Sonora, California
Sonora, California | ||
|---|---|---|
FIPS code 06-72674 | | |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1659815, 2411930 | |
| Website | www | |
Sonora is the
Sonora is the only incorporated community in Tuolumne County.
History
Sonora was founded by Mexican miners during the
As detailed in the 2005 memoir of novelist David Carkeet, Campus Sexpot, Sonora was fictionalized as "Wattsville", the setting of Dale Koby's cult/underground classic (also titled Campus Sexpot).[8] The sequel, From Roundheel To Revolutionary by Jeff Daiell, also takes place primarily in "Wattsville"/Sonora.
The Tuolumne County Museum and History Center preserves the town's Gold Rush legacy.
Geography
Sonora is located at 37°59′04″N 120°22′54″W / 37.984361°N 120.381767°W,[9] around the intersection of California State Highways 49 and 108 The altitude is 1,825 feet (556 m). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8.0 km2), 99.55% of it land and 0.45% of it water.
Climate
There are an average of 75 days annually with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 65.5 days annually with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The record high temperature was 113 °F (45.0 °C) on June 22, 1961, and July 15, 1972. The record low temperature was 8 °F (−13.3 °C) on December 9, 1972.[10]
Average annual rainfall is 32.79 inches (833 mm), almost all from November through April, although there are occasionally afternoon and evening thunderstorms in the summer months, which drift down from the
| Climate data for Sonora, California, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1906–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 75 (24) |
78 (26) |
84 (29) |
92 (33) |
103 (39) |
113 (45) |
113 (45) |
110 (43) |
110 (43) |
100 (38) |
89 (32) |
81 (27) |
113 (45) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 68.4 (20.2) |
70.4 (21.3) |
75.5 (24.2) |
82.5 (28.1) |
91.6 (33.1) |
99.3 (37.4) |
102.7 (39.3) |
101.8 (38.8) |
98.1 (36.7) |
89.6 (32.0) |
77.5 (25.3) |
68.2 (20.1) |
104.4 (40.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 55.7 (13.2) |
58.2 (14.6) |
62.1 (16.7) |
66.7 (19.3) |
75.6 (24.2) |
85.3 (29.6) |
92.8 (33.8) |
91.9 (33.3) |
86.7 (30.4) |
76.2 (24.6) |
63.2 (17.3) |
55.1 (12.8) |
72.5 (22.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 44.3 (6.8) |
46.2 (7.9) |
49.5 (9.7) |
53.2 (11.8) |
60.6 (15.9) |
68.0 (20.0) |
74.8 (23.8) |
73.7 (23.2) |
68.8 (20.4) |
59.6 (15.3) |
49.8 (9.9) |
43.8 (6.6) |
57.7 (14.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 32.8 (0.4) |
34.2 (1.2) |
37.0 (2.8) |
39.7 (4.3) |
45.5 (7.5) |
50.8 (10.4) |
56.8 (13.8) |
55.5 (13.1) |
50.8 (10.4) |
43.0 (6.1) |
36.4 (2.4) |
32.4 (0.2) |
42.9 (6.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 23.9 (−4.5) |
25.7 (−3.5) |
28.3 (−2.1) |
30.7 (−0.7) |
36.1 (2.3) |
41.5 (5.3) |
49.8 (9.9) |
49.0 (9.4) |
42.4 (5.8) |
34.4 (1.3) |
27.6 (−2.4) |
23.6 (−4.7) |
21.5 (−5.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 13 (−11) |
15 (−9) |
20 (−7) |
24 (−4) |
24 (−4) |
34 (1) |
36 (2) |
38 (3) |
35 (2) |
25 (−4) |
21 (−6) |
8 (−13) |
8 (−13) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 6.32 (161) |
5.50 (140) |
5.37 (136) |
3.03 (77) |
1.54 (39) |
0.34 (8.6) |
0.03 (0.76) |
0.07 (1.8) |
0.20 (5.1) |
1.64 (42) |
3.24 (82) |
5.51 (140) |
32.79 (833.26) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.3 (5.8) |
1.0 (2.5) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.7 (1.8) |
4.6 (11.65) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.3 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 6.4 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 3.7 | 7.1 | 10.0 | 63.8 |
| Source 1: NOAA[10] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[14] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 1,960 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,322 | −32.6% | |
| 1880 | 1,492 | 12.9% | |
| 1890 | 1,441 | −3.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,922 | 33.4% | |
| 1910 | 2,029 | 5.6% | |
| 1920 | 1,684 | −17.0% | |
| 1930 | 2,278 | 35.3% | |
| 1940 | 2,257 | −0.9% | |
| 1950 | 2,448 | 8.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,725 | 11.3% | |
| 1970 | 3,100 | 13.8% | |
| 1980 | 3,247 | 4.7% | |
| 1990 | 4,153 | 27.9% | |
| 2000 | 4,423 | 6.5% | |
| 2010 | 4,610 | 4.2% | |
| 2020 | 5,003 | 8.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[15] | |||
2010
At the
The census reported that 4,613 people (94.1% of the population) lived in households, 85 (1.7%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 205 (4.2%) were institutionalized.
There were 2,199 households, 562 (25.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 689 (31.3%) were
The age distribution was 975 people (19.9%) under the age of 18, 526 people (10.7%) aged 18 to 24, 1,266 people (25.8%) aged 25 to 44, 1,324 people (27.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 812 people (16.6%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 39.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
There were 2,463 housing units at an average density of 800.2 per square mile; of the occupied units, 898 (40.8%) were owner-occupied and 1,301 (59.2%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.6%. 1,960 people (40.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,653 people (54.1%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
.jpg)
At the
There were 2,051 households, 24.0% had children under the age of 18, 33.2% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.0% were non-families. 40.3% of households were made up of individuals, and 15% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.75.
The age distribution was 20.4% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.1 males.
The median household income was $28,858 and the median family income was $39,722. Males had a median income of $40,958 versus $26,111 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,248. 16.9% of the population and 10.9% of families were below the
Economy and tourism
The area economy was historically based on the mining and timber industries, but now relies on tourism.[18] One of two active lumber mills in Tuolumne County was shut down in 2009, but reopened in July 2011.[19]
As a city close to
Education
The city's schools include its namesake educational institutions Sonora Union High School[20] and Sonora Elementary School,[21] as well as Dario Cassina High[22] and the Foothill Horizons Outdoor School.
Government and politics
Sonora uses a city council consisting of five council members, including the mayor. The city council appoints a city administrator to implement the council's policies and enforce ordinances. As of March 2020, the current mayor of Sonora is Matt Hawkins and the current city administrator is Melissa Eads.[23][24]
In the
In the United States House of Representatives, Sonora is in California's 5th congressional district, represented by Republican Tom McClintock.[28]
Culture and arts
The newspaper of record for the Sonora area is The Union Democrat.[29]
The Tuolumne County Film Commission describes Sonora as "one of the country's most versatile locations", where more than "300 film[s] and television series" have been made.[30]
Local museums depict the Gold Rush era and historic Sonora.
The small town is home to the professional theatre company Sierra Repertory Theatre[31] that produces a variety of musicals and plays each year at two different theatre buildings, the East Sonora Theatre and the Fallon House Theatre in Columbia.
Sonora is also home to the Tuolumne County Arts Alliance.[32]
The pilot, and various scenes, of the television show Little House on the Prairie was filmed in Sonora.[33]
Notable people
- Vaughn Armstrong – actor
- Melvin Belli – attorney
- David Carkeet - writer
- Jack Cassinetto – painter
- Phil Coke – MLB pitcher
- Molly Culver - actress
- Charles Dellschau – artist
- T.J. Dillashaw - UFC Bantamweight Champion
- Ross Dwelley - NFL tight end
- Larry Franco - film producer
- James P. Hogan – writer
- Jenny O'Hara – actress
- Josh Parry - NFL fullback
- Dan Pastorini – NFL quarterback
- Francis "Rocco" Prestia - bassist of Tower of Power
- Tata Vega - Entertainer
- Kahale Warring - NFL Tight End
References
- ^ "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on February 21, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
- ^ "Sonora". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^ "QuickFacts - Sonora city, California". Census.gov. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
- ^ "A Short History - City of Sonora". City of Sonora. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
- ^ Ricapito, Giuseppe (July 17, 2021). "Sonora Hebrew Cemetery hosts final burial for Holocaust survivor". The Union Democrat. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0943376622.
- ISBN 9780820330761.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ a b "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Sonora, CA". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
- ^ National Weather Service (Sacramento); NOW Data
- ^ "SONORA, CALIFORNIA - Climate Summary". dri.edu. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ "Sonora, California Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Sacramento". National Weather Service. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Sonora city". 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.
- ^ "Membership benefits". Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce. 2011. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
- ^ Nichols, Dana M (July 10, 2011). "Retooled lumber mill back in business". Dow Jones Local Media Group, Inc. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
- ^ "Sonora Union High - School Directory Details (CA Dept of Education)". www.cde.ca.gov. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- ^ "Sonora Elementary - School Directory Details (CA Dept of Education)". www.cde.ca.gov. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- ^ "Dario Cassina High - School Directory Details (CA Dept of Education)". www.cde.ca.gov. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- ^ "Sonora's City Council - City of Sonora". City of Sonora. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- ^ "City Administrator - City of Sonora". City of Sonora. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- ^ "Senate District 4".
- ^ "District Map - AD08 | PATTERSON". November 12, 2021.
- ^ "Statewide Database". UC Regents. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
- ^ "California's 5th Congressional District - CA-05 Representatives & District Map".
- ^ AbDivine, The Union Democrat. "About Us". uniondemocrat.com. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ "Home page". Tuolumne County Film Commission. Archived from the original on October 12, 2010. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- ^ "Sierra Repertory Theatre". sierrarep.org. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ "Imagine". Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE Reunion | Stars in the House, Thursday, 3/18 at 8PM, retrieved March 20, 2021
External links
Municipalities and communities of Tuolumne County, California, United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| City |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities |
| |
| Ghost towns |
| |
| ||