
of new families.
Oroville is also home to a considerable amount of ethnic Hmong
Hmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
. The Hmong migrated from Southeast Asia, especially from the country Laos, after the Vietnam War. The Hmong were allies of the American forces during the Vietnam War, many were recruited to help fight the Communist forces in Laos and Vietnam. Thus the Hmongs were given political asylum after the fall of Saigon to the Communist in 1975. Every year there is an annual festival during autumn which was originally a harvest festival but now called the New Year celebration. Ethnic Hmong make up 4.8% of Oroville's population, one of the larger communities in the north state. In the 1950s, a community of Romanians migrated from Europe, with 560 still there today.
Nearby Indian reservations led to a surge in the Native American population, measured at 6.7% of the population in the 2000 census, but may be as high as 12%. The largest tribal group is the local Maidu
Maidu
The Maidu are a group of Native Americans who live in Northern California. They reside in the central Sierra Nevada, in the drainage area of the Feather and American Rivers...
. The world's largest museum of Maidu culture is located in Oroville East, at the Lookout Museum.
The 2008 cost of living index in Oroville was 79.0 (low, U.S. average is 100).
- The Oroville Municipal AirportOroville Municipal AirportOroville Municipal Airport is a public airport located 3 miles southwest of the city of Oroville in Butte County, California, USA.- Facilities :Oroville Municipal Airport covers and has two runways:...
is located south of State Route 162 west of State Route 70California State Route 70State Route 70 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. Connecting Sacramento with U.S. Route 395 near Beckwourth Pass via the Feather River Canyon, it was formerly known as U.S. Route 40 Alternate, crossing the Sierra Nevada at a lower elevation than Donner Pass on U.S. Route 40...
at 39°29′19"N 121°29′19"W.
- The Berry Creek Rancheria (Tyme Maidu Tribe) has tribal government offices listed on Tyme Way off State Route 162 with an approximate latitude/longitude of 39°30′08"N 121°30′16"W.
- The State of California, Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development defines Oroville HospitalOroville HospitalOroville Hospital is the main hospital for the city of Oroville, California. It is also a Level III trauma care center. The hospital also has a helipad....
as a General Acute Care HospitalHospitalA hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
in Oroville with a Level III Trauma CenterTrauma centerA trauma center is a hospital equipped to provide comprehensive emergency medical services to patients suffering traumatic injuries. Trauma centers grew into existence out of the realization that traumatic injury is a disease process unto itself requiring specialized and experienced...
and Basic emergency care as of 08/22/2006. The facility is located near (NAD83) latitude/longitude of 39.5048594605 degrees N, -121.542808921 degrees W.
- This Is Oroville, a novelty song recorded and released as a 45 rpm single in 1987 by local teacher Steve Herman, is generally considered to be among the more popular California 'city songs.'
Top employers
According to the City's 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | County of Butte Butte County, California Butte County is a county located in the Central Valley of the US state of California, north of the state capital of Sacramento. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 220,000. The county seat is Oroville. Butte County is the "Land of Natural Wealth and Beauty."Butte County is watered by the... |
2,384 |
| 2 | Oroville Hospital | 1,233 |
| 3 | Pacific Coast Producers | 725 |
| 4 | Gold Country Casino | 520 |
| 5 | Sierra Pacific Industries | 135 |
| 6 | Currier Square | 127 |
| 7 | City of Oroville | 119 |
| 8 | The Home Depot The Home Depot The Home Depot is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services.The Home Depot operates 2,248 big-box format stores across the United States , Canada , Mexico and China, with a 12-store chain... |
105 |
| 9 | Roplast Industries | 103 |
| 10 | RCBS | 96 |
Education
The Oroville Union High School District includes all of the greater Oroville area, including some neighborhoods that are not within the city limits. The District includes two traditional high schools, Las Plumas High SchoolLas Plumas High School
Las Plumas High School is located in the north valley in Oroville, California about seventy miles north of Sacramento, California. The school was established in 1964. Its main sports rival is Oroville High School...
and Oroville High School
Oroville High School
Oroville High School is located in the rural north valley at the base of the Sierra Nevada foothills, about seventy miles north of Sacramento, California. Founded in 1892, Oroville High School is the oldest high school in the district. The campus covers . Of the 46 classrooms on campus, five have...
, and Prospect High School, which functions as a continuation school. The city also has an Adult School, Oroville Adult School.
The Oroville Elementary School District includes five primary schools and two middle schools, Central Junior High School and the recently-opened Ishi Hills.
There are also many small rural school districts in the surrounding area.
Higher educational opportunities are found at Butte Community College, just north of town, and at nearby California State University, Chico
California State University, Chico
California State University, Chico is the second-oldest campus in the twenty-three-campus California State University system. It is located in Chico, California, about ninety miles north of Sacramento...
.
Oroville Elementary School District
Elementary- Bird Street Elementary
- Oakdale Heights Elementary
- Ophir Elementary
- Stanford Avenue Elementary
- Wyandotte Avenue Elementary
Middle Schools
- Central Middle School
- Ishi Hills Middle School
- Nelson Avenue Middle School
Oroville Union High School District
High Schools- Oroville High SchoolOroville High SchoolOroville High School is located in the rural north valley at the base of the Sierra Nevada foothills, about seventy miles north of Sacramento, California. Founded in 1892, Oroville High School is the oldest high school in the district. The campus covers . Of the 46 classrooms on campus, five have...
- Las Plumas High SchoolLas Plumas High SchoolLas Plumas High School is located in the north valley in Oroville, California about seventy miles north of Sacramento, California. The school was established in 1964. Its main sports rival is Oroville High School...
- Prospect High School
- Challenge Charter High School (Closed)
Higher education
- Oroville Adult School
- California State University, ChicoCalifornia State University, ChicoCalifornia State University, Chico is the second-oldest campus in the twenty-three-campus California State University system. It is located in Chico, California, about ninety miles north of Sacramento...
(in Chico, 24 miles (38.6 km) northwest of Oroville) - Butte Community College
- Northwest Lineman CollegeNorthwest Lineman CollegeNorthwest Lineman College, founded in 1993, is a private vocational technical college offering training programs with a concentration on careers in the power delivery industry...
Notable residents
- IshiIshiIshi was the last member of the Yahi, the last surviving group of the Yana people of the U.S. state of California. Ishi is believed to have been the last Native American in Northern California to have lived most of his life completely outside the European American culture...
, last surviving member of the Yahi Native American Tribe
- Isaac AustinIsaac AustinIsaac Edward "Ike" Austin is a retired American professional basketball player. He is also the uncle of the top 2012 college basketball recruit, Isaiah Austin....
, professional basketball player - Sean BeckerSean BeckerSean Peter Becker is a New Zealand curler.-Career:Becker was the skip for New Zealand teams which won three Pacific Curling Championships in 1998, 2003, and 2004. He also skipped for the New Zealand team in the 2004 and 2005 Ford World Men's Curling Championship, finishing in 8th place with a 5-6...
, Sprint Car racer - Shawn Bias, Professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter and former Palace Fighting Championship feather weight belt holder
- Kevin Brown, professional baseball player for the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the early 1990s - Bobby ChaconBobby ChaconBobby Chacon is an American former, two-time, world boxing champion.-Career:Chacon turned professional in 1972 and won his first 19 fights, including a win against former champion Jesus Castillo...
, two time world boxing champion - Erle Stanley GardnerErle Stanley GardnerErle Stanley Gardner was an American lawyer and author of detective stories, best known for the Perry Mason series, he also published under the pseudonyms A.A. Fair, Kyle Corning, Charles M. Green, Carleton Kendrake, Charles J...
, author of the Perry Mason novels - Josh Hinkle, professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter currently holds a welterweight belt in IFC
- The Marcy BrothersThe Marcy BrothersThe Marcy Brothers was an American country music trio formed in Oroville, California in 1988 and disbanded in 1991. The trio consisted of three brothers: Kevin, Kris, and Kendal Marcy. They released two albums for divisions of Warner Music Group and charted six singles on the Billboard country charts...
, an American country music trio - Marilyn NashMarilyn NashMarilyn Nash was an American actress and casting director. She was best known for starring in the 1947 Charlie Chaplin film, Monsieur Verdoux....
, actress and casting director - Gary Nolan, professional baseball player
- Adolphus Frederic St. SureAdolphus Frederic St. SureAdolphus Frederic St. Sure was an American judge. He served as a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California for 22 years, until June 30, 1947, although he was eligible for retirement in 1939.-History:Born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, he...
, Federal Judge - Chuck YeagerChuck YeagerCharles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager is a retired major general in the United States Air Force and noted test pilot. He was the first pilot to travel faster than sound...
, the first man to break the sound barrier - Robert H. YoungRobert H. YoungRobert H. Young was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 9, 1950. Young is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California.-Medal of Honor citation:Rank and organization: Private First...
, Korean War Medal of Honor recipient
Media
Oroville is home to KRBS-LP, a low power community radioCommunity radio
Community radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
station owned and operated by the Bird Street Arbor Day Media Project. The station was built by numerous volunteers from Oroville and around the region in April 2002 at the second Prometheus Radio Project
Prometheus Radio Project
The Prometheus Radio Project is a non-profit advocacy and community organizing group committed to building an inclusive and representative media landscape in the United States and around the world. They are working to create a network of low power community radio stations...
barnraising. KRBS broadcasts music, news, and public affairs to listeners at 107.1FM.
Superfund sites
Oroville has three designated superfundSuperfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
cleanup sites, two of which have been cleaned up and delisted: a Koppers Co. wood treatment plant, a Louisiana Pacific sawmill, and the Western Pacific railyard.
The Koppers Co.
Koppers
Koppers is a global chemical and materials company based in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States in an art-deco 1920s skyscraper, the Koppers Tower.-Structure:...
plant was listed on September 21, 1984 for pentachlorophenol
Pentachlorophenol
Pentachlorophenol is an organochlorine compound used as a pesticide and a disinfectant. First produced in the 1930s, it is marketed under many trade names...
(PCP), dioxin, furan
Furan
Furan is a heterocyclic organic compound, consisting of a five-membered aromatic ring with four carbon atoms and one oxygen. The class of compounds containing such rings are also referred to as furans....
, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons , also known as poly-aromatic hydrocarbons or polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, are potent atmospheric pollutants that consist of fused aromatic rings and do not contain heteroatoms or carry substituents. Naphthalene is the simplest example of a PAH...
(PAH), and heavy metals (copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
, chromium
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...
, and arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
) contamination due to chemicals spilled on unpaved areas.
The Louisiana-Pacific
Louisiana-Pacific
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation , commonly known as "LP", is a United States building materials manufacturer. It was founded in 1973 and is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. LP pioneered the U.S. production of oriented strand board panels. Today, LP is the world’s largest producer of OSB, and...
sawmill was listed on June 10, 1986 for pentachlorophenol
Pentachlorophenol
Pentachlorophenol is an organochlorine compound used as a pesticide and a disinfectant. First produced in the 1930s, it is marketed under many trade names...
PCP, dioxin, furan
Furan
Furan is a heterocyclic organic compound, consisting of a five-membered aromatic ring with four carbon atoms and one oxygen. The class of compounds containing such rings are also referred to as furans....
, heavy metals (arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
, boron
Boron
Boron is the chemical element with atomic number 5 and the chemical symbol B. Boron is a metalloid. Because boron is not produced by stellar nucleosynthesis, it is a low-abundance element in both the solar system and the Earth's crust. However, boron is concentrated on Earth by the...
, and copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons , also known as poly-aromatic hydrocarbons or polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, are potent atmospheric pollutants that consist of fused aromatic rings and do not contain heteroatoms or carry substituents. Naphthalene is the simplest example of a PAH...
(PAH) contamination. Following remediation, the site was delisted on November 21, 1996. The sawmill was shut down in 2001.
The Western Pacific Railroad yard was listed on August 30, 1990 for volatile organic compound
Volatile organic compound
Volatile organic compounds are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary, room-temperature conditions. Their high vapor pressure results from a low boiling point, which causes large numbers of molecules to evaporate or sublimate from the liquid or solid form of the compound and...
(VOC) and heavy metals (arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
, lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
, and chromium
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...
) contamination. Following remediation, the site was delisted on August 29, 2001.