Corcoran, California
Encyclopedia
Corcoran is a city in Kings County, California
, United States. Corcoran is located 17 miles (27.4 km) south-southeast of Hanford
, at an elevation of 207 feet (63 m). It is part of the Hanford
–Corcoran, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,813 at the 2010 census, up from 14,458 at the 2000 census.
Corcoran is most famous as the site of the California State Prison, Corcoran
, home to a number of notable inmates such as Charles Manson
, and Juan Corona
. The California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran
is a separate facility that is also located in the city. As of September 2007, the two prisons held a combined total of 13,144 inmates. Inmates are counted as city residents by both the United States Census
and the California Department of Finance. Thus, the incarcerated persons in the two prisons comprise just over 50% of the total population of Corcoran.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²), all of it land.
was 3,323.2 people per square mile (1,283.1/km²). The racial makeup of Corcoran was 8,940 (36.0%) White, 3,725 (15.0%) African American, 349 (1.4%) Native American, 193 (0.8%) Asian, 17 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 10,979 (44.2%) from other races
, and 610 (2.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15,545 persons (62.6%).
The Census reported that 12,573 people (50.7% of the population) lived in households, 116 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 12,124 (48.9%) were institutionalized.
There were 3,594 households, out of which 1,981 (55.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,737 (48.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 781 (21.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 376 (10.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 384 (10.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 19 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 556 households (15.5%) were made up of individuals and 214 (6.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.50. There were 2,894 families
(80.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.84.
The population was spread out with 4,434 people (17.9%) under the age of 18, 2,695 people (10.9%) aged 18 to 24, 10,203 people (41.1%) aged 25 to 44, 6,163 people (24.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,318 people (5.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.0 years. For every 100 females there were 294.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 398.0 males.
There were 3,958 housing units at an average density of 530.1 per square mile (204.7/km²), of which 1,851 (51.5%) were owner-occupied, and 1,743 (48.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 11.8%. 6,607 people (26.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,966 people (24.0%) lived in rental housing units.
, 14.2% Black
or African American
, 1.4% Native American
, 0.7% Asian
, 0.1% Pacific Islander
, 46.4% from other races
, and 3.1% from two or more races. 59.6% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 2,769 households out of which 49.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.44 and the average family size was 3.83.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 42.0% from 25 to 44, 15.3% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 207.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 264.9 males. However, the statistics relating to the disparity between the male and female population in Corcoran is due to the prison's male only population.
for a household in the city was $30,783, and the median income for a family was $32,852. Males had a median income of $30,787 versus $21,792 for females. The per capita income for the city was only $13,458. It is noteworthy that about 23.4% of families and 26.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.4% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.
The unemployment rate was 15.2% in October 2011.
Corcoran is located in the 16th Senate
District, represented by Democrat
Michael Rubio, and in the 30th Assembly
District, represented by Republican David Valadao
. Federally, Corcoran is located in California's 20th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +5 and is represented by Democrat Jim Costa
.
Corcoran is represented on the Kings County Board of Supervisors by Richard Valle of Corcoran.
, a prominent land developer from southern California, promoter who platted some 150 towns in the West, who took the lead in building Corcoran (the main street of the community is named in his honor). Liking what he saw during a visit to the area in 1905 (a blacksmith shop, small store, scattered homes and a lush, untapped vista with herds of grazing wild hogs, horses and steers) Whitley purchased 32000 acres (129.5 km²) to start development. Much like in the San Fernando Valley (Van Nuys and Canoga Park his "creations"), Whitley "leveraged" his holdings with the support of important Los Angeles businessmen. Whitley first intended the town be named "Otis", after Harrison Gray Otis
of the Los Angeles Times
, and streets as Otis, Sherman, Letts (the Broadway store) and Ross (after his son, Ross Whitley) show the connections. Whitley, it is claimed, purchased and platted some 150 towns over the American West—and Corcoran is one of his last.
Whitley moved a member of his real estate firm, J. W. Guiberson, to the area. Guiberson became one of the many pioneers of the community, building the first home and business structure in Corcoran. His family also helped establish the first church in the community, an event which helped lead to the town’s incorporation on August 14, 1914.
The basis of Corcoran’s economy then and now is agriculture. Initially, the most successful crops were grains, alfalfa and sugar beets.
The J. G. Boswell Company was established in Corcoran in 1921 and remains a major employer in the city.
The first post office opened in 1901.
, which is the successor to the Santa Fe Railway. The mainline track through Corcoran was part of a route connecting the San Francisco Bay Area
to Bakersfield, California
. The track was constructed by the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railway about 1898.
Today, Amtrak California's
San Joaquin stops at Corcoran station
.
From 1910-1934, the Kings Lake Shore Railroad
operated a line that ran southwest from Corcoran to what is the now-extinct Tulare Lake
.
On December 2, 2010, the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board voted to start construction of the first part of the California High-Speed Rail
line at Borden
near Madera
and continue it to Corcoran. Construction is expected to begin in 2012.
Kings County, California
Kings County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. It is located in a rich agricultural region. Kings County is also home to NAS Lemoore, which is the U.S. Navy's newest and largest master jet air station. The county seat is Hanford...
, United States. Corcoran is located 17 miles (27.4 km) south-southeast of Hanford
Hanford, California
Hanford is an important commercial and cultural center in the south central San Joaquin Valley and is the county seat of Kings County, California. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities...
, at an elevation of 207 feet (63 m). It is part of the Hanford
Hanford, California
Hanford is an important commercial and cultural center in the south central San Joaquin Valley and is the county seat of Kings County, California. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities...
–Corcoran, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,813 at the 2010 census, up from 14,458 at the 2000 census.
Corcoran is most famous as the site of the California State Prison, Corcoran
California State Prison, Corcoran
California State Prison, Corcoran is a male-only state prison located in the city of Corcoran, in Kings County, California. Also known as Corcoran State Prison, CSP-C, CSP-COR, CSP-Corcoran, and Corcoran I, it should not be confused with the newer California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and...
, home to a number of notable inmates such as Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
, and Juan Corona
Juan Corona
Juan Vallejo Corona is a Mexican-born serial killer in the United States.He was convicted of the 1971 murders of 25 itinerant laborers; men who had been found buried in shallow graves in the orchards of fruit ranches in Sutter County, California, along the Feather River north of Yuba City, where...
. The California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran
California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran
California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran is a male-only state prison located in the city of Corcoran, in Kings County, California...
is a separate facility that is also located in the city. As of September 2007, the two prisons held a combined total of 13,144 inmates. Inmates are counted as city residents by both the United States Census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
and the California Department of Finance. Thus, the incarcerated persons in the two prisons comprise just over 50% of the total population of Corcoran.
Geography
Corcoran is located at 36°05′53"N 119°33′37"W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²), all of it land.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Corcoran had a population of 24,813. 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 3,323.2 people per square mile (1,283.1/km²). The racial makeup of Corcoran was 8,940 (36.0%) White, 3,725 (15.0%) African American, 349 (1.4%) Native American, 193 (0.8%) Asian, 17 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 10,979 (44.2%) 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 610 (2.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15,545 persons (62.6%).
The Census reported that 12,573 people (50.7% of the population) lived in households, 116 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 12,124 (48.9%) were institutionalized.
There were 3,594 households, out of which 1,981 (55.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,737 (48.3%) 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, 781 (21.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 376 (10.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 384 (10.7%) 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 19 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 556 households (15.5%) were made up of individuals and 214 (6.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.50. There were 2,894 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...
(80.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.84.
The population was spread out with 4,434 people (17.9%) under the age of 18, 2,695 people (10.9%) aged 18 to 24, 10,203 people (41.1%) aged 25 to 44, 6,163 people (24.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,318 people (5.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.0 years. For every 100 females there were 294.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 398.0 males.
There were 3,958 housing units at an average density of 530.1 per square mile (204.7/km²), of which 1,851 (51.5%) were owner-occupied, and 1,743 (48.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 11.8%. 6,607 people (26.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,966 people (24.0%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,458 people, 2,769 households, and 2,229 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,260.2 people per square mile (872.2/km²). There were 3,016 housing units at an average density of 471.5 per square mile (182.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 34.1% WhiteRace (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...
, 14.2% 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...
, 1.4% 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...
, 0.7% 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...
, 0.1% 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...
, 46.4% 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 3.1% from two or more races. 59.6% 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 2,769 households out of which 49.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.44 and the average family size was 3.83.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 42.0% from 25 to 44, 15.3% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 207.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 264.9 males. However, the statistics relating to the disparity between the male and female population in Corcoran is due to the prison's male only population.
Economy
At the time of the 2000 census, the median incomeIncome
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 $30,783, and the median income for a family was $32,852. Males had a median income of $30,787 versus $21,792 for females. The per capita income for the city was only $13,458. It is noteworthy that about 23.4% of families and 26.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.4% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.
The unemployment rate was 15.2% in October 2011.
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...
Corcoran is located in the 16th 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...
Michael Rubio, and in the 30th 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 Republican David Valadao
David Valadao
David Valadao is an American politician currently serving his first term in the California State Assembly. He is a Republican representing the 30th district, encompassing Kings County and parts of Fresno, Kern, and Tulare counties. He won his first term in 2010, defeating Shafter Mayor Fran Florez...
. Federally, Corcoran is located in California's 20th congressional district
California's 20th congressional district
California's 20th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers parts of Fresno and Kern counties and all of Kings county. It contains most of the city of Fresno....
, 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 +5 and is represented by Democrat Jim Costa
Jim Costa
James Manuel "Jim" Costa is the U.S. Representative for , serving since his initial election in 2004. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district takes in large and predominantly Latino portions of Fresno and Bakersfield in the Central Valley.-Early life and education:Born in Fresno,...
.
Corcoran is represented on the Kings County Board of Supervisors by Richard Valle of Corcoran.
History
Corcoran was founded by Hobart Johnstone WhitleyHobart Johnstone Whitley
Hobart Johnstone Whitley , also known as H.J. Whitley is the "Father of Hollywood", was a real estate developer who helped create the Hollywood subdivision in Los Angeles, Southern California. He and his wife, Margaret Virginia Whitley named the town while on their honeymoon in 1886...
, a prominent land developer from southern California, promoter who platted some 150 towns in the West, who took the lead in building Corcoran (the main street of the community is named in his honor). Liking what he saw during a visit to the area in 1905 (a blacksmith shop, small store, scattered homes and a lush, untapped vista with herds of grazing wild hogs, horses and steers) Whitley purchased 32000 acres (129.5 km²) to start development. Much like in the San Fernando Valley (Van Nuys and Canoga Park his "creations"), Whitley "leveraged" his holdings with the support of important Los Angeles businessmen. Whitley first intended the town be named "Otis", after Harrison Gray Otis
Harrison Gray Otis
Harrison Gray Otis was the president and general manager of the Times-Mirror Company, publisher of the Los Angeles Times.-Early life:...
of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, and streets as Otis, Sherman, Letts (the Broadway store) and Ross (after his son, Ross Whitley) show the connections. Whitley, it is claimed, purchased and platted some 150 towns over the American West—and Corcoran is one of his last.
Whitley moved a member of his real estate firm, J. W. Guiberson, to the area. Guiberson became one of the many pioneers of the community, building the first home and business structure in Corcoran. His family also helped establish the first church in the community, an event which helped lead to the town’s incorporation on August 14, 1914.
The basis of Corcoran’s economy then and now is agriculture. Initially, the most successful crops were grains, alfalfa and sugar beets.
The J. G. Boswell Company was established in Corcoran in 1921 and remains a major employer in the city.
The first post office opened in 1901.
Education
Corcoran Unified School District is the public organization responsible for education in the town of Corcoran. The school district has seven schools.- Bret Harte
- John C. Fremont
- Mark Twain
- John Muir Middle School
- Corcoran High School
- Corcoran Academy
- Kings Lake Educational Center
Railroads
Corcoran is served by the BNSF RailwayBNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
, which is the successor to the Santa Fe Railway. The mainline track through Corcoran was part of a route connecting the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
to Bakersfield, California
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....
. The track was constructed by the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railway about 1898.
Today, Amtrak California's
Amtrak California
Amtrak California is a brand name used by the Caltrans Division of Rail for all state-supported Amtrak rail routes within the U.S. State of California...
San Joaquin stops at Corcoran station
Corcoran (Amtrak station)
Corcoran Station is an unstaffed Amtrak train station in Corcoran, California. It replaced a former station demolished in 1998.Of the 73 California stations served by Amtrak, Corcoran was the 44th-busiest in FY2010, boarding or detraining an average of approximately 75 passengers daily.-External...
.
From 1910-1934, the Kings Lake Shore Railroad
Kings Lake Shore Railroad
The Kings Lake Shore Railroad was a common carrier railroad that operated in Kings County, California from 1910-1934. The line primarily hauled agricultural products that grew in this region of the San Joaquin Valley...
operated a line that ran southwest from Corcoran to what is the now-extinct Tulare Lake
Tulare Lake
Tulare Lake, named Laguna de Tache by the Spanish, is a fresh-water dry lake with residual wetlands and marshes in southern San Joaquin Valley, California...
.
On December 2, 2010, the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board voted to start construction of the first part of the California High-Speed Rail
California high-speed rail
The California High-Speed Rail project is a planned future high-speed rail system in the state of California and headed by the California High-Speed Rail Authority . Initial funding for the project was approved by California voters on November 4, 2008, with the passage of Proposition 1A...
line at Borden
Borden, California
Borden is an unincorporated community in Madera County, California. It is located on the Southern Pacific Railroad southeast of Madera, at an elevation of 272 feet ....
near Madera
Madera, California
Madera is a city in and the county seat of Madera County, California, United States. It is a principal city of the Madera–Chowchilla Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Madera County, and Metropolitan Fresno. It is located in California's San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2010...
and continue it to Corcoran. Construction is expected to begin in 2012.