Point Reyes Station, California
Encyclopedia
Point Reyes Station is small unincorporated town located in western Marin County, California
. Point Reyes Station is located 13 miles (21 km) south-southeast of Tomales
, at an elevation of 39 feet (11.9 m). Point Reyes Station is located along State Route 1
and is a gateway to the Point Reyes National Seashore
, an extremely popular national preserve. About 350 people live in the town. It is also the name of a census-designated place
in northern California covering the unincorporated town and surrounding countryside, with a total CDP population of 848.
The town is home to two weekly newspapers, The West Marin Citizen
and The Point Reyes Light
. The latter won the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
for its reporting on the now-defunct cult group Synanon
but is now under new ownership and editorial staff.
Point Reyes Station is located at 38°04′09"N 122°48′25"W, just south and east of the southern end of Tomales Bay
, and slightly east of the San Andreas Fault
just before the fault submerges down the center of Tomales Bay.
Formerly an actual port and railway terminus, Point Reyes Station, CA nominally borders Tomales Bay
; the introduction of European cattle and planting of European grass seed on the natural hills caused destructive erosion and a combination of small dirt dams, silting, and intentional landfill for farming raised the level of former salt marshes and has left Point Reyes Station approximately 0.8 miles (1.3 km) from the nearest tidal flats, and that after expenditure of millions of dollars and recent efforts for reclamation of the natural environment.
The CDP has a total area of 3.62 sq mi (9.4 km²), all land.
Indians, Point Reyes Station gets its name from the nearby Point Reyes Peninsula (a major peninsula sticking out into the Pacific Ocean
) and its status as a terminus stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad
connecting Cazadero
to the Sausalito
ferry.
Point Reyes Station is very close to the San Andreas Fault
responsible for the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
. At one time, the epicenter of the quake was thought to be nearby, in Olema. A faultline walking tour can be taken from the Point Reyes National Seashore's Visitor Center.
The place was called Olema Station when the railroad arrived in 1875. The Point Reyes post office opened in 1882, changed its name to Marin in 1891, changed it back to Point Reyes later in 1891, and changed it to Point Reyes Station later in 1891.
was 234.5 people per square mile (90.6/km²). The racial makeup of Point Reyes Station was 725 (85.5%) White, 7 (0.8%) African American, 3 (0.4%) Native American, 10 (1.2%) Asian, 73 (8.6%) from other races
, and 30 (3.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 155 persons (18.3%).
The Census reported that 100% of the population lived in households.
There were 412 households, out of which 87 (21.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 168 (40.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 19 (4.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 21 (5.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 19 (4.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 4 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 172 households (41.7%) were made up of individuals and 90 (21.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06. There were 208 families
(50.5% of all households); the average family size was 2.84.
The population was spread out with 155 people (18.3%) under the age of 18, 48 people (5.7%) aged 18 to 24, 152 people (17.9%) aged 25 to 44, 299 people (35.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 194 people (22.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.1 years. For every 100 females there were 81.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.4 males.
There were 490 housing units at an average density of 135.5 per square mile (52.3/km²), of which 50.2% were owner-occupied and 49.8% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%. 50.6% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 49.4% lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 818 people, 352 households, and 218 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 225.1 people per square mile (87.0/km²). There were 373 housing units at an average density of 102.6 per square mile (39.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP in 2010 was 77.8% non-Hispanic White, 0.6% non-Hispanic African American, 1.1% Asian, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.3% of the population.
There were 352 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 19.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 35.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $57,292, and the median income for a family was $69,821. Males had a median income of $41,181 versus $38,269 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $39,339. About 6.0% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
. Point Reyes Station is located 13 miles (21 km) south-southeast of Tomales
Tomales, California
Tomales is a census-designated place on State Route 1 in Marin County, California, United States. The population was 204 at the 2010 census. The largest employer in Tomales is Tomales High School, which has a student body of approximately 250.-Geography:Tomales is located above Keys Creek,...
, at an elevation of 39 feet (11.9 m). Point Reyes Station is located along State Route 1
California State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
and is a gateway to the Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes National Seashore is a park preserve located on the Point Reyes Peninsula in Marin County, California, USA. As a national seashore, it is maintained by the US National Park Service as a nationally important nature preserve within which existing agricultural uses are allowed to continue...
, an extremely popular national preserve. About 350 people live in the town. It is also the name of a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
in northern California covering the unincorporated town and surrounding countryside, with a total CDP population of 848.
The town is home to two weekly newspapers, The West Marin Citizen
West Marin Citizen
The West Marin Citizen is a weekly newspaper based in Point Reyes Station, California, that covers the western region of Marin County. After a pilot edition, the paper published its first issue on July 5, 2007....
and The Point Reyes Light
The Point Reyes Light
The Point Reyes Light is a weekly newspaper published since 1948 in western Marin County, California. The Light gained national attention in 1979 due to its reporting on a cult, Synanon, and the Pulitzer Prize awarded to the paper for this coverage...
. The latter won the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
The Pulitzer Prize for Public Service has been awarded since 1918 for a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper or news site through the use of its journalistic resources. Those resources, as well as reporting, may include editorials, cartoons, photographs, graphics,...
for its reporting on the now-defunct cult group Synanon
Synanon
The Synanon organization, initially a drug rehabilitation program, was founded by Charles E. "Chuck" Dederich, Sr., in 1958, in Santa Monica, California, United States...
but is now under new ownership and editorial staff.
Geography
Tomales Bay
Tomales Bay is a long narrow inlet of the Pacific Ocean in Marin County in northern California in the United States. It is approximately 15 miles long and averages nearly 1.0 miles wide, effectively separating the Point Reyes Peninsula from the mainland of Marin County. It is located...
, and slightly east of the San Andreas Fault
San Andreas Fault
The San Andreas Fault is a continental strike-slip fault that runs a length of roughly through California in the United States. The fault's motion is right-lateral strike-slip...
just before the fault submerges down the center of Tomales Bay.
Formerly an actual port and railway terminus, Point Reyes Station, CA nominally borders Tomales Bay
Tomales Bay
Tomales Bay is a long narrow inlet of the Pacific Ocean in Marin County in northern California in the United States. It is approximately 15 miles long and averages nearly 1.0 miles wide, effectively separating the Point Reyes Peninsula from the mainland of Marin County. It is located...
; the introduction of European cattle and planting of European grass seed on the natural hills caused destructive erosion and a combination of small dirt dams, silting, and intentional landfill for farming raised the level of former salt marshes and has left Point Reyes Station approximately 0.8 miles (1.3 km) from the nearest tidal flats, and that after expenditure of millions of dollars and recent efforts for reclamation of the natural environment.
The CDP has a total area of 3.62 sq mi (9.4 km²), all land.
History
Once land of the Coast MiwokCoast Miwok
The Coast Miwok were the second largest group of Miwok Native American people. The Coast Miwok inhabited the general area of modern Marin County and southern Sonoma County in Northern California, from the Golden Gate north to Duncans Point and eastward to Sonoma Creek...
Indians, Point Reyes Station gets its name from the nearby Point Reyes Peninsula (a major peninsula sticking out into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
) and its status as a terminus stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad
North Pacific Coast Railroad
The North Pacific Coast Railroad was a common carrier narrow gauge steam railroad begun in 1874 and sold in 1902 to new owners who renamed it the North Shore Railroad and which rebuilt the southern section into a standard gauge electric railroad.The NPC operated in the northern California...
connecting Cazadero
Cazadero, California
Cazadero is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in western Sonoma County, California, United States with a population of 354 as of the 2010 Census. Nearby towns include Jenner, Annapolis, Stewart's Point, Duncans Mills, Villa Grande, Rio Nido, Guerneville, Monte Rio, and The Sea Ranch...
to the Sausalito
Sausalito, California
Sausalito is a San Francisco Bay Area city, in Marin County, California, United States. Sausalito is south-southeast of San Rafael, at an elevation of 13 feet . The population was 7,061 as of the 2010 census. The community is situated near the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, and prior to...
ferry.
Point Reyes Station is very close to the San Andreas Fault
San Andreas Fault
The San Andreas Fault is a continental strike-slip fault that runs a length of roughly through California in the United States. The fault's motion is right-lateral strike-slip...
responsible for the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
. At one time, the epicenter of the quake was thought to be nearby, in Olema. A faultline walking tour can be taken from the Point Reyes National Seashore's Visitor Center.
The place was called Olema Station when the railroad arrived in 1875. The Point Reyes post office opened in 1882, changed its name to Marin in 1891, changed it back to Point Reyes later in 1891, and changed it to Point Reyes Station later in 1891.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Point Reyes Station had a population of 848. 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 234.5 people per square mile (90.6/km²). The racial makeup of Point Reyes Station was 725 (85.5%) White, 7 (0.8%) African American, 3 (0.4%) Native American, 10 (1.2%) Asian, 73 (8.6%) 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 30 (3.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 155 persons (18.3%).
The Census reported that 100% of the population lived in households.
There were 412 households, out of which 87 (21.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 168 (40.8%) 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, 19 (4.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 21 (5.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 19 (4.6%) 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 4 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 172 households (41.7%) were made up of individuals and 90 (21.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06. There were 208 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...
(50.5% of all households); the average family size was 2.84.
The population was spread out with 155 people (18.3%) under the age of 18, 48 people (5.7%) aged 18 to 24, 152 people (17.9%) aged 25 to 44, 299 people (35.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 194 people (22.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.1 years. For every 100 females there were 81.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.4 males.
There were 490 housing units at an average density of 135.5 per square mile (52.3/km²), of which 50.2% were owner-occupied and 49.8% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%. 50.6% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 49.4% 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 818 people, 352 households, and 218 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 225.1 people per square mile (87.0/km²). There were 373 housing units at an average density of 102.6 per square mile (39.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP in 2010 was 77.8% non-Hispanic White, 0.6% non-Hispanic African American, 1.1% Asian, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.3% of the population.
There were 352 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% 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, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 19.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 35.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $57,292, and the median income for a family was $69,821. Males had a median income of $41,181 versus $38,269 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $39,339. About 6.0% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.