Olancha, California

Coordinates: 36°16′55″N 118°00′23″W / 36.28194°N 118.00639°W / 36.28194; -118.00639
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Olancha
FIPS code
06-53490
GNIS feature ID272775
Official nameFarley's Olancha Mill Site[3]
Reference no.796

Olancha (

2000 census
.

Located in the Owens Valley next to the now mostly dry Owens Lake, the arid settlement is home to a major bottled water plant for Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water.[5][6][failed verification]

Geography

Olancha is an unincorporated community located in the

Highway 395 near the junction of State Route 190, approximately 200 miles (320 km) due north of Los Angeles. Owens Lake - a dry saline lakebed - lies to the northeast of Olancha. Olancha Creek flows from the slopes of nearby Olancha Peak
(12,123 ft), passing near the town of Olancha, and finally towards Owens Lake. To the east of town lie some sand dunes, as well as a hot spring known as "Dirty Socks".

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20 km2), over 99% of it land.

Climate

According to the

rainshadow of the Sierra Nevada.[7]

History

Olancha was established by Minnard Farley, who came to the area in 1860 and discovered silver ore in the nearby Coso Range. The name "Olancha" is believed to be derived from the nearby Yaudanche tribe. For processing the ore, he built a stamp mill just south of Olancha Creek. The remains of a stone wall from this mill still exists and has been designated as a California Historical Site (marker #796).[3]

The first post office at Olancha opened in 1870.[4]

On August 11, 1969, Manson Family members Charles "Tex" Watson and Dianne "Snake" Lake settled down in Olancha two days after Watson had stabbed Sharon Tate to death. Here, Watson bought a newspaper revealing that it still was a mystery who committed the Manson murders and confessed to Lake: "I killed her, Charlie (Manson) ordered me to do so, it was fun". This fact was witnessed by Lake during the Watson trial in 1971. Lake was shortly put into custody in Independence after complaints from Olancha inhabitants for swimming nude. After a few weeks the two of them left Olancha for the final Manson hideout in Death Valley.[8]

California Historical Landmark

Farley's Olancha Mill Site is a California Historical Landmark number 796, assigned on September 16, 1964, on U.S. Route 395 in California in Olancha, California.

The California Historical Landmark reads:

NO. 796 FARLEY'S OLANCHA MILL SITE - In 1860, while working for the Silver Mountain Mining Company in the Coso Mountains, M. H. Farley conceived the idea of building a processing mill on a creek that flowed into Owens Lake. He explored and named Olancha Pass that year, and by December of 1862 had completed the first mill and furnace in the Owens River Valley, on Olancha Creek about one mile west of this marker. [9]

Demographics

2010

The 2010 United States Census

Latino
of any race were 47 persons (24.5%).

The Census reported that 192 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 78 households, out of which 23 (29.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 44 (56.4%) were

families
(64.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.10.

The population was spread out, with 44 people (22.9%) under the age of 18, 9 people (4.7%) aged 18 to 24, 37 people (19.3%) aged 25 to 44, 69 people (35.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 33 people (17.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.9 males.

There were 97 housing units at an average density of 12.3 per square mile (4.8/km2), of which 78 were occupied, of which 44 (56.4%) were owner-occupied, and 34 (43.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.9%. 108 people (56.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 84 people (43.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the

Latino
of any race.

There were 50 households, out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 32.1% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,000, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $26,250 for females. The

poverty line
, including 17.2% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Politics

In the

the 4th Senate District, represented by Democrat Marie Alvarado-Gil,[12] and the 8th Assembly District, represented by Republican Jim Patterson.[13]

Federally, Olancha is in California's 3rd congressional district, represented by Republican Kevin Kiley.[14]

In popular culture

See also

References

  1. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files - Places - California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Olancha, California
  3. ^ a b "Farley's Olancha Mill Site". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  4. ^ .
  5. ^ "CLUI - Newsletter". Archived from the original on February 8, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2007., Center for Land Use Interpretation.
  6. ^ "CRYSTAL GEYSER ® ALPINE SPRING WATER ™- Frequently Asked Questions". Archived from the original on January 14, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2007.
  7. ^ Climate Summary for Olancha, California
  8. ^ Will You Die For Me? Archived 2007-04-04 at the Wayback Machine, Watson's Manson memories, first published in 1978
  9. ^ californiahistoricallandmarks.com # 796
  10. ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Olancha CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  11. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  12. ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  13. ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  14. ^ "California's 8th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved April 11, 2013.

External links