Olancha, California
Olancha | ||
---|---|---|
FIPS code 06-53490 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 272775 | |
Official name | Farley's Olancha Mill Site[3] | |
Reference no. | 796 |
Olancha (
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
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
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
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
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
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
Politics
In the
Federally, Olancha is in California's 3rd congressional district, represented by Republican Kevin Kiley.[14]
In popular culture
- Author Kliph Nesteroff lived in Olancha and ran the Ranch Motel while chronicling its film history.
- The Twilight Zone episode 100 Yards Over the Rim was filmed in Olancha.
- Part of the film Harry Connick, Jr., was filmed in Olancha.[citation needed]
- The town of Perfection where Tremors (1990) takes place, directed by Ron Underwood, starring Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward and Michael Gross, was built and filmed in Olancha.
- Other films filmed in or near Olancha include Iron Man (2008), Panic in Motion (2005), and Taxidermist (2008).[citation needed]
- Ambient composer Harold Budd (raised in the desert town of Victorville, California) recites his poem "Distant Lights of Olancha Recede" on the album By the Dawn's Early Light. "Olancha Farewell" is a short synthesizer piece on Budd's album Lovely Thunder.
- The 1941 film, "High Sierra", featuring Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart, was filmed in Olancha.
- Two episodes of The Twilight Zone, "Third from the Sun" (1960) and "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim" (1961) were filmed here.[citation needed]
- The town is featured in the video game American Truck Simulator.
See also
References
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files - Places - California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
- ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Olancha, California
- ^ a b "Farley's Olancha Mill Site". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
- ^ ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
- ^ "CLUI - Newsletter". Archived from the original on February 8, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2007., Center for Land Use Interpretation.
- ^ "CRYSTAL GEYSER ® ALPINE SPRING WATER ™- Frequently Asked Questions". Archived from the original on January 14, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2007.
- ^ Climate Summary for Olancha, California
- ^ Will You Die For Me? Archived 2007-04-04 at the Wayback Machine, Watson's Manson memories, first published in 1978
- ^ californiahistoricallandmarks.com # 796
- ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Olancha CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
- ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
- ^ "California's 8th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved April 11, 2013.