Santa Margarita, California
Encyclopedia
Santa Margarita is a census-designated place
located in San Luis Obispo County, California
. It was founded in 1897 near Cuesta Peak and San Luis Obispo
along State Route 58
. The town's name comes from the Mexican Alta California
land grant. It is home to the Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia. The population was 1,259 at the 2010 census.
, it is one of the most rural areas in San Luis Obispo County. Santa Margarita Lake
, a major water source for San Luis Obispo, is located several miles southeast of the town on the Salinas River
. It is served by the zip code
93453 and area code 805
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP covers an area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land.
Mexican land grant from Secularized Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
, were originally granted to Joaquín Estrada, who later sold it to the Martin Murphy family. Californio culture is still very much alive at the Rancho, which remains in the private ownership of local developers Rob Rossi, Doug Filipponi, and Karl Wittstrom. It remains a working stock ranch and is also now home to the Ancient Peaks Winery and the Pacific Coast Railroad Company
, a narrow gauge
steam heritage railway
.
was 2,432.4 people per square mile (939.1/km²). The racial makeup of Santa Margarita was 1,077 (85.5%) White, 8 (0.6%) African American, 28 (2.2%) Native American, 34 (2.7%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 42 (3.3%) from other races
, and 70 (5.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 206 persons (16.4%).
The Census reported that 1,259 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 507 households, out of which 151 (29.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 254 (50.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 52 (10.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 16 (3.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 52 (10.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 1 (0.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 124 households (24.5%) were made up of individuals and 29 (5.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48. There were 322 families
(63.5% of all households); the average family size was 2.98.
The population was spread out with 257 people (20.4%) under the age of 18, 112 people (8.9%) aged 18 to 24, 321 people (25.5%) aged 25 to 44, 461 people (36.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 108 people (8.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.
There were 525 housing units at an average density of 1,014.3 per square mile (391.6/km²), of which 334 (65.9%) were owner-occupied, and 173 (34.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.3%. 832 people (66.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 427 people (33.9%) lived in rental housing units.
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...
located in San Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census its population was 269,637, up from 246,681 at the 2000 census...
. It was founded in 1897 near Cuesta Peak and San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities...
along State Route 58
California State Route 58
State Route 58 is an east-west highway across the California Coast Ranges, the southern San Joaquin Valley, the Tehachapi Mountains, which border the southern Sierra Nevada, and the Mojave Desert. It runs between its western terminus near Santa Margarita and its eastern terminus at Barstow...
. The town's name comes from the Mexican Alta California
Alta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
land grant. It is home to the Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia. The population was 1,259 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Located in the foothills of the Santa Lucia MountainsSanta Lucia Mountains
The Santa Lucia Mountains or Santa Lucia Range is a mountain range in coastal California, running from Monterey southeast for 105 miles to San Luis Obispo. The highest summit is Junipero Serra Peak, in Monterey County...
, it is one of the most rural areas in San Luis Obispo County. Santa Margarita Lake
Santa Margarita Lake
Santa Margarita Lake, also called Salinas Reservoir, is a lake several miles southeast of the town of Santa Margarita in San Luis Obispo County, California. The lake was created by the building of Salinas Dam on the southern end of the Salinas River, very close to the river's origin in the Coast...
, a major water source for San Luis Obispo, is located several miles southeast of the town on the Salinas River
Salinas River (California)
The Salinas River is the largest river of the central coast of California, running and draining 4,160 square miles. It flows north-northwest and drains the Salinas Valley that slices through the Coast Range south from Monterey Bay...
. It is served by the zip code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
93453 and area code 805
Area code 805
North American area code 805 is a California telephone area code. Area code 805 includes most or all of the California counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura, plus southernmost portions of Monterey County....
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP covers an area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land.
History
The town is located on the Rancho Santa MargaritaRancho Santa Margarita
Rancho Santa Margarita was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1841 by Governor pro tem Manuel Jimeno to Joaquín Estrada. The grant encompassed present day Santa Margarita.-History:...
Mexican land grant from Secularized Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was founded 1772 on the Central Coast of California on a site located halfway between Santa Barbara and Monterey. It was named after Saint Louis of Anjou, the bishop of Toulouse. The Mission church of San Luis Obispo is unusual in its design in that its...
, were originally granted to Joaquín Estrada, who later sold it to the Martin Murphy family. Californio culture is still very much alive at the Rancho, which remains in the private ownership of local developers Rob Rossi, Doug Filipponi, and Karl Wittstrom. It remains a working stock ranch and is also now home to the Ancient Peaks Winery and the Pacific Coast Railroad Company
Pacific Coast Railroad (tourist)
The Pacific Coast Railroad is a narrow-gauge tourist railroad located at the Santa Margarita Ranch in Santa Margarita, California.Established in 2000 by San Luis Obispo entrepreneur Rob Rossi, it sees only limited public operation. Phase 1 consisted of a loop around the most historic part of the...
, a narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
steam heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
.
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Santa Margarita had a population of 1,259. 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 2,432.4 people per square mile (939.1/km²). The racial makeup of Santa Margarita was 1,077 (85.5%) White, 8 (0.6%) African American, 28 (2.2%) Native American, 34 (2.7%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 42 (3.3%) 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 70 (5.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 206 persons (16.4%).
The Census reported that 1,259 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 507 households, out of which 151 (29.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 254 (50.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 52 (10.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 16 (3.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 52 (10.3%) 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 1 (0.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 124 households (24.5%) were made up of individuals and 29 (5.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48. There were 322 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...
(63.5% of all households); the average family size was 2.98.
The population was spread out with 257 people (20.4%) under the age of 18, 112 people (8.9%) aged 18 to 24, 321 people (25.5%) aged 25 to 44, 461 people (36.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 108 people (8.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.
There were 525 housing units at an average density of 1,014.3 per square mile (391.6/km²), of which 334 (65.9%) were owner-occupied, and 173 (34.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.3%. 832 people (66.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 427 people (33.9%) lived in rental housing units.