Arvin, California
Encyclopedia
Arvin is a city in Kern County
, in the United States
. Arvin is located 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Bakersfield
, at an elevation of 449 feet (137 m). As of the 2010 census, the population was 19,304, up from 12,956 at the 2000 census
.
In 2007, the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) listed Arvin as having the highest levels of smog
of any community in the United States. The city's level of ozone, smog's primary component, exceeded the EPA's acceptable limits an average of 73 days per year between 2004 and 2006. In Peter Greenberg's 2009 book Don't Go There!, the city is mentioned for its high pollution and ozone levels, although he does mention the main reasons for the pollution are not necessarily its own: its unfavorable geography, which allows airflows from its proximity to Los Angeles
and Bakersfield, high amounts of nearby highway traffic, and diesel engines from agricultural vehicles.
Wired telephone number
s in Arvin follow the format (661) 854-xxxx and the ZIP Code is 93203.
The Mountain View Oil Field
, which underlies the town and much of the surrounding area, was discovered in 1933 and developed extensively in the 1930s. Many oil wells still surround the town; some are slant-drilled to reach formations directly underneath inhabited areas.
The Arvin Tiller started publication in 1939 and Arvin High School
was built in 1949. The city was nearly destroyed on July 21, 1952, when the White Wolf Fault
ruptured, causing a magnitude 7.3 earthquake. Arvin suffered further damage on December 20, 1977, when a massive duststorm hit the area.
The Arvin Migratory Labor Camp was the first federally operated farm labor camp opened by the Farm Security Administration
in 1937, one of many New Deal
programs created during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt
to respond to the Great Depression
.
, the city has a total area of 4.9 mi2, all of it land.
was 4,005.5 people per square mile (1,546.5/km²). The racial makeup of Arvin was 10,247 (53.1%) White, 192 (1.0%) African American, 240 (1.2%) Native American, 155 (0.8%) Asian, 6 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 7,655 (39.7%) from other races
, and 809 (4.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17,892 persons (92.7%).
The Census reported that 18,955 people (98.2% of the population) lived in households, 281 (1.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 68 (0.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,228 households, out of which 3,024 (71.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,803 (66.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 646 (15.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 355 (8.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 291 (6.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 24 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 303 households (7.2%) were made up of individuals and 125 (3.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.48. There were 3,804 families
(90.0% of all households); the average family size was 4.59.
The population was spread out with 7,422 people (38.4%) under the age of 18, 2,539 people (13.2%) aged 18 to 24, 5,399 people (28.0%) aged 25 to 44, 2,958 people (15.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 986 people (5.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24.0 years. For every 100 females there were 108.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.5 males.
There were 4,476 housing units at an average density of 928.8 per square mile (358.6/km²), of which 2,261 (53.5%) were owner-occupied, and 1,967 (46.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.8%. 10,487 people (54.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 8,468 people (43.9%) lived in rental housing units.
(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)
was 2,695.9 people per square mile (1,040.0/km²). There were 3,145 housing units at an average density of 654.4 per square mile (252.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 45.04% White
, 1.08% Black
or African American
, 1.46% Native American
, 1.10% Asian
, 0.12% Pacific Islander
, 46.55% from other races
, and 4.65% from two or more races. 87.53% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 3,010 households out of which 63.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples
living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.1% were non-families. 9.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.28 and the average family size was 4.51.
In the city the population was spread out with 40.0% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 12.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 111.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.3 males.
The median income
for a household in the city was $23,674, and the median income for a family was $24,816. Males had a median income of $20,506 versus $17,684 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $7,408. About 30.9% of families and 32.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.6% of those under age 18 and 23.1% of those age 65 or over.
Arvin's large Hispanic (mostly Mexican) cultural identity is well expressed in store front signs often in Spanish, shops and stores like carnicerias or meat markets, and the residents expressed a strong emotional pull to Mexico, some to Central and South America, and descendants of Basques
arrived from Spain
as shepherds and vineyard workers also made Arvin their home. The city developed a reputation as a majority Hispanic community in the late 20th century as a result of high Mexican and Central American immigration (farm migrant labor) into a once "all-white" farming community.
Arvin was also a major area of choice for previous waves of Asian (i.e. Chinese, Filipinos and Japanese) and European (mainly Armenian, German and Italian) immigrants, plus the Okies arrived from the dust bowl
stricken Great Plains in the 1930s came to work in agriculture.
The Arvin Union School District consists of Sierra Vista Elementary School, Bear Mountain Elementary School, El Camino Real Elementary School, Haven Drive Middle School, and Arvin State Preschool. The land for the Haven Drive campus was acquired in 1943. The district serves preschool to eighth grade students. The Arvin Union School District also serves the community with the Arvin Family Resource Center.
The Kern High School District serves grades 9-12 in Arvin. It operates Arvin High School
.
The city of Arvin has its own police department. On Jan. 2008 the city purchased six hybrid police vehicles with a grant by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. The city also purchased six hybrid SUV's on Dec. 2008 with a grant by the San Joaquin Valley Air Quality District. Station 54 of the Kern County Fire Department
is responsible for fire prevention services.
Every Spring the Wildflower Festival is held at Smothermon Park.
Kern County, California
Spreading across the southern end of the California Central Valley, Kern County is the fifth-largest county by population in California. Its economy is heavily linked to agriculture and to petroleum extraction, and there is a strong aviation and space presence. Politically, it has generally...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Arvin is located 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Bakersfield
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
, at an elevation of 449 feet (137 m). As of the 2010 census, the population was 19,304, up from 12,956 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
In 2007, the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA) listed Arvin as having the highest levels of smog
Smog
Smog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine...
of any community in the United States. The city's level of ozone, smog's primary component, exceeded the EPA's acceptable limits an average of 73 days per year between 2004 and 2006. In Peter Greenberg's 2009 book Don't Go There!, the city is mentioned for its high pollution and ozone levels, although he does mention the main reasons for the pollution are not necessarily its own: its unfavorable geography, which allows airflows from its proximity to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Bakersfield, high amounts of nearby highway traffic, and diesel engines from agricultural vehicles.
Wired telephone number
Telephone number
A telephone number or phone number is a sequence of digits used to call from one telephone line to another in a public switched telephone network. When telephone numbers were invented, they were short — as few as one, two or three digits — and were given orally to a switchboard operator...
s in Arvin follow the format (661) 854-xxxx and the ZIP Code is 93203.
History
Property sales of lots in present-day Arvin began in 1907. The Arvin Post Office was established in 1914 and the community incorporated as a city in 1960. The city was named after Arvin Richardson, who was an area postmaster in the early 1900s.The Mountain View Oil Field
Mountain View Oil Field
The Mountain View Oil Field is a large, mature, but still-productive oil field in Kern County, California, in the United States, in the extreme southern part of the San Joaquin Valley southeast of Bakersfield. It underlies the town of Arvin, as well as some smaller agricultural communities...
, which underlies the town and much of the surrounding area, was discovered in 1933 and developed extensively in the 1930s. Many oil wells still surround the town; some are slant-drilled to reach formations directly underneath inhabited areas.
The Arvin Tiller started publication in 1939 and Arvin High School
Arvin High School
Arvin High School is located in Arvin, Kern County, California, USA and is part of the Kern High School District.Arvin High School was established in 1949, and is located in the southern part of the San Joaquin Valley. Arvin High serves approximately 2,650 students in grades 9-12. The School is...
was built in 1949. The city was nearly destroyed on July 21, 1952, when the White Wolf Fault
White Wolf Fault
The White Wolf Fault is a fault in southern California, located north of the intersection of the San Andreas Fault and the Garlock Fault, and north of the Tehachapi Mountains. It is classed as a reverse fault with a left lateral component...
ruptured, causing a magnitude 7.3 earthquake. Arvin suffered further damage on December 20, 1977, when a massive duststorm hit the area.
The Arvin Migratory Labor Camp was the first federally operated farm labor camp opened by the Farm Security Administration
Farm Security Administration
Initially created as the Resettlement Administration in 1935 as part of the New Deal in the United States, the Farm Security Administration was an effort during the Depression to combat American rural poverty...
in 1937, one of many New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
programs created during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
to respond to the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 4.9 mi2, all of it land.
Economy
The economy of Arvin is primarily based on agriculture, and as such the employment statistics show seasonal variation. In March 2011, 41.9 percent of Arvin's residents were out of work, the highest of any city in Kern County.2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Arvin had a population of 19,304. 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 4,005.5 people per square mile (1,546.5/km²). The racial makeup of Arvin was 10,247 (53.1%) White, 192 (1.0%) African American, 240 (1.2%) Native American, 155 (0.8%) Asian, 6 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 7,655 (39.7%) 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 809 (4.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17,892 persons (92.7%).
The Census reported that 18,955 people (98.2% of the population) lived in households, 281 (1.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 68 (0.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,228 households, out of which 3,024 (71.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,803 (66.3%) 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, 646 (15.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 355 (8.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 291 (6.9%) 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 24 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 303 households (7.2%) were made up of individuals and 125 (3.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.48. There were 3,804 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...
(90.0% of all households); the average family size was 4.59.
The population was spread out with 7,422 people (38.4%) under the age of 18, 2,539 people (13.2%) aged 18 to 24, 5,399 people (28.0%) aged 25 to 44, 2,958 people (15.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 986 people (5.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24.0 years. For every 100 females there were 108.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.5 males.
There were 4,476 housing units at an average density of 928.8 per square mile (358.6/km²), of which 2,261 (53.5%) were owner-occupied, and 1,967 (46.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.8%. 10,487 people (54.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 8,468 people (43.9%) lived in rental housing units.
2009
- Hispanic (99.9%)
- Other race (0.00%)
- White Non-Hispanic (0.00%)
- Two or more races (0.00%)
- American Indian (0.01%)
- Black (0.00%)
(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)
2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,956 people, 3,010 households, and 2,645 families residing in the city. 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 2,695.9 people per square mile (1,040.0/km²). There were 3,145 housing units at an average density of 654.4 per square mile (252.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 45.04% White
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...
, 1.08% Black
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...
or African American
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...
, 1.46% Native American
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...
, 1.10% Asian
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...
, 0.12% Pacific Islander
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...
, 46.55% 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 4.65% from two or more races. 87.53% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race.
There were 3,010 households out of which 63.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% 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, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.1% were non-families. 9.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.28 and the average family size was 4.51.
In the city the population was spread out with 40.0% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 12.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 111.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.3 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 $23,674, and the median income for a family was $24,816. Males had a median income of $20,506 versus $17,684 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 $7,408. About 30.9% of families and 32.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.6% of those under age 18 and 23.1% of those age 65 or over.
Diversity
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
arrived from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
as shepherds and vineyard workers also made Arvin their home. The city developed a reputation as a majority Hispanic community in the late 20th century as a result of high Mexican and Central American immigration (farm migrant labor) into a once "all-white" farming community.
Arvin was also a major area of choice for previous waves of Asian (i.e. Chinese, Filipinos and Japanese) and European (mainly Armenian, German and Italian) immigrants, plus the Okies arrived from the dust bowl
Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl, or the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936...
stricken Great Plains in the 1930s came to work in agriculture.
Education
The city of Arvin is served by the Arvin Union School District and the Kern High School District. Other nearby districts include Di Giorgio School District, Vineland School District, and the Lamont School District.The Arvin Union School District consists of Sierra Vista Elementary School, Bear Mountain Elementary School, El Camino Real Elementary School, Haven Drive Middle School, and Arvin State Preschool. The land for the Haven Drive campus was acquired in 1943. The district serves preschool to eighth grade students. The Arvin Union School District also serves the community with the Arvin Family Resource Center.
The Kern High School District serves grades 9-12 in Arvin. It operates Arvin High School
Arvin High School
Arvin High School is located in Arvin, Kern County, California, USA and is part of the Kern High School District.Arvin High School was established in 1949, and is located in the southern part of the San Joaquin Valley. Arvin High serves approximately 2,650 students in grades 9-12. The School is...
.
Public safety
Kern County Fire Department
The Kern County Fire Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the county of Kern, California, USA...
is responsible for fire prevention services.
Crime Statistics
Arvin Crime Statistics for 2009- Violent crimeViolent crimeA violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
: 158 - Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter: 2
- Forcible rape: 1
- RobberyRobberyRobbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
: 21 - Aggravated assault: 134
- Property crimeProperty crimeProperty crime is a category of crime that includes, among other crimes, burglary, larceny, theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, shoplifting, and vandalism. Property crime only involves the taking of money or property, and does not involve force or threat of force against a victim...
: 639 - BurglaryBurglaryBurglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
: 244 - Larceny-Theft: 306
- Motor vehicle theftMotor vehicle theftMotor vehicle theft is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle...
: 89 - ArsonArsonArson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
: 14
Wildflower Festival
Further reading
- Bailey, Richard C., Kern County Place Names, (Bakersfield, California: Merchant's Printing and Lithography Co., 1967).
- United States Postal Service web site, 2006.
External links
- http://understandinggov.org/?p=613 -- link to NPR story on health and asthma problems
- Health problems common in nation's smoggiest town - Associated Press article on Arvin's poor air quality