Willits, California
Encyclopedia
Willits is a city in Mendocino County
, California
, United States
. Willits is located 20 miles (32 km) north-northwest of Ukiah
, at an elevation of 1391 feet (424 m). The population was 4,888 at the 2010 census, down from 5,073 at the 2000 census. Willits is at the center of Mendocino County and its redwood forests. An arch donated to the city by Reno
, Nevada
in 1995 stands in the center of town and displays Willits' slogans "Heart of Mendocino County" and "Gateway to the Redwoods." The Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California
are headquartered here.
on U.S. Route 101
(otherwise known as the Redwood Highway
).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), 99.83% of it land.
Annual precipitation averages 51 inches (1,295.4 mm). The wettest year on record was 1983 with 91.58 inches (2,326.1 mm) and the driest year on record was 1985 with 30.31 inches (769.9 mm). The maximum precipitation in one month was 31.41 inches (797.8 mm) in December 1964. The maximum precipitation in 24 hours was 8.8 inches (223.5 mm) on December 22, 1964. There are an average of 94 days with measurable precipitation.
There are occasional snow falls in Willits each year, with an average of 3.7 inches (94 mm) of snow annually. The most snow in one month was 20 inches (508 mm) in December 1964.
The city is the eastern terminus of the California Western Railroad
(otherwise known as the "Skunk Train"), running through the Coast Redwood forests to coastal Fort Bragg
. The old redwood Willits Depot was built in 1915 by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad
, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific. It is registered as a National Historic Place.
Every July, Willits hosts the Frontier Days & Rodeo
, the oldest continuous rodeo
and Independence Day celebration in California. It is also home to the Roots of Motive Power Locomotive Museum and the Mendocino County Museum.
The Willits area is the final home of the racehorse Seabiscuit
. Ridgewood Ranch
, where Seabiscuit trained, recuperated, lived out his retirement and was buried, is located a few miles south of the city.
Willits High School
is located on the north end of Willits. It is the home of the Wolverines.
Some notable names from Willits include Judi Bari
, labour leader and environmental activist who fought to save the Redwoods. Over 1,000 people attended her Willits funeral in 1997. Tré Cool
, drummer for Green Day
, lived in Willits during his teen years (1980's). Mona Gnader, the bass player for Sammy Hagar
also resided in Willits. Although the band Tommy Tutone
is usually referred to as "a San Francisco band", they were located in Willits at the time that their enduring hit single "Jenny (867-5309)"
was released. Hal Wagenet, guitarist for the band It's A Beautiful Day
in their early years, is a graduate of Willits High School. The folk singer Jeff Buckley
spent a year at Willits High School . Liquid Ginger guitarist and film industry personality C.J. Perrine, also known as Charles (Chuck) Curtis, is from Willits. Stagecoach bandit Charles Bolles
(aka Black Bart) stole multiple Wells Fargo boxes and mail from stagecoaches traveling through Willits. Technical death metal bands Embryonic Devourment & Hellusinit also come from Willits.
During the 1950s, seascape painter Marshall Merritt
maintained a studio in Willits.
Many residents of the city are currently embroiled in a class-action lawsuit against the Whitman Corporation, alleging that hexavalent chromium
pollution left by the Remco Hydraulics chrome plating plant, which was owned by Whitman and operated in Willits from 1964–1995, is responsible for a host of local health problems. Litigator Erin Brockovich
, known for the eponymous movie about her work in a similar case, is participating in the lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiffs.
Five miles east of Willits, the San Francisco Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts Of America
operates a 2200 acres (8.9 km²) camp named Wente Scout Reservation. Previously known as Willits Scout Ranch, the camp in 1984 "saved" the town of Willits during an emergency water crisis by releasing 20000 acre.ft of water from their private lake into the town's water system.
Willits is also home to classical guitar luthier
Gregory Byers.
was 1,743.7 people per square mile (673.3/km²). The racial makeup of Willits was 3,862 (79.0%) White, 34 (0.7%) African American, 216 (4.4%) Native American, 68 (1.4%) Asian, 5 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 479 (9.8%) from other races
, and 224 (4.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,008 persons (20.6%).
The Census reported that 4,794 people (98.1% of the population) lived in households, 52 (1.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 42 (0.9%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,914 households, out of which 667 (34.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 693 (36.2%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 320 (16.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 143 (7.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 163 (8.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 11 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 609 households (31.8%) were made up of individuals and 281 (14.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50. There were 1,156 families
(60.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.13.
The population dispersal was 1,270 people (26.0%) under the age of 18, 412 people (8.4%) aged 18 to 24, 1,191 people (24.4%) aged 25 to 44, 1,273 people (26.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 742 people (15.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.8 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males. There were 2,073 housing units at an average density of 739.5 per square mile (285.5/km²), of which 843 (44.0%) were owner-occupied, and 1,071 (56.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.3%. 2,215 people (45.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,579 people (52.8%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 5,073 people, 1,935 households, and 1,230 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,813.7 people per square mile (699.5/km²). There were 2,013 housing units at an average density of 719.7 per square mile (277.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 4,247 (83.72%) White, 32 (0.63%) African American, 179 (3.53%) Native American, 59 (1.2%) Asian, 2 (0.04%) Pacific Islander, 359 (7.08%) from other races
, and 195 (3.84%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race numbered 745, or 14.69% of the population.
There were 1,935 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples
living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the population dispersal was 29.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males. The median income
for a household in the city was $26,283, and the median income for a family was $36,193. Males had a median income of $30,983 versus $22,089 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,642. About 11.6% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
and METALfx.
Willits is located in the 2nd Senate
District, represented by Democrat
Noreen Evans
, and in the 1st Assembly
District, represented by Democrat Wes Chesbro. Federally, Willits is located in California's 1st congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +13 and is represented by Democrat Mike Thompson
.
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Willits is located 20 miles (32 km) north-northwest of Ukiah
Ukiah, California
The average high temperature is 73.5 °F . Average low temperature is 46.1 °F . Temperatures reach 90 °F on an average of 65.6 days annually and 100 °F on an average of 14.4 days annually. Due to frequent low humidity, summer temperatures normally drop into the fifties at night. Freezing...
, at an elevation of 1391 feet (424 m). The population was 4,888 at the 2010 census, down from 5,073 at the 2000 census. Willits is at the center of Mendocino County and its redwood forests. An arch donated to the city by Reno
Reno
Reno is the fourth most populous city in Nevada, US.Reno may also refer to:-Places:Italy*The Reno River, in Northern ItalyCanada*Reno No...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
in 1995 stands in the center of town and displays Willits' slogans "Heart of Mendocino County" and "Gateway to the Redwoods." The Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California
Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California
The Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California is a federally recognized tribe of Pomo Indians in California.The tribe's reservation, the Sherwood Valley Rancheria, is located in Mendocino County, near Willits, California, on Highway 101. It is large...
are headquartered here.
Geography and environment
Located at the center of Mendocino County in the Little Lake Valley, 20 miles (32 km) north of UkiahUkiah, California
The average high temperature is 73.5 °F . Average low temperature is 46.1 °F . Temperatures reach 90 °F on an average of 65.6 days annually and 100 °F on an average of 14.4 days annually. Due to frequent low humidity, summer temperatures normally drop into the fifties at night. Freezing...
on U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is an important north–south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States...
(otherwise known as the Redwood Highway
Redwood Highway
The Redwood Highway refers to the following two highway segments in California, United states:*U.S. Route 101 in California, from the Golden Gate Bridge - Marin County, California through the North Coast region to the junction with U.S. Route 199 near Crescent City, California.*The entire route of...
).
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), 99.83% of it land.
Climate
The mountains to the west cause Willits to have a cool winter and hot summer climate. Average January temperatures range from 18.7 °F (-7.4 °C) to 54.9 °F (12.7 °C). Average July temperatures range from 47.3 °F (8.5 °C) to 85.3 °F (29.6 °C). There are an average of 34.5 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher, and an average of 80.3 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The record maximum temperature was 118 °F (47.8 °C) on June 30, 2005, and the record minimum temperature was 3 °F (-16.1 °C) on December 9, 1972.Annual precipitation averages 51 inches (1,295.4 mm). The wettest year on record was 1983 with 91.58 inches (2,326.1 mm) and the driest year on record was 1985 with 30.31 inches (769.9 mm). The maximum precipitation in one month was 31.41 inches (797.8 mm) in December 1964. The maximum precipitation in 24 hours was 8.8 inches (223.5 mm) on December 22, 1964. There are an average of 94 days with measurable precipitation.
There are occasional snow falls in Willits each year, with an average of 3.7 inches (94 mm) of snow annually. The most snow in one month was 20 inches (508 mm) in December 1964.
History and culture
Hiram Willits settled at the site in 1857. Kirk Brier founded the settlement on Willits' land. Willits was originally called Willitsville. Later, when the post office opened in 1861 it was called Little Lake. The name changed to Willits in 1874. Willits incorporated in 1888.The city is the eastern terminus of the California Western Railroad
California Western Railroad
The California Western Railroad , popularly called the Skunk Train, is a heritage railroad in Mendocino County, California, running from the railroad's headquarters in the coastal town of Fort Bragg, and the interchange with the Northwestern Pacific Railroad at Willits.The CWR runs steam and...
(otherwise known as the "Skunk Train"), running through the Coast Redwood forests to coastal Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg, California
Fort Bragg is a city located in coastal Mendocino County, California along State Route 1, the major north-south highway along the Pacific Coast. Fort Bragg is located west of Willits, at an elevation of 85 feet...
. The old redwood Willits Depot was built in 1915 by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad
Northwestern Pacific Railroad
The Northwestern Pacific Railroad is a regional railroad serving California's North Coast. The railroad currently runs on 62 miles of the 462 mile main line, stretching from Schellville, California to Eureka, California...
, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific. It is registered as a National Historic Place.
Every July, Willits hosts the Frontier Days & Rodeo
Frontier Days (rodeo)
Frontier Days is a common name for a major rodeo event. At least five cities called their annual rodeo "Frontier Days."-Cities with a "Frontier Days" event:* Prescott, Arizona* Willits, California* Abbyville, Kansas* Charlotte, Michigan...
, the oldest continuous rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
and Independence Day celebration in California. It is also home to the Roots of Motive Power Locomotive Museum and the Mendocino County Museum.
The Willits area is the final home of the racehorse Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
. Ridgewood Ranch
Ridgewood Ranch
Ridgewood Ranch is a large ranch situated south of Willits, California in rural Mendocino County. It is probably best known for being the final resting place of legendary racehorse Seabiscuit.-History:...
, where Seabiscuit trained, recuperated, lived out his retirement and was buried, is located a few miles south of the city.
Willits High School
Willits High School
Willits High School is a high school located in Willits, California. Willits High School began in September, 1904, and met on the second floor of the Maize Mercantile Building on the corner of Main and Commercial Streets. Three years later, a new high school was built at Pine and Maple Streets....
is located on the north end of Willits. It is the home of the Wolverines.
Some notable names from Willits include Judi Bari
Judi Bari
Judi Bari was an American environmentalist and labor leader, a feminist, and the principal organizer of Earth First! campaigns against logging in the ancient redwood forests of Northern California in the 1980s and '90...
, labour leader and environmental activist who fought to save the Redwoods. Over 1,000 people attended her Willits funeral in 1997. Tré Cool
Tre Cool
Frank Edwin Wright III, a.k.a. Tré Cool, is an American drummer, best known as the drummer for the punk rock band Green Day. He replaced the group's former drummer John Kiffmeyer in 1990...
, drummer for Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
, lived in Willits during his teen years (1980's). Mona Gnader, the bass player for Sammy Hagar
Sammy Hagar
Sam Roy "Sammy" Hagar , also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Also sings Country Music....
also resided in Willits. Although the band Tommy Tutone
Tommy Tutone
Tommy Tutone is a New Wave band, best known for its 1982 hit "867-5309/Jenny", which peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although it is usually referred to as a San Francisco band, it was actually based in Willits, California, at the time that "Jenny" was released...
is usually referred to as "a San Francisco band", they were located in Willits at the time that their enduring hit single "Jenny (867-5309)"
867-5309/Jenny
"867-5309/Jenny" is a song written by Alex Call and Jim Keller and performed by Tommy Tutone that was released on the album Tommy Tutone 2, on the Columbia Records label. It peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number one on the Billboard Top Tracks chart in 1982...
was released. Hal Wagenet, guitarist for the band It's A Beautiful Day
It's a Beautiful Day
It's a Beautiful Day is a band formed in San Francisco, California in 1967, the brainchild of violinist David LaFlamme.LaFlamme, a former soloist with the Utah Symphony Orchestra, had previously been in the band Orkustra, and unusually, played a five-string violin...
in their early years, is a graduate of Willits High School. The folk singer Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley , raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician...
spent a year at Willits High School . Liquid Ginger guitarist and film industry personality C.J. Perrine, also known as Charles (Chuck) Curtis, is from Willits. Stagecoach bandit Charles Bolles
Charles Bolles
Charles Earl Bowles , better known as Black Bart, was an English-born American Old West outlaw noted for his poetic messages left after two of his robberies. Also known as Charles Bolton, C.E...
(aka Black Bart) stole multiple Wells Fargo boxes and mail from stagecoaches traveling through Willits. Technical death metal bands Embryonic Devourment & Hellusinit also come from Willits.
During the 1950s, seascape painter Marshall Merritt
Marshall Merritt
Marshall Everett Merritt was an American artist. An impressionist painter, he specialized in seascapes, particularly oil depictions of the California coast. He also painted many landscapes, portraits and still lifes....
maintained a studio in Willits.
Many residents of the city are currently embroiled in a class-action lawsuit against the Whitman Corporation, alleging that hexavalent chromium
Hexavalent chromium
Hexavalent chromium refers to chemical compounds that contain the element chromium in the +6 oxidation state. Virtually all chromium ore is processed via hexavalent chromium, specifically the salt sodium dichromate. Approximately of hexavalent chromium were produced in 1985...
pollution left by the Remco Hydraulics chrome plating plant, which was owned by Whitman and operated in Willits from 1964–1995, is responsible for a host of local health problems. Litigator Erin Brockovich
Erin Brockovich
Erin Brockovich-Ellis is an American legal clerk and environmental activist who, despite the lack of a formal law school education, or any legal education, was instrumental in constructing a case against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company of California in 1993...
, known for the eponymous movie about her work in a similar case, is participating in the lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiffs.
Five miles east of Willits, the San Francisco Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts Of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
operates a 2200 acres (8.9 km²) camp named Wente Scout Reservation. Previously known as Willits Scout Ranch, the camp in 1984 "saved" the town of Willits during an emergency water crisis by releasing 20000 acre.ft of water from their private lake into the town's water system.
Willits is also home to classical guitar luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
Gregory Byers.
2010 Census data
The 2010 United States Census reported that Willits had a population of 4,888. 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 1,743.7 people per square mile (673.3/km²). The racial makeup of Willits was 3,862 (79.0%) White, 34 (0.7%) African American, 216 (4.4%) Native American, 68 (1.4%) Asian, 5 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 479 (9.8%) 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 224 (4.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,008 persons (20.6%).
The Census reported that 4,794 people (98.1% of the population) lived in households, 52 (1.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 42 (0.9%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,914 households, out of which 667 (34.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 693 (36.2%) 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, 320 (16.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 143 (7.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 163 (8.5%) 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 11 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 609 households (31.8%) were made up of individuals and 281 (14.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50. There were 1,156 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...
(60.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.13.
The population dispersal was 1,270 people (26.0%) under the age of 18, 412 people (8.4%) aged 18 to 24, 1,191 people (24.4%) aged 25 to 44, 1,273 people (26.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 742 people (15.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.8 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males. There were 2,073 housing units at an average density of 739.5 per square mile (285.5/km²), of which 843 (44.0%) were owner-occupied, and 1,071 (56.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.3%. 2,215 people (45.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,579 people (52.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000 Census data
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 5,073 people, 1,935 households, and 1,230 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 1,813.7 people per square mile (699.5/km²). There were 2,013 housing units at an average density of 719.7 per square mile (277.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 4,247 (83.72%) White, 32 (0.63%) African American, 179 (3.53%) Native American, 59 (1.2%) Asian, 2 (0.04%) Pacific Islander, 359 (7.08%) 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 (3.84%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race numbered 745, or 14.69% of the population.
There were 1,935 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% 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, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the population dispersal was 29.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males. The median income
Income
Income is the consumption and savings opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. However, for households and individuals, "income is the sum of all the wages, salaries, profits, interests payments, rents and other forms of earnings...
for a household in the city was $26,283, and the median income for a family was $36,193. Males had a median income of $30,983 versus $22,089 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 $16,642. About 11.6% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Major employers in Willits include the Frank R. Howard Memorial HospitalFrank R. Howard Memorial Hospital
Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital is a rural 25-bed Critical Access Hospital located in Willits, California, a northern Mendocino County community known as “gateway to the redwoods.”-History:...
and METALfx.
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...
Willits is located in the 2nd 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 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...
Noreen Evans
Noreen Evans
Noreen Evans is an American politician in the California State Senate. She is a Democrat representing the 2nd district, encompassing Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa counties, as well as parts of Sonoma and Solano 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 Wes Chesbro. Federally, Willits is located in California's 1st congressional district
California's 1st congressional district
California's 1st congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California and presently consists of the northern coastline and includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino and Napa counties and parts of Sonoma and Yolo counties.The district is currently...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +13 and is represented by Democrat Mike Thompson
Mike Thompson
Michael C. Thompson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties as well as parts of Yolo and Sonoma Counties....
.
External links
- Willits Chamber of Commerce
- Willits High School
- California Western Railroad - "The Skunk Train"
- Mendocino County Museum
- Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation - tours of Ridgewood Ranch
- Roots of Motive Power Locomotive Museum
- Willits Library
- Article discussing high rate of cancer in residents of Willits due to hexavalent chromium poisoning by Remco/Abex
- Wente Scout Reservation
- Welcome to Willits