Caspar, California
Encyclopedia
Caspar is a census-designated place
in Mendocino County
, California
. It is located 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Mendocino
, at an elevation of 82 feet (25 m). Caspar is located on the Pacific Ocean. In the Caspar area is the historic Point Cabrillo Light Station
, which was built in 1909. The population was 509 at the 2010 census.
Caspar was first settled in 1857 by Siegfried Caspar, who later sold the land to Jacob Green Jackson, one of the founders of the Caspar Lumber Company, which turned Caspar into a significant logging town in Northern California from 1864 to 1955. Pilings from the mill can be seen on Caspar Beach, located south of the community.
The first post office at Caspar opened in 1874.
Oscar Smith, owner of the Caspar Cattle Company, recently put much of Caspar's land up for sale, sparking debate and discussion in the sometimes divided community. In 2000, a large chunk of the Caspar headlands was purchased by the Mendocino Land Trust, forming Caspar Headlands State Reserve. However, a large portion of the area is still for sale, and the fate of the area remains in question.
Caspar is located at 42 00 00 North, 123 37 30 West.
, the CDP covers an area of 3.0 square miles (7.7 km²), all of it land.
was 170.1 people per square mile (65.7/km²). The racial makeup of Caspar was 474 (93.1%) White, 3 (0.6%) African American, 0 (0.0%) Native American, 8 (1.6%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 3 (0.6%) from other races
, and 21 (4.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15 persons (2.9%).
The Census reported that 507 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 2 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 252 households, out of which 33 (13.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 109 (43.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 15 (6.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 7 (2.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 28 (11.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 5 (2.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 88 households (34.9%) were made up of individuals and 38 (15.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01. There were 131 families
(52.0% of all households); the average family size was 2.47.
The population was spread out with 51 people (10.0%) under the age of 18, 15 people (2.9%) aged 18 to 24, 96 people (18.9%) aged 25 to 44, 199 people (39.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 148 people (29.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 57.1 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
There were 336 housing units at an average density of 112.3 per square mile (43.4/km²), of which 164 (65.1%) were owner-occupied, and 88 (34.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.4%. 345 people (67.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 162 people (31.8%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there are 317 people, 145 households, and 77 in the ZCTA 95420. The population density
is 41/sq mi. There are 204 housing units, of which 20.3% are vacant, with 12.1% reserved for vacation/recreational use. The racial makeup of the ZCTA is 88% White
, .6% Black
or African American
, .6% Native American
, .6% Asian
, 4.7% from other races, and 5.4% from two or more races. 3.5% of the population are Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There are 145 households out of which 19.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 42% are married couples living together, 8.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 46.9% are non-families. 37.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.14 and the average family size is 2.77.
In the ZCTA the population is spread out with 17% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 39.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 47 years. 47.6% of the population is male, 52.4 female.
The median income for a household in the ZCTA is $37,813, and the median income for a family is $47,639. Males have a median income of $55,357 versus $27,841 for females. The per capita income for the ZCTA is $26,191. 22% of the population and 42.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 43.6% of those under the age of 18 are living below the poverty line.
Caspar is located in the 2nd Senate
District, represented by Democrat
Noreen Evans
, and in the 1st Assembly
District, represented by Democrat Wesley Chesbro
. Federally, Caspar is located in California's 1st congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +10 and is represented by Democrat Mike Thompson
.
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...
in Mendocino County
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is located 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Mendocino
Mendocino, California
Mendocino is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California, United States. Mendocino is located south of Fort Bragg, at an elevation of 154 feet...
, at an elevation of 82 feet (25 m). Caspar is located on the Pacific Ocean. In the Caspar area is the historic Point Cabrillo Light Station
Point Cabrillo Light
Point Cabrillo Light is a lighthouse in northern California, United States, between Point Arena and Cape Mendocino, just south of the community of Caspar...
, which was built in 1909. The population was 509 at the 2010 census.
History
The first post office at Caspar opened in 1874.
Oscar Smith, owner of the Caspar Cattle Company, recently put much of Caspar's land up for sale, sparking debate and discussion in the sometimes divided community. In 2000, a large chunk of the Caspar headlands was purchased by the Mendocino Land Trust, forming Caspar Headlands State Reserve. However, a large portion of the area is still for sale, and the fate of the area remains in question.
Geography
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 3.0 square miles (7.7 km²), all of it land.
Businesses
Caspar now boasts a community center, church and a thriving nightclub. [The Caspar Inn] has existed continuously as a roadhouse since 1906, when Caspar was a booming logging town with a population of around 800.2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Caspar had a population of 509. 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 170.1 people per square mile (65.7/km²). The racial makeup of Caspar was 474 (93.1%) White, 3 (0.6%) African American, 0 (0.0%) Native American, 8 (1.6%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 3 (0.6%) 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 21 (4.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15 persons (2.9%).
The Census reported that 507 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 2 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 252 households, out of which 33 (13.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 109 (43.3%) 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, 15 (6.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 7 (2.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 28 (11.1%) 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 5 (2.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 88 households (34.9%) were made up of individuals and 38 (15.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01. There were 131 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...
(52.0% of all households); the average family size was 2.47.
The population was spread out with 51 people (10.0%) under the age of 18, 15 people (2.9%) aged 18 to 24, 96 people (18.9%) aged 25 to 44, 199 people (39.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 148 people (29.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 57.1 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
There were 336 housing units at an average density of 112.3 per square mile (43.4/km²), of which 164 (65.1%) were owner-occupied, and 88 (34.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.4%. 345 people (67.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 162 people (31.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there are 317 people, 145 households, and 77 in the ZCTA 95420. The population density
Population 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...
is 41/sq mi. There are 204 housing units, of which 20.3% are vacant, with 12.1% reserved for vacation/recreational use. The racial makeup of the ZCTA is 88% White
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
, .6% Black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, .6% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, .6% Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
, 4.7% from other races, and 5.4% from two or more races. 3.5% of the population are Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There are 145 households out of which 19.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 42% are married couples living together, 8.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 46.9% are non-families. 37.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.14 and the average family size is 2.77.
In the ZCTA the population is spread out with 17% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 39.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 47 years. 47.6% of the population is male, 52.4 female.
The median income for a household in the ZCTA is $37,813, and the median income for a family is $47,639. Males have a median income of $55,357 versus $27,841 for females. The per capita income for the ZCTA is $26,191. 22% of the population and 42.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 43.6% of those under the age of 18 are living below the poverty line.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Caspar is located in the 2nd Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Noreen Evans
Noreen Evans
Noreen Evans is an American politician in the California State Senate. She is a Democrat representing the 2nd district, encompassing Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa counties, as well as parts of Sonoma and Solano counties....
, and in the 1st Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Democrat Wesley Chesbro
Wesley Chesbro
Wesley P. Chesbro is a Democratic politician from California. He is currently the Assembly member for the 1st Assembly district in California. Previously, Chesbro served as a State Senator from California's 2nd district from 1998 until 2006...
. Federally, Caspar is located in California's 1st congressional district
California's 1st congressional district
California's 1st congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California and presently consists of the northern coastline and includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino and Napa counties and parts of Sonoma and Yolo counties.The district is currently...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +10 and is represented by Democrat Mike Thompson
Mike Thompson
Michael C. Thompson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties as well as parts of Yolo and Sonoma Counties....
.