Loyalton, California
City of Loyalton | |
|---|---|
 Sierra Valley Home Center in Loyalton | |
 Location inSierra Countyand the state ofCalifornia | |
  City of Loyalton Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates:39°40′36″N120°14′35″W/ 39.67667°N 120.24306°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Sierra |
| Incorporated | August 21, 1901[1] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | Sarah Jackson |
| • City Council | Council Members[2]
|
| • City Clerk | Kathy LeBlanc |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.35 sq mi (0.92 km2) |
| • Land | 0.35 sq mi (0.92 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 4,951 ft (1,509 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 740 |
| • Estimate (2019)[4] | 702 |
| • Density | 2,114.3/sq mi (804.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8(Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7(PDT) |
| ZIP code | 96118 |
| Area code | 530 |
| FIPS code | 06-44364 |
| GNISfeature ID | 0277550 |
| Website | www |
Loyaltonis a city inSierra County,California,United States. At the2020 census,the population was 740, reflecting a decline of 29 from the 769 counted in2010.The ZIP code for the community is 96118. The town is near the north extent ofState Route 49,which ends atState Route 70inVinton.According to Rand-McNally, it is a fifty-mile drive on State Route 49 to the county seat,Downieville.Many of the population are ranchers, loggers, former loggers, or suburbanites who have relocated from theSan Francisco Bay Area,Sacramento, and growingReno–Tahoearea.
History
[edit]Loyalton began as a settlement named "Smith's Neck". The name was changed to Loyalton with the onset of the Civil War, expressing the popular sentiment in the area favoring the Union.[5]
The first settlers to the area were largely Swiss and Italian immigrants who established farms in theSierra Valleystarting in the late 1850s. Sawmills were also established to process timber from the nearby mountains. The production of timber and farms goods found a market among the miners in both California and Nevada. By 1901, theBoca & Loyalton Railroadarrived.[6]The "City of Loyalton" was incorporated that same year.
Geography
[edit]Loyalton is located at39°40′36″N120°14′35″W/ 39.67667°N 120.24306°W(39.676558, -120.243157).[7]Elevation above mean sea level for the area was listed as roughly 4,930 feet (1,500 m). The city is located alongCalifornia State Route 49,the Gold Country Highway.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the city has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2), all land.
Climate
[edit]This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to theKöppen Climate Classificationsystem, Loyalton has awarm-summer Mediterranean climate,abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.[8]
| Climate data for Loyalton, 1991–2020 simulated normals (4951 ft elevation) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 44.1 (6.7) |
47.5 (8.6) |
53.2 (11.8) |
59.4 (15.2) |
68.2 (20.1) |
77.9 (25.5) |
87.1 (30.6) |
86.2 (30.1) |
79.7 (26.5) |
67.6 (19.8) |
53.2 (11.8) |
43.0 (6.1) |
63.9 (17.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 32.5 (0.3) |
35.4 (1.9) |
40.3 (4.6) |
45.0 (7.2) |
52.5 (11.4) |
60.3 (15.7) |
67.6 (19.8) |
66.0 (18.9) |
60.1 (15.6) |
50.0 (10.0) |
39.4 (4.1) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
48.4 (9.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20.8 (−6.2) |
23.2 (−4.9) |
27.1 (−2.7) |
30.7 (−0.7) |
36.9 (2.7) |
42.6 (5.9) |
48.0 (8.9) |
46.0 (7.8) |
40.5 (4.7) |
32.5 (0.3) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
20.8 (−6.2) |
32.9 (0.5) |
| Averageprecipitationinches (mm) | 3.37 (85.70) |
2.84 (72.21) |
2.56 (65.04) |
1.27 (32.34) |
1.53 (38.98) |
0.49 (12.46) |
0.30 (7.68) |
0.28 (7.17) |
0.42 (10.55) |
1.06 (26.88) |
1.69 (42.86) |
2.94 (74.74) |
18.75 (476.61) |
| Averagedew point°F (°C) | 21.6 (−5.8) |
22.1 (−5.5) |
23.9 (−4.5) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
30.2 (−1.0) |
34.0 (1.1) |
38.5 (3.6) |
36.1 (2.3) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
27.3 (−2.6) |
23.9 (−4.5) |
21.6 (−5.8) |
28.0 (−2.2) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group[9] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 84 | — | |
| 1910 | 983 | — | |
| 1920 | 442 | −55.0% | |
| 1930 | 837 | 89.4% | |
| 1940 | 925 | 10.5% | |
| 1950 | 911 | −1.5% | |
| 1960 | 936 | 2.7% | |
| 1970 | 945 | 1.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,030 | 9.0% | |
| 1990 | 931 | −9.6% | |
| 2000 | 862 | −7.4% | |
| 2010 | 769 | −10.8% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 702 | [4] | −8.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] | |||
2020
[edit]At the 2020 census Loyalton had a population of 740. The population density was 2,114.3 inhabitants per square mile (816.3/km2). The racial makeup of Loyalton was 601 (81.2%) White, 4 (0.5%) African American, 9 (1.2%) Native American, 0 (0.0%) Asian, 1 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 45 (6.1%) from other races, and 80 (10.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 127 people (17.6%).[11]
2010
[edit]At the2010 censusLoyalton had a population of 769. The population density was 21 people per square mile (8.1 people/km2). The racial makeup of Loyalton was 701 (91.2%) White, 2 (0.3%) African American, 21 (2.7%) Native American, 0 (0.0%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 20 (2.6%) from other races, and 25 (3.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 108 people (14.0%).[12]
The census reported that 738 people (96.0% of the population) lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and 31 (4.0%) were institutionalized.
There were 308 households, 86 (27.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 163 (52.9%) wereopposite-sex married couplesliving together, 28 (9.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 19 (6.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 25 (8.1%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships,and 0 (0%)same-sex married couples or partnerships.81 households (26.3%) were one person and 35 (11.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.40. There were 210 families (68.2% of households); the average family size was 2.84.
The age distribution was 156 people (20.3%) under the age of 18, 55 people (7.2%) aged 18 to 24, 164 people (21.3%) aged 25 to 44, 243 people (31.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 151 people (19.6%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 46.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males.
There were 371 housing units at an average density of 1,043.6 per square mile, of the occupied units 225 (73.1%) were owner-occupied and 83 (26.9%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.8%. 526 people (68.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 212 people (27.6%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
[edit]At the2000 censusthere were 862 people in 323 households, including 235 families, in the city. The population density was 2,516.4 inhabitants per square mile (971.6/km2). There were 347 housing units at an average density of 1,013.0 units per square mile (391.1 units/km2). Theracial makeupof the city was 94.90% White, 0.23% African American, 2.67% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.58% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.19%.[13]
Of the 323 households 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 23.8% of households were one person and 10.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.00.
The age distribution was 29.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.
The medianincomefor a household in the city was $34,063, and the median family income was $39,750. Males had a median income of $38,864 versus $23,571 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,732. About 20.3% of families and 18.1% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
[edit]In thestate legislature,Loyalton is inthe 1st Senate District,represented byRepublicanBrian Dahle,[14]andthe 1st Assembly District,represented byRepublicanMegan Dahle.[15]
Federally, Loyalton is inCalifornia's 1st congressional district,represented byRepublicanDoug LaMalfa.[16]
Government
[edit]Local
[edit]Because Loyalton is Sierra County's most populousmunicipalityand its only incorporated city, the location of the Sierra County Board of Supervisors twice-monthly meetings alternate betweenDownieville,Sierra County'scounty seat,and the city of Loyalton.[17]
The City of Loyalton's total expenditures for 2012 were $1.2 million, funded mostly from outside sources such as federal and county grants.[18]Local tax collection revenue that year was $163,000.[18]In 2016, the city recovered over $400,000 that had been embezzled by an employee but it still faces an $80,000 budget shortfall.[18]
In 2012, the Loyalton City Council decided to withdraw fromCalPERSbecause its last employee with a guaranteed pension had retired.[18]The city had been fully paying its required annual contribution of $30,000 and had only four remaining pensioners.[18]CalPERS then demanded $1.6 million from the city.[18]CalPERS publicly usesactuarial present valueto calculate member contributions but when a member withdraws it utilizes a non-public calculation to define unfunded liabilities.[19]Loyalton has not yet paid the bill so CalPERS is charging 7.5% annual interest and had sent a final demand letter in September 2016.[18]
In popular culture
[edit]Loyalton was extensively used as a filming location in the 1949 movieBeyond the Forest,starringBette DavisandJoseph Cotten,and directed byKing Vidor.Main street business facades are featured, as are the evident owners of the businesses and other townspeople. In the script, the town is referred to as "Loyalton, Wisconsin."
References
[edit]- ^"California Cities by Incorporation Date".California Association ofLocal Agency Formation Commissions.Archived fromthe original(Word)on February 21, 2013.RetrievedAugust 25,2014.
- ^Government - City of Loyalton
- ^"2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJuly 1,2020.
- ^ab"Population and Housing Unit Estimates".United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020.RetrievedMay 27,2020.
- ^"A General History of Sierra County", William G. Copren, Sierra County Historical Society
- ^The History of Loyalton and Sierra Valley
- ^"US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990".United States Census Bureau.February 12, 2011.RetrievedApril 23,2011.
- ^Climate Summary for Loyalton, California
- ^"PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University".Northwest Alliance for Computational Science & Engineering (NACSE), based at Oregon State University.RetrievedMarch 16,2023.
- ^"Census of Population and Housing".Census.gov.RetrievedJune 4,2015.
- ^"Explore Census Data".data.census.gov.RetrievedFebruary 4,2022.
- ^"2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Loyalton city".U.S. Census Bureau. Archived fromthe originalon July 15, 2014.RetrievedJuly 12,2014.
- ^"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
- ^"Senators".State of California.RetrievedMarch 10,2013.
- ^"Members Assembly".State of California.RetrievedMarch 2,2013.
- ^"California's 1st Congressional District - Representatives & District Map".Civic Impulse, LLC.RetrievedMarch 3,2013.
- ^"Sierra County Board of Supervisors Meetings".RetrievedDecember 31,2021.
- ^abcdefgWalsh, Mary Williams (October 10, 2016)."$1.6 Million Bill Tests Tiny Town and 'Bulletproof' Public Pension Plan".The New York Times.p. A10.RetrievedOctober 10,2016.
- ^Walsh, Mary Williams (September 18, 2016)."A Sour Surprise for Public Pensions: Two Sets of Books".The New York Times.p. BU1.RetrievedOctober 10,2016.
External links
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