Weaverville, California
Encyclopedia
Weaverville is a census-designated place
and the county seat
of Trinity County, California
. The population was 3,600 at the 2010 census, up from 3,554 at the 2000 census.
town. Nestled at the foot of the current day Trinity Alps Wilderness Area, Weaverville was once home to approximately 2,000 Chinese gold miners, and had its own Chinatown.
Logging and tourism were the economic mainstays of Weaverville for many years. The regional economy has been in steady decline for many years, with only a small uptick brought introduced by the global real estate bubble. Trinity county's unemployment rate - as of April, 2009 - stood at 20.9 % (NY Times).
Weaverville is the home of California's oldest continuously used Chinese temple. The Joss House is now managed by the park system and is open to visitors all year round http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=457
Weaverville is often threatened by forest fires, most recently on July 29, 2006. Much of the town was evacuated for two days, but the fire was later controlled with little damage due to the efforts of federal, state and local firefighters.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 10.4 square miles (26.9 km²), all of it land.
The National Weather Service
has had a cooperative weather station in Weaverville since 1894. Based on those records, average January temperatures are a maximum of 47.2°F and a minimum of 27.4°F and average July temperatures are a maximum of 94.1°F and a minimum of 49.1°F. There are an average of 77.3 days with highs of 90°F (32°C) or higher an average of 126.8 days with lows of 32°F (0°C) or lower. The record high temperature was 116°F on August 4, 1932, and the record low temperature was -10°F on December 9, 1972.
Average annual precipitation is 35.28 inches. There are an average of 83 days annually with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1970 with 53.77 inches and the dryest year was 1932 with 20.19 inches. The most precipitation in one month was 20.86 inches in December 2005. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 5.50 inches on January 4, 1982. Average annual snowfall is 22.5 inches. The most snowfall in one month was 75.3 inches in January 1950.
was 345.4 people per square mile (133.3/km²). The racial makeup of Weaverville was 3,162 (87.8%) White, 11 (0.3%) African American, 152 (4.2%) Native American, 41 (1.1%) Asian, 1 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 38 (1.1%) from other races
, and 195 (5.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 255 persons (7.1%).
The Census reported that 3,473 people (96.5% of the population) lived in households, 61 (1.7%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 66 (1.8%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,513 households, out of which 440 (29.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 622 (41.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 185 (12.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 112 (7.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 145 (9.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 12 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 473 households (31.3%) were made up of individuals and 196 (13.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30. There were 919 families
(60.7% of all households); the average family size was 2.80.
The population was spread out with 842 people (23.4%) under the age of 18, 247 people (6.9%) aged 18 to 24, 734 people (20.4%) aged 25 to 44, 1,109 people (30.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 668 people (18.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.4 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
There were 1,675 housing units at an average density of 160.7 per square mile (62.0/km²), of which 908 (60.0%) were owner-occupied, and 605 (40.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%. 2,089 people (58.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,384 people (38.4%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 3,554 people, 1,513 households, and 960 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 100.4 people per square mile (38.8/km²). There were 1,653 housing units at an average density of 46.7 per square mile (18.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.5% White, 0.3% African American, 2.9% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.2% from other races
, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.3% of the population.
There were 1,513 households out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples
living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,319, and the median income for a family was $37,813. Males had a median income of $34,091 versus $24,722 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $18,297. About 13.2% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
Weaverville is located in the 4th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Doug LaMalfa
, and in the 1st Assembly
District, represented by Democrat
Wesley Chesbro. Federally, Weaverville is located in California's 2nd congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +11, which is 2 points lower than it was prior to the 2008 election. The 2nd Congressional District is currently represented by Republican Wally Herger
.
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...
and the county seat
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 Trinity County, California
Trinity County, California
Trinity County is a large, rugged and mountainous, heavily forested county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of California, along the Trinity River and within the Salmon/Klamath Mountains. It covers an area of over two million acres , and as of the 2010 census its population...
. The population was 3,600 at the 2010 census, up from 3,554 at the 2000 census.
History
Founded in 1850, Weaverville is a historic California Gold RushCalifornia 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...
town. Nestled at the foot of the current day Trinity Alps Wilderness Area, Weaverville was once home to approximately 2,000 Chinese gold miners, and had its own Chinatown.
Logging and tourism were the economic mainstays of Weaverville for many years. The regional economy has been in steady decline for many years, with only a small uptick brought introduced by the global real estate bubble. Trinity county's unemployment rate - as of April, 2009 - stood at 20.9 % (NY Times).
Weaverville is the home of California's oldest continuously used Chinese temple. The Joss House is now managed by the park system and is open to visitors all year round http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=457
Weaverville is often threatened by forest fires, most recently on July 29, 2006. Much of the town was evacuated for two days, but the fire was later controlled with little damage due to the efforts of federal, state and local firefighters.
Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park
The Weaverville Joss House (also called "The Temple of the Forest Beneath the Clouds"), a Taoist temple, was built in 1874 and is California's best preserved example of a Gold Rush-era Chinese place of worship. The temple is now the Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park, and its interior, including an intricately carved wooden altar, can be viewed by visitors.Geography and climate
Weaverville is located at 40°44′12"N 122°56′10"W (40.736687, -122.936208).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 has a total area of 10.4 square miles (26.9 km²), all of it land.
The National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
has had a cooperative weather station in Weaverville since 1894. Based on those records, average January temperatures are a maximum of 47.2°F and a minimum of 27.4°F and average July temperatures are a maximum of 94.1°F and a minimum of 49.1°F. There are an average of 77.3 days with highs of 90°F (32°C) or higher an average of 126.8 days with lows of 32°F (0°C) or lower. The record high temperature was 116°F on August 4, 1932, and the record low temperature was -10°F on December 9, 1972.
Average annual precipitation is 35.28 inches. There are an average of 83 days annually with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1970 with 53.77 inches and the dryest year was 1932 with 20.19 inches. The most precipitation in one month was 20.86 inches in December 2005. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 5.50 inches on January 4, 1982. Average annual snowfall is 22.5 inches. The most snowfall in one month was 75.3 inches in January 1950.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Weaverville had a population of 3,600. 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 345.4 people per square mile (133.3/km²). The racial makeup of Weaverville was 3,162 (87.8%) White, 11 (0.3%) African American, 152 (4.2%) Native American, 41 (1.1%) Asian, 1 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 38 (1.1%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 195 (5.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 255 persons (7.1%).
The Census reported that 3,473 people (96.5% of the population) lived in households, 61 (1.7%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 66 (1.8%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,513 households, out of which 440 (29.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 622 (41.1%) 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, 185 (12.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 112 (7.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 145 (9.6%) 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 12 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 473 households (31.3%) were made up of individuals and 196 (13.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30. There were 919 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...
(60.7% of all households); the average family size was 2.80.
The population was spread out with 842 people (23.4%) under the age of 18, 247 people (6.9%) aged 18 to 24, 734 people (20.4%) aged 25 to 44, 1,109 people (30.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 668 people (18.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.4 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
There were 1,675 housing units at an average density of 160.7 per square mile (62.0/km²), of which 908 (60.0%) were owner-occupied, and 605 (40.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%. 2,089 people (58.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,384 people (38.4%) 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 3,554 people, 1,513 households, and 960 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 100.4 people per square mile (38.8/km²). There were 1,653 housing units at an average density of 46.7 per square mile (18.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.5% White, 0.3% African American, 2.9% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.2% 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 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.3% of the population.
There were 1,513 households out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% 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, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,319, and the median income for a family was $37,813. Males had a median income of $34,091 versus $24,722 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $18,297. About 13.2% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Weaverville is located in the 4th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Doug LaMalfa
Doug LaMalfa
Doug LaMalfa is an American politician currently serving in the California State Senate. He is a Republican representing the 4th district, encompassing Del Norte, Siskiyou, Shasta, Trinity, Tehama, Butte, Glenn, Colusa, Sutter, and Yuba counties, as well as parts of Nevada and Placer counties...
, and in the 1st Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Wesley Chesbro. Federally, Weaverville is located in California's 2nd congressional district
California's 2nd congressional district
California's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California. The district contains much of the far northern part of the state, north of Sacramento. It is the largest district by area in California...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +11, which is 2 points lower than it was prior to the 2008 election. The 2nd Congressional District is currently represented by Republican Wally Herger
Wally Herger
Walter William "Wally" Herger, Jr. , American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1987, representing the California's 2nd congressional district. The second district is physically large...
.
Cultural references
It has been claimed that Weaverville was an inspiration for the remote paradise of Shangri-la from British author James Hilton's "Lost Horizon", but this is the result of a misinterpretation of a comment by Hilton in a 1941 interview, in which he said that Weaverville reminded him of Shangri-La. Coincidentally, Junction City (about 8 miles from Weaverville) now has a Tibetan Buddhist center.- The 1938 Movie Gold Is Where You Find ItGold Is Where You Find It"Gold is Where You Find It" is a Technicolor feature film, released on February 12, 1938 by Warner Brothers. It has a running time of 91 minutes.-Cast & Credits:* Director: Michael Curtiz* Producers: Jack L. Warner, Hal B...
was filmed in and around Weaverville. - The Mary McCaslinMary McCaslinMary McCaslin is an American folk singer who wrote, recorded and performs contemporary folk music. She recorded primarily for Philo Records and traveled and performed with her husband, Jim Ringer....
song The Ballad of Weaverville gives a fictional account of the town's name as being that of a gambler, Jim Weaver, who had the town named after him as his final bet, after winning all of the town's gold.
External links
- Weaverville Information
- Weaverville News
- Trinity County California
- A History of Chinese Americans in California: Won Lim Temple - a State Historic Park and a State Historical Landmark
- Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park - official site
- Photos of Joss House events
- Historic Weaverville Information