Casmalia, California
Encyclopedia
Casmalia is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Santa Barbara County, California
located just outside the borders of Vandenberg Air Force Base
about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Santa Maria
. The ZIP Code is 93429, and the community is inside area code 805
. The population was 138 at the 2010 census.
. The formal town was founded by Antonio Tognazzini in the mid-1890s and was then named Someo, after the village of origin of the Tognazzini family, Someo
, Switzerland. When the post office was opened, however, it was name Casmalia, rather than Someo, because of a name conflict with another California town and the name, Someo, was eventually dropped.
The new railroad town soon swelled to more than 1500 people in its early years. 100 years later, that population had shrunk to less than 200 because of the Casmalia Resources Hazardous Waste Management Facility.
1.2 miles (1.9 km) north of the town, this 252 acres (1 km²) hazardous waste
landfill began operating in 1973 and accepted toxic chemicals like PCBs, motor oil
, and pesticides. In 1989, the facility was closed down following a number of permit violations. In 1992, it was taken over by the federal Environmental Protection Agency
, which began the process of cleaning up and administering the site.
The soil and groundwater at the site were found to be significantly contaminated and the former dump became a Superfund site. During its operation, 4.5 billion pounds of hazardous waste
from up to 10,000 individuals, businesses and government agencies were buried at the site.
The public area of the hotel built by Antonio Tognazzini and operated by Frank A. Vandoit more than 100 years ago still exists, although the guest rooms were torn down in 1944. The building is now occupied by The Hitching Post barbecue restaurant. (Santa Maria Valley barbecue
is quite different from Midwest and Back East barbecue and typically consists of large hunks of steak cooked over hard wood or coals without any kind of sauce.)
The superfund site still continues to be worked on over the hill, but the town has been able to return to reasonable normality.
, the CDP covers an area of 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²), all of it land.
was 732.2 people per square mile (282.7/km²). The racial makeup of Casmalia was 91 (65.9%) White, 3 (2.2%) African American, 0 (0.0%) Native American, 1 (0.7%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 30 (21.7%) from other races
, and 13 (9.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 58 persons (42.0%).
The Census reported that 138 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 57 households, out of which 16 (28.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 20 (35.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 8 (14.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4 (7.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 7 (12.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 0 (0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 21 households (36.8%) were made up of individuals and 12 (21.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42. There were 32 families
(56.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.16.
The population was spread out with 29 people (21.0%) under the age of 18, 11 people (8.0%) aged 18 to 24, 31 people (22.5%) aged 25 to 44, 47 people (34.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 20 people (14.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.0 years. For every 100 females there were 102.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.9 males.
There were 61 housing units at an average density of 323.7 per square mile (125.0/km²), of which 29 (50.9%) were owner-occupied, and 28 (49.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.7%. 71 people (51.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 67 people (48.6%) lived in rental housing units.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
located just outside the borders of Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Santa Maria
Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County, on the Central Coast of California. The 2010 census population was 100,062, putting it ahead of Santa Barbara for the first time and making it the largest city in the county...
. The ZIP Code is 93429, and the community is inside area code 805
Area code 805
North American area code 805 is a California telephone area code. Area code 805 includes most or all of the California counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura, plus southernmost portions of Monterey County....
. The population was 138 at the 2010 census.
History
Casmalia is located on the 1840 Mexican land grant, Rancho CasmaliaRancho Casmalia
Rancho Casmalia was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Barbara County, California given in 1840 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria del Carmen Domínguez and Antonio Olivera...
. The formal town was founded by Antonio Tognazzini in the mid-1890s and was then named Someo, after the village of origin of the Tognazzini family, Someo
Someo
Someo is a village and former municipality in the district of Vallemaggia in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.The municipality had 258 inhabitants in 2003. The municipality had an area of 32.73 km²....
, Switzerland. When the post office was opened, however, it was name Casmalia, rather than Someo, because of a name conflict with another California town and the name, Someo, was eventually dropped.
The new railroad town soon swelled to more than 1500 people in its early years. 100 years later, that population had shrunk to less than 200 because of the Casmalia Resources Hazardous Waste Management Facility.
1.2 miles (1.9 km) north of the town, this 252 acres (1 km²) hazardous waste
Hazardous waste
A hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment. According to the U.S. environmental laws hazardous wastes fall into two major categories: characteristic wastes and listed wastes.Characteristic hazardous wastes are materials that are known...
landfill began operating in 1973 and accepted toxic chemicals like PCBs, motor oil
Motor oil
Motor oil or engine oil is an oil used for lubrication of various internal combustion engines. The main function is to lubricate moving parts; it also cleans, inhibits corrosion, improves sealing, and cools the engine by carrying heat away from moving parts.Motor oils are derived from...
, and pesticides. In 1989, the facility was closed down following a number of permit violations. In 1992, it was taken over by the federal 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...
, which began the process of cleaning up and administering the site.
The soil and groundwater at the site were found to be significantly contaminated and the former dump became a Superfund site. During its operation, 4.5 billion pounds of hazardous waste
Hazardous waste
A hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment. According to the U.S. environmental laws hazardous wastes fall into two major categories: characteristic wastes and listed wastes.Characteristic hazardous wastes are materials that are known...
from up to 10,000 individuals, businesses and government agencies were buried at the site.
The public area of the hotel built by Antonio Tognazzini and operated by Frank A. Vandoit more than 100 years ago still exists, although the guest rooms were torn down in 1944. The building is now occupied by The Hitching Post barbecue restaurant. (Santa Maria Valley barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
is quite different from Midwest and Back East barbecue and typically consists of large hunks of steak cooked over hard wood or coals without any kind of sauce.)
The superfund site still continues to be worked on over the hill, but the town has been able to return to reasonable normality.
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 CDP covers an area of 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Casmalia had a population of 138. 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 732.2 people per square mile (282.7/km²). The racial makeup of Casmalia was 91 (65.9%) White, 3 (2.2%) African American, 0 (0.0%) Native American, 1 (0.7%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 30 (21.7%) 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 13 (9.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 58 persons (42.0%).
The Census reported that 138 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 57 households, out of which 16 (28.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 20 (35.1%) 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, 8 (14.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4 (7.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 7 (12.3%) 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 0 (0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 21 households (36.8%) were made up of individuals and 12 (21.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42. There were 32 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...
(56.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.16.
The population was spread out with 29 people (21.0%) under the age of 18, 11 people (8.0%) aged 18 to 24, 31 people (22.5%) aged 25 to 44, 47 people (34.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 20 people (14.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.0 years. For every 100 females there were 102.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.9 males.
There were 61 housing units at an average density of 323.7 per square mile (125.0/km²), of which 29 (50.9%) were owner-occupied, and 28 (49.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.7%. 71 people (51.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 67 people (48.6%) lived in rental housing units.