Hanford, California
Encyclopedia
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 (MSA Code 25260), which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities of Hanford and Corcoran
. The ZIP Code
is 93230 (93232 for post office box
es). The city of Hanford is surrounded by communities that do not fall within the city limits but use the same zip code. These communities include Grangeville
, Hardwick
and Home Garden
.
The population was 53,967 at the 2010 census. The California Department of Finance
estimated that the city's population was 54,950 as of January 1, 2011.
, at an elevation of 249 feet (75.9 m) above sea level. The terrain is level. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 16.6 square miles (43 km²), all of which is land not covered by water. The only natural watercourse is Mussel Slough, remnants of which still exist on the city's western edge. The Kings River
is about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) north of Hanford. The People's Ditch, an irrigation
canal dug in the 1870s, traverses Hanford from north to south.
. The wetter season occurs from November through March. The average annual rainfall over the ten years from 1997/98 through 2006/07 was 8.97 inches (228 mm). The 30-year normal precipitation (1971–2000) is 8.29 inches.
-On average, the warmest month is July with a high of 97.9F and a low of 62.4F.
-The highest recorded temperature was 116°F on July 27, 1933.
-On average, the coolest month is December with a high of 55.4F and a low of 34.6F.
-The lowest recorded temperature was 14°F on January 6, 1913.
-There are an average of 105.2 days with highs of 90F (32C) or higher.
-There are an average of 38.6 days with lows of 32F (0C) or lower.
-The maximum normal precipitation (based on the 30-year average) occurs in January with 1.59 inches.
-The wettest year was 1983 with 15.57 inches.
-The dryest year was 1953 with 3.37 inches.
-The most rainfall in one month was 6.69 inches in January 1969.
-The most rainfall in 24 hours was 2.44 inches on February 10, 1978.
-The record snowfall was 2.0 inches on January 21, 1962.
The National Weather Service
Forecast Office for the San Joaquin Valley is located in Hanford and includes a Doppler weather radar. Weather forecasts and climatological information for Hanford and the surrounding area are available from its official website.
s such as creek
s, springs and seep areas (such as slough
s), along perennial and seasonal drainages, as well as flat ridges and terraces. Therefore, the areas along streams are considered likely locations for prehistoric cultural resources. Permanent villages were usually placed on an elevation above the seasonal flood levels. Surrounding areas were used for hunting and seed, acorn, and grass gathering.
Hanford is named for James Madison Hanford
, a railroad executive, after the Southern Pacific Railroad
tracks were laid through a sheep camp in the year 1877. According to History of Kings County : "It was but a short step from sheep-camp to village and with the railroad as an attraction the village flourished and became a town within a few historic months."
In 1880, a dispute over land titles between settlers and the Southern Pacific Railroad resulted in a bloody gun battle on a farm 5.6 mi (9 km) northwest of Hanford that left seven men dead. This event became famous as the Mussel Slough Tragedy
.
A post office was set up in 1887.
Several times, major fires destroyed much of the young community's business district. The need for fire protection led to the town becoming an incorporated city in 1891.
An electrical generating plant was built in 1891 by pioneering flour miller H.G. Lacey, bringing the first electric lights to the city. The Lacey Milling Company was still operating in Hanford in 2011.
The first public high school, Hanford Union High School, was started in 1892 with one teacher, W. S. Cranmer, and an average enrollment of fourteen.
When Kings County was created in 1893 from the western part of Tulare County, Hanford became its county seat.
A second railroad was laid through Hanford in 1897, which today is the main north-south line of the BNSF Railway
through the San Joaquin Valley
. The original east-west Southern Pacific Railroad branch line is now operated by the San Joaquin Valley Railroad
.
In 1901, a restaurant called the Star opened on Sixth Street across from the Southern Pacific tracks. The Star Restaurant was still doing business at the same location in 2011.
Saloons flourished in Hanford's early days despite an anti-saloon movement until the town voted to become "dry" in 1912, eight years before nationwide Prohibition in the United States
took effect.
was 3,253.1 people per square mile (1,256.0/km²). The racial makeup of Hanford was 33,713 (62.5%) White, 2,632 (4.9%) African American, 712 (1.3%) Native American, 2,322 (4.3%) Asian, 53 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 11,599 (21.5%) from other races
, and 2,936 (5.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25,419 persons (47.1%).
The Census reported that 53,068 people (98.3% of the population) lived in households, 283 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 616 (1.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 17,492 households, out of which 8,053 (46.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 9,088 (52.0%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 2,833 (16.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,207 (6.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,315 (7.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 117 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,483 households (19.9%) were made up of individuals and 1,405 (8.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03. There were 13,128 families
(75.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.49.
The population was spread out with 16,731 people (31.0%) under the age of 18, 5,478 people (10.2%) aged 18 to 24, 14,764 people (27.4%) aged 25 to 44, 11,647 people (21.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,347 people (9.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.9 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
There were 18,493 housing units at an average density of 1,114.8 per square mile (430.4/km²), of which 10,208 (58.4%) were owner-occupied, and 7,284 (41.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%. 31,109 people (57.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 21,959 people (40.7%) lived in rental housing units.
was 3,184.4 people per square mile (1,229.6/km²). There were 14,721 housing units at an average density of 1,124.5 per square mile (434.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.1% White
, 5.0% Black
or African American
, 1.4% Native American
, 2.9% Asian
, 0.2% Pacific Islander
, 20.8% from other races
, and 5.7% from two or more races. 38.7% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
Foreign-born residents accounted for 13.2% of Hanford's population and 28.3% spoke a language other than English at home.
There were 13,931 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples
living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.39.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The heavy industry sector has declined significantly over the past 25 years. An oil refinery formerly operated in the city under several different owners (Caminol Oil Co. from 1932–1967, Beacon Oil Co. from 1967–1982 and Ultramar
Oil Co. from 1982–1987) until it permanently closed in 1987 http://www.energy.ca.gov/oil/refinery_history.html. A tire manufacturing plant was built in 1962 by the Armstrong Rubber Co., which operated it until that company was purchased by the Italian manufacturer Pirelli
, which eventually closed the factory in 2001. In November 2010, it was announced that the Carmi Flavor and Fragrance Company had purchased land in the city's industrial park and had plans to construct a plant that would employ 120 workers with the future potential for 300 full-time employees according to Hanford's economic development director.
The retail sector is growing with taxable sales of USD 414.7 million reported in 2002, up by 4.6% from 2001.
Major employers within the city of Hanford in 2006 included the Kings County
government with 1,041 employees, the Adventist Health System
with 857, the Hanford Elementary School District with 520, the Del Monte tomato cannery with 435 year-round and 1,500 seasonal employees and Marquez Brothers International, Inc., makers of Hispanic cheese and other dairy products. Many Hanford residents work for other nearby employers such as NAS Lemoore, the U.S. Navy's largest master jet base located 15.5 mi (24.9 km) WSW of Hanford and for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
which operates three state prisons in Kings County.
Hanford has not escaped the effects of the late 2000s recession
. The unemployment rate in October 2011 was 12.8%, up from 8.8% in July 2008.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, median household income in Hanford was USD 37,582 and 17.3% of the population was living below the poverty line in 1999, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over. The median income for a household in the city was USD 37,582, and the median income for a family was USD 41,395. Males had a median income of USD 37,120 versus USD 25,971 for females. The per capita income
for the city was USD 17,504.
The homeownership rate was 59% in 2000.
Hanford Mall - A 625,580 foot indoor mall. Stores include- Sears, Forever 21
, JCPenney, Kohls, Ross
, numerous locally-owned shops, and food court kiosks. Also includes a built-in Cinemark Movies 8.
Shopping center- A shopping complex built around a Target and a Walmart Supercenter; includes: Sonic Drive-In, El Pollo Loco, Farmer Boy Hamburgers, Cold Stone Creamery, Michaels, Old Navy, Marshalls, Fashion Bug, Hallmark, Petsmart, Home Depot, Lowe's, and other retail outlets.
Hanford Historic Downtown - which is home to unique restaurants, events, stores and small shops.
Ambulance service is provided by American Ambulance.
serves general aviation
and has a 5,175 ft (1,577 m) paved runway.
.
Amtrak
provides passenger rail service to the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento, and service to Southern California by a combination of rail and bus. Freight service is available from both the BNSF Railway and the San Joaquin Valley Railroad.
Proposed:
The ARRA
funded California High Speed Rail has proposed a station. However, the proposed station on the eastern outskirts of Hanford is listed as “optional” and will not be built without matching local funds or in-kind support. Greg Gatzka, Kings County’s Community Development Director, was quoted in a June 2011 newspaper story that “the real question is whether high-speed rail is going to authorize a station there. They have a priority list and this station is at the bottom of the list.”
Highway 43
Highway 198
Formerly, the water had contained naturally-occurring arsenic
in excess of the maximum contaminant level adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. However, according to the Consumer Confidence Report issued by the city of Hanford in March 2010 for calendar year 2009, as of November 11, 2009, the city now supplies water that is below the federal standard of 10 micrograms of arsenic per liter of water. The city's mitigation project consisted of reducing the arsenic content in two existing deep water wells, drilling five replacement wells, and eliminating eight wells that produced water that exceeded standards.
Although it does not pose a health hazard, Hanford's drinking water also contains hydrogen sulfide
, which causes the water to have a noticeable "rotten egg" odor.
The wastewater treatment plant is located in the southern part of the city on Houston Avenue and treats 5 million gallons of sewage per day. The treated effluent is used to irrigate non-food crops.
provides electricity to most of Hanford. However, the industrial park area in the southernmost part of the city is served by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company
.
Natural gas is supplied by the Southern California Gas Company.
. Comcast
has the cable TV franchise for Hanford.
. The city has a council-manager government with a city manager
appointed by the city council
.
The city council is made up of five members elected by districts for four-year terms. There are no term limits in effect. The mayor and vice mayor are elected annually by the city council from among its members. In November 2011, the city council elected Sue Sorenson as mayor and elected Joleen Jameson to serve as vice mayor. Other council members include Dan Chin, Lou Martinez, and Jim Irwin.
Hanford's city manager is the chief administrative officer of the city and is responsible for the overall administrative direction of the city. The city manager's duties include development and implementation of the annual budget for approval by the city council. Hilary Straus was appointed as city manager in 2010.
In the state legislature
Hanford is located in the 16th Senate
District, represented by Democrat
Michael Rubio, and in the 30th Assembly
District, represented by Republican
David Valadao
. Federally, Hanford is located in California's 20th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +5 and is represented by Democrat Jim Costa
.
The Hanford Elementary School District provides Kindergarten through eighth grade education for most of the city. It operates the following elementary and junior high schools:
The Pioneer Union Elementary School District serves much of the northern part of Hanford and operates Pioneer Elementary, Frontier Elementary and Pioneer Middle Schools.
A portion of north Hanford is served by the Kings River-Hardwick School District. A small area in southwest Hanford is served by the Armona Union Elementary School District
, which operates Armona Elementary and Parkview Middle schools in the nearby community of Armona
.
The Hanford Joint Union High School District
provides public secondary education. It operates Hanford High School and Hanford West High School as well as Earl F. Johnson High School, which is a continuation high school
. The District also operates the Hanford Adult School. A new state of art comprehensive full-service high school, called Sierra Pacific High School opened on August 13, 2009 with 219 freshman students with the first class set to graduate in 2013. Sierra Pacific will be part of new Hanford Joint Educational Center, which is a joint use project of the Hanford Joint Union High School District, the College of the Sequoias
and the City of Hanford. The Hanford Joint Educational Center is located on 13th Avenue 1/4 of a mile north of Lacey Blvd.
The College of Sequoias is a community college
based in Visalia, California
that currently operates a satellite campus in Hanford. A permanent education center in Hanford is planned as part of the Joint Educational Center.
Chapman University
has a Hanford campus for adult students.
Private elementary schools in Hanford include Hanford Christian School, St. Rose-McCarthy School, and Western Christian School.
The Hanford Carnegie Museum
was built in 1905 as one of the many Carnegie libraries that were funded by the steel industry magnate, Andrew Carnegie
. The library was replaced by a new structure at a different location in 1968. The old library was subsequently renovated and re-opened as the Hanford Carnegie Museum in 1974. The building is of Romanesque
architecture with displays of furniture and photos describing the history of the Hanford area.
of England. There is no admission charge and the event typically attracts 15,000 people over the two-day period.
's short story, "The Journey to Hanford" that appeared in My Name Is Aram
is a comic account of two characters from Fresno
— a boy and his wastrel uncle — who share a single bicycle as they travel the approximately thirty-mile route between Fresno and Hanford, taking along a sack of rice to feed them through what turns out to be a largely pointless summer.
in Hanford in the neighborhood around China Alley. China Alley was the site of the famous but now closed Imperial Dynasty restaurant
. Hanford's Taoist Temple (National Register of Historic Places
#72000226) built in 1893 is also located there. A Moon Festival is held in China Alley in early October. In July 2011, Hanford city council commissioned a study of China Alley with the hope of revitalizing it in the future.
celebration into an annual citywide tradition; that has since been carried on by community leader Gerry Young.
, Japan
Hanford is a sister city with Setana, a small town on Hokkaido
, Japan
. The program is known for promoting international friendship. Both cities send a delegate group of both prominent city citizens and high school students. For the city of Hanford, high school students are selected from both high schools through an application and interview process for delegate spots. The Setana high school provides a student delegate position for their entire upper class. Hanford delegates travel to Setana, Japan in the summer. Setana delegates travel to Hanford in the winter.
racing rules and permit.
Dirt track auto racing
takes place at the Kings Speedway from March through October. The track is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval and is located at the Kings Fairgrounds.
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
and is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Kings County, California
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...
. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA Code 25260), which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities of Hanford and Corcoran
Corcoran, California
Corcoran is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Corcoran is located south-southeast of Hanford, at an elevation of 207 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 93230 (93232 for post office box
Post Office box
A post-office box or Post Office box is a uniquely addressable lockable box located on the premises of a post office station....
es). The city of Hanford is surrounded by communities that do not fall within the city limits but use the same zip code. These communities include Grangeville
Grangeville, California
Grangeville is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 469 at the 2010 Census...
, Hardwick
Hardwick, California
Hardwick is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 138 at the 2010 Census. The village is located northwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 249 feet .Hardwick is in the San...
and Home Garden
Home Garden, California
Home Garden is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. The community is about southeast of the city of Hanford. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
The population was 53,967 at the 2010 census. The California Department of Finance
California Department of Finance
The California Department of Finance is a state cabinet-level agency within the government of California. The Department of Finance is responsible for preparing, explaining, and administering the state’s annual financial plan, which the Governor of California is required under the California...
estimated that the city's population was 54,950 as of January 1, 2011.
Geography
Hanford is located at 36°19′39"N 119°38′44"W (36.3275, -119.6457). It is situated in the south central portion of California's San Joaquin Valley, 28 miles (45.1 km) SSE of the city of FresnoFresno
Fresno is the fifth largest city in California.Fresno may also refer to:-Places:Colombia* Fresno, TolimaSpain* Fresno, a ghost village in Nidáliga, Valle de Sedano, Burgos* Aldea del Fresno, Madrid* Fresno de la Vega, Ribera del Esla, León...
, at an elevation of 249 feet (75.9 m) above sea level. The terrain is level. 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 16.6 square miles (43 km²), all of which is land not covered by water. The only natural watercourse is Mussel Slough, remnants of which still exist on the city's western edge. The Kings River
Kings River (California)
The Kings River is a major river of south-central California. About long, it drains an area of the high western Sierra Nevada and the Central Valley. A large alluvial fan has formed where the river's gradient decreases in the Central Valley so the river divides into distributaries...
is about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) north of Hanford. The People's Ditch, an irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
canal dug in the 1870s, traverses Hanford from north to south.
Climate
Hanford has a climate typical of that of the San Joaquin Valley floor with hot, dry summers and cool winters characterized by dense Tule fogTule fog
Tule fog is a thick ground fog that settles in the San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento Valley areas of California's Great Central Valley. Tule fog forms during the late fall and winter after the first significant rainfall. The official time frame for tule fog to form is from November 1 to March 31...
. The wetter season occurs from November through March. The average annual rainfall over the ten years from 1997/98 through 2006/07 was 8.97 inches (228 mm). The 30-year normal precipitation (1971–2000) is 8.29 inches.
-On average, the warmest month is July with a high of 97.9F and a low of 62.4F.
-The highest recorded temperature was 116°F on July 27, 1933.
-On average, the coolest month is December with a high of 55.4F and a low of 34.6F.
-The lowest recorded temperature was 14°F on January 6, 1913.
-There are an average of 105.2 days with highs of 90F (32C) or higher.
-There are an average of 38.6 days with lows of 32F (0C) or lower.
-The maximum normal precipitation (based on the 30-year average) occurs in January with 1.59 inches.
-The wettest year was 1983 with 15.57 inches.
-The dryest year was 1953 with 3.37 inches.
-The most rainfall in one month was 6.69 inches in January 1969.
-The most rainfall in 24 hours was 2.44 inches on February 10, 1978.
-The record snowfall was 2.0 inches on January 21, 1962.
The National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
Forecast Office for the San Joaquin Valley is located in Hanford and includes a Doppler weather radar. Weather forecasts and climatological information for Hanford and the surrounding area are available from its official website.
History
The Hanford area was inhabited by the Tachi Yokut Indians for several thousand years prior to Euro-American contact. They occupied areas along watercourseWatercourse
A watercourse is any flowing body of water. These include rivers, streams, anabranches, and so forth.-See also:* physical geography* Environmental flow* Waterway* Hydrology* Wadi-External links:...
s such as creek
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s, springs and seep areas (such as slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
s), along perennial and seasonal drainages, as well as flat ridges and terraces. Therefore, the areas along streams are considered likely locations for prehistoric cultural resources. Permanent villages were usually placed on an elevation above the seasonal flood levels. Surrounding areas were used for hunting and seed, acorn, and grass gathering.
Hanford is named for James Madison Hanford
James Madison Hanford
James Madison Hanford was an American railroad executive. The city Hanford, California is named after him.Hanford was a native of New York. His parents were Stephen and Maria Hanford. He worked as paymaster for the Southern Pacific Railroad...
, a railroad executive, after the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
tracks were laid through a sheep camp in the year 1877. According to History of Kings County : "It was but a short step from sheep-camp to village and with the railroad as an attraction the village flourished and became a town within a few historic months."
In 1880, a dispute over land titles between settlers and the Southern Pacific Railroad resulted in a bloody gun battle on a farm 5.6 mi (9 km) northwest of Hanford that left seven men dead. This event became famous as the Mussel Slough Tragedy
Mussel Slough Tragedy
The Mussel Slough Tragedy was a dispute over land titles between settlers and the Southern Pacific Railroad that took place on May 11, 1880, on a farm located northwest of Hanford, California, in the central San Joaquin Valley, leaving seven people dead. Frank Norris' 1901 novel, The Octopus: A...
.
A post office was set up in 1887.
Several times, major fires destroyed much of the young community's business district. The need for fire protection led to the town becoming an incorporated city in 1891.
An electrical generating plant was built in 1891 by pioneering flour miller H.G. Lacey, bringing the first electric lights to the city. The Lacey Milling Company was still operating in Hanford in 2011.
The first public high school, Hanford Union High School, was started in 1892 with one teacher, W. S. Cranmer, and an average enrollment of fourteen.
When Kings County was created in 1893 from the western part of Tulare County, Hanford became its county seat.
A second railroad was laid through Hanford in 1897, which today is the main north-south line of the BNSF Railway
BNSF 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...
through the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
. The original east-west Southern Pacific Railroad branch line is now operated by the San Joaquin Valley Railroad
San Joaquin Valley Railroad
The San Joaquin Valley Railroad is one of several short line railroad companies and is part of the Sunset Division of RailAmerica. It operates about of track primarily on several lines in California's Central Valley/San Joaquin Valley outside of Fresno, California and Bakersfield, California...
.
In 1901, a restaurant called the Star opened on Sixth Street across from the Southern Pacific tracks. The Star Restaurant was still doing business at the same location in 2011.
Saloons flourished in Hanford's early days despite an anti-saloon movement until the town voted to become "dry" in 1912, eight years before nationwide Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
took effect.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Hanford had a population of 53,967. 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 3,253.1 people per square mile (1,256.0/km²). The racial makeup of Hanford was 33,713 (62.5%) White, 2,632 (4.9%) African American, 712 (1.3%) Native American, 2,322 (4.3%) Asian, 53 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 11,599 (21.5%) 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 2,936 (5.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25,419 persons (47.1%).
The Census reported that 53,068 people (98.3% of the population) lived in households, 283 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 616 (1.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 17,492 households, out of which 8,053 (46.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 9,088 (52.0%) 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, 2,833 (16.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,207 (6.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,315 (7.5%) 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 117 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,483 households (19.9%) were made up of individuals and 1,405 (8.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03. There were 13,128 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...
(75.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.49.
The population was spread out with 16,731 people (31.0%) under the age of 18, 5,478 people (10.2%) aged 18 to 24, 14,764 people (27.4%) aged 25 to 44, 11,647 people (21.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,347 people (9.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.9 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
There were 18,493 housing units at an average density of 1,114.8 per square mile (430.4/km²), of which 10,208 (58.4%) were owner-occupied, and 7,284 (41.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%. 31,109 people (57.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 21,959 people (40.7%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the 2000 census, there were 41,686 people, 13,931 households, and 10,378 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 3,184.4 people per square mile (1,229.6/km²). There were 14,721 housing units at an average density of 1,124.5 per square mile (434.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.1% 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...
, 5.0% 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...
, 2.9% 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...
, 0.2% 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...
, 20.8% 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 5.7% from two or more races. 38.7% 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.
Foreign-born residents accounted for 13.2% of Hanford's population and 28.3% spoke a language other than English at home.
There were 13,931 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% 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, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.39.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
Economy
Hanford is a major trading center serving the surrounding agricultural area. According to the California Employment Development Department, as of January 2007, most residents of the Hanford area were employed in services (29,200 employees), government (14,300 employees) and farming (7,600 employees) as well as in some manufacturing enterprises (3,400 employees).The heavy industry sector has declined significantly over the past 25 years. An oil refinery formerly operated in the city under several different owners (Caminol Oil Co. from 1932–1967, Beacon Oil Co. from 1967–1982 and Ultramar
Ultramar
Ultramar is a Canadian oil refining and marketing company formerly known as Golden Eagle or Aigle d'or. Its head office is in Montreal...
Oil Co. from 1982–1987) until it permanently closed in 1987 http://www.energy.ca.gov/oil/refinery_history.html. A tire manufacturing plant was built in 1962 by the Armstrong Rubber Co., which operated it until that company was purchased by the Italian manufacturer Pirelli
Pirelli
Pirelli & C. SpA is a diverse multinational company based in Milan, Italy. The company, the world’s fifth largest tyre manufacturer, is present in over 160 countries, has 20 manufacturing sites around the world and a network of around 10,000 distributors and retailers.Founded in Milan in 1872,...
, which eventually closed the factory in 2001. In November 2010, it was announced that the Carmi Flavor and Fragrance Company had purchased land in the city's industrial park and had plans to construct a plant that would employ 120 workers with the future potential for 300 full-time employees according to Hanford's economic development director.
The retail sector is growing with taxable sales of USD 414.7 million reported in 2002, up by 4.6% from 2001.
Major employers within the city of Hanford in 2006 included the Kings County
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...
government with 1,041 employees, the Adventist Health System
Adventist Health System
The Adventist Health System is a non-profit health care organisation which operates facilities within the Southern and Midwestern regions of the United States...
with 857, the Hanford Elementary School District with 520, the Del Monte tomato cannery with 435 year-round and 1,500 seasonal employees and Marquez Brothers International, Inc., makers of Hispanic cheese and other dairy products. Many Hanford residents work for other nearby employers such as NAS Lemoore, the U.S. Navy's largest master jet base located 15.5 mi (24.9 km) WSW of Hanford and for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. CDC&R is the second largest law enforcement or police agency in the United States behind the New York City Police Department which employs approximately...
which operates three state prisons in Kings County.
Hanford has not escaped the effects of the late 2000s recession
Late 2000s recession
The late-2000s recession, sometimes referred to as the Great Recession or Lesser Depression or Long Recession, is a severe ongoing global economic problem that began in December 2007 and took a particularly sharp downward turn in September 2008. The Great Recession has affected the entire world...
. The unemployment rate in October 2011 was 12.8%, up from 8.8% in July 2008.
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...
, median household income in Hanford was USD 37,582 and 17.3% of the population was living below the poverty line in 1999, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over. The median income for a household in the city was USD 37,582, and the median income for a family was USD 41,395. Males had a median income of USD 37,120 versus USD 25,971 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 USD 17,504.
The homeownership rate was 59% in 2000.
Hanford shopping
Hanford has variety of shopping including:Hanford Mall - A 625,580 foot indoor mall. Stores include- Sears, Forever 21
Forever 21
Forever 21 is an American chain of clothing retailers with branches in major cities in The United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East that offers fashion and accessories for young women and men....
, JCPenney, Kohls, Ross
Ross
Ross is a region of Scotland and a former mormaerdom, earldom, sheriffdom and county. The name Ross allegedly derives from a Gaelic word meaning a headland - perhaps a reference to the Black Isle. The Norse word for Orkney - Hrossay meaning horse island - is another possible origin. The area...
, numerous locally-owned shops, and food court kiosks. Also includes a built-in Cinemark Movies 8.
Shopping center- A shopping complex built around a Target and a Walmart Supercenter; includes: Sonic Drive-In, El Pollo Loco, Farmer Boy Hamburgers, Cold Stone Creamery, Michaels, Old Navy, Marshalls, Fashion Bug, Hallmark, Petsmart, Home Depot, Lowe's, and other retail outlets.
Hanford Historic Downtown - which is home to unique restaurants, events, stores and small shops.
Hanford healthcare
Adventist Medical Center is a 144-bed acute care hospital that opened in December 2010. Obstetrical services are provided at Central Valley General Hospital, which also hosts an out-patient clinic. Both hospitals are owned and operated by Adventist Health. There are three clinics, three skilled nursing facilities, 91 physcians and 30 dentists in the city.Ambulance service is provided by American Ambulance.
Air
The Hanford Municipal AirportHanford Municipal Airport
Hanford Municipal Airport , formerly O18, is a public airport located one mile southeast of the central business district of Hanford, a city in Kings County, California, United States. It is owned by the City of Hanford.Although most U.S...
serves general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
and has a 5,175 ft (1,577 m) paved runway.
Bus
Kings Area Rural Transit (KART) operates regularly scheduled fixed route bus service, vanpool service for commuters and Dial-A-Ride (demand response) services throughout Kings County as well as to Fresno. Hanford is also served by the Orange Belt StagesOrange Belt Stages
Orange Belt Stages is a bus company based in Visalia, California. OBS was incorporated on November 30, 1935, and offers charters anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, as well as scheduled runs in California and to Las Vegas, Nevada.-History:...
.
Rail
Existing:Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
provides passenger rail service to the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento, and service to Southern California by a combination of rail and bus. Freight service is available from both the BNSF Railway and the San Joaquin Valley Railroad.
Proposed:
The ARRA
Arra
Arra is a census town in Puruliya district in the state of West Bengal, India.-Demographics: India census, Arra had a population of 19,911. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Arra has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 59% of the...
funded California High Speed Rail has proposed a station. However, the proposed station on the eastern outskirts of Hanford is listed as “optional” and will not be built without matching local funds or in-kind support. Greg Gatzka, Kings County’s Community Development Director, was quoted in a June 2011 newspaper story that “the real question is whether high-speed rail is going to authorize a station there. They have a priority list and this station is at the bottom of the list.”
Major highways
Highway 43 Highway 198California State Route 198
State Route 198 is an east–west state highway that connects the California Central Coast to the mid-Central Valley at Visalia, although the most-traveled portion is in the Central Valley itself....
Water
The city's water system is supplied by a network of 15 wells ranging in depth from 600 to 1,700 feet with 203 miles of main lines and serves 15,600 water connections. The water is not chlorinated or otherwise treated.Formerly, the water had contained naturally-occurring arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
in excess of the maximum contaminant level adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. However, according to the Consumer Confidence Report issued by the city of Hanford in March 2010 for calendar year 2009, as of November 11, 2009, the city now supplies water that is below the federal standard of 10 micrograms of arsenic per liter of water. The city's mitigation project consisted of reducing the arsenic content in two existing deep water wells, drilling five replacement wells, and eliminating eight wells that produced water that exceeded standards.
Although it does not pose a health hazard, Hanford's drinking water also contains hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless, very poisonous, flammable gas with the characteristic foul odor of expired eggs perceptible at concentrations as low as 0.00047 parts per million...
, which causes the water to have a noticeable "rotten egg" odor.
Wastewater
The city's sanitary sewer system consists of 206 mi (331.5 km) of collector lines and 21 pump stations.The wastewater treatment plant is located in the southern part of the city on Houston Avenue and treats 5 million gallons of sewage per day. The treated effluent is used to irrigate non-food crops.
Electricity and gas
Southern California EdisonSouthern California Edison
Southern California Edison , the largest subsidiary of Edison International , is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California, USA. It provides 14 million people with electricity...
provides electricity to most of Hanford. However, the industrial park area in the southernmost part of the city is served by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company , commonly known as PG&E, is the utility that provides natural gas and electricity to most of the northern two-thirds of California, from Bakersfield almost to the Oregon border...
.
Natural gas is supplied by the Southern California Gas Company.
Telephone and cable television
Telephone service is provided by AT&TAT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
. Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
has the cable TV franchise for Hanford.
Government
Hanford is incorporated as a general law city under the California ConstitutionCalifornia Constitution
The document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of California. The original constitution, adopted in November 1849 in advance of California attaining U.S. statehood in 1850, was superseded by the current constitution, which...
. The city has a council-manager government with a city manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
appointed by the city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
.
The city council is made up of five members elected by districts for four-year terms. There are no term limits in effect. The mayor and vice mayor are elected annually by the city council from among its members. In November 2011, the city council elected Sue Sorenson as mayor and elected Joleen Jameson to serve as vice mayor. Other council members include Dan Chin, Lou Martinez, and Jim Irwin.
Hanford's city manager is the chief administrative officer of the city and is responsible for the overall administrative direction of the city. The city manager's duties include development and implementation of the annual budget for approval by the city council. Hilary Straus was appointed as city manager in 2010.
In the state legislature
California 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...
Hanford 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
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
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, Hanford 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,...
.
Education
Hanford has 15 Elementary schools,three junior high schools,3 high schools with a total of 8,464 k-8 students and 3,522 high school age children. The United States Census of 2000 reported that 74.5% of Hanford residents aged 25 and over were high school graduates and 14.4% had bachelor's degrees or higher. In addition a brand new Elementary school and community college are under construction and are planned to be add to serve Hanford future growth of students.The Hanford Elementary School District provides Kindergarten through eighth grade education for most of the city. It operates the following elementary and junior high schools:
- Hamilton Elementary
- Jefferson Elementary (closed since 2007 for refurbishment)
- Lee Richmond Elementary
- Lincoln Elementary
- Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
- James Monroe Elementary
- Roosevelt Elementary
- Simas Elementary
- George Washington Elementary
- John F. Kennedy Jr. High
- Woodrow Wilson Jr. High
The Pioneer Union Elementary School District serves much of the northern part of Hanford and operates Pioneer Elementary, Frontier Elementary and Pioneer Middle Schools.
A portion of north Hanford is served by the Kings River-Hardwick School District. A small area in southwest Hanford is served by the Armona Union Elementary School District
Armona Union School District
Armona Union Elementary School District is a school district which serves Armona, California and outlying rural areas as well as a portion of southwest Hanford...
, which operates Armona Elementary and Parkview Middle schools in the nearby community of Armona
Armona, California
Armona is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. Armona is located west-southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 239 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,156 at the 2010 census...
.
The Hanford Joint Union High School District
Hanford Joint Union High School District
The Hanford Joint Union High School District in Hanford consists of a total of 3,522 students from three comprehensive high schools - Hanford High School and Hanford West High School along with Earl F. Johnson Continuation School, and Hanford Adult School...
provides public secondary education. It operates Hanford High School and Hanford West High School as well as Earl F. Johnson High School, which is a continuation high school
Continuation high school
A continuation high school is an alternative to a comprehensive high school primarily for students who are considered at-risk of not graduating at the normal pace. The requirements to graduate are the same but the scheduling is more flexible to allow students to earn their credits at a quicker...
. The District also operates the Hanford Adult School. A new state of art comprehensive full-service high school, called Sierra Pacific High School opened on August 13, 2009 with 219 freshman students with the first class set to graduate in 2013. Sierra Pacific will be part of new Hanford Joint Educational Center, which is a joint use project of the Hanford Joint Union High School District, the College of the Sequoias
College of the Sequoias
College of the Sequoias is a public two-year community college located in Visalia in Tulare County, in California's San Joaquin Valley. The current enrollment of COS is 13,000 students, and the college offers a variety of transfer, vocational, and community-based classes, including the fire/police...
and the City of Hanford. The Hanford Joint Educational Center is located on 13th Avenue 1/4 of a mile north of Lacey Blvd.
The College of Sequoias is a community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
based in Visalia, California
Visalia, California
Visalia is a Central California city situated in the heart of California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, approximately southeast of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles...
that currently operates a satellite campus in Hanford. A permanent education center in Hanford is planned as part of the Joint Educational Center.
Chapman University
Chapman University
Chapman University is a private, non-profit university located in Orange, California affiliated with the Christian Church . Known for its blend of liberal arts and professional programs, Chapman University encompasses seven schools and colleges: Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media...
has a Hanford campus for adult students.
Private elementary schools in Hanford include Hanford Christian School, St. Rose-McCarthy School, and Western Christian School.
The Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture
The Clark Center features The Ruth & Sherman Lee Institute, the mission of which is to collect, preserve and exhibit works of fine art, primarily the arts of Japan. The Center, a complex of buildings in a style informed by Japanese architecture, also houses a specialist library for Japanese art and culture.Hanford Carnegie Museum
Hanford Carnegie Museum
The Hanford Carnegie Library, now the Hanford Carnegie Museum, was built in 1905 as one of the many Carnegie libraries that were funded by the steel industry magnate, Andrew Carnegie. The library was replaced by a new structure at a different location in 1968. The old library was subsequently...
was built in 1905 as one of the many Carnegie libraries that were funded by the steel industry magnate, Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
. The library was replaced by a new structure at a different location in 1968. The old library was subsequently renovated and re-opened as the Hanford Carnegie Museum in 1974. The building is of Romanesque
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
architecture with displays of furniture and photos describing the history of the Hanford area.
Kings District Fair
The Kings District Fair is a traditional county fair held on four days in mid-July at the Kings Fairgrounds.Renaissance of Kings Cultural Arts Faire
The Renaissance of Kings Cultural Arts Faire is held the first weekend of October at Courthouse Square in Hanford's city center. The Faire recreates the period of time during the rule of King Henry VIIIHenry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
of England. There is no admission charge and the event typically attracts 15,000 people over the two-day period.
Kings Art Center
The Kings Art Center was opened in 1989 to be the premier visual arts gallery and art training center of Kings County. Gallery shows are changed approximately every four weeks. Typical shows include photography, pottery, water color, mixed media, prints, textiles and fibers. Art classes for adults and children are scheduled throughout the year.Kings Symphony Orchestra
The Kings Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1963 and draws musicians from throughout the central and southern San Joaquin Valley. The orchestra generally performs four times a year with a variety of classical and "pops" repertoire.Hanford in literature
William SaroyanWilliam Saroyan
William Saroyan was an Armenian American dramatist and author. The setting of many of his stories and plays is the center of Armenian-American life in California in his native Fresno.-Early years:...
's short story, "The Journey to Hanford" that appeared in My Name Is Aram
My Name Is Aram
My Name is Aram is a book of short stories by William Saroyan first published in 1940. The stories detail the exploits of Aram Garoghlanian, a boy of Armenian descent growing up in Fresno, California, and the various members of his large family....
is a comic account of two characters from Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
— a boy and his wastrel uncle — who share a single bicycle as they travel the approximately thirty-mile route between Fresno and Hanford, taking along a sack of rice to feed them through what turns out to be a largely pointless summer.
Hanford's Chinese community
Chinese immigrants arrived in the late 19th century to build railroads and work on farms. They created a thriving ChinatownChinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
in Hanford in the neighborhood around China Alley. China Alley was the site of the famous but now closed Imperial Dynasty restaurant
Imperial Dynasty restaurant
The Imperial Dynasty restaurant was a five-star restaurant in Hanford, California. The restaurant was founded in 1883 in Hanford's Chinatown, and was run by the same family for four generations....
. Hanford's Taoist Temple (National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
#72000226) built in 1893 is also located there. A Moon Festival is held in China Alley in early October. In July 2011, Hanford city council commissioned a study of China Alley with the hope of revitalizing it in the future.
Hanford's Black community
While the black community has long played an important role in the city, the City of Hanford only began to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 15, 2007 after a long battle led by the local branch of the NAACP. The City Council then recognized the day as an official holiday with a resolution honoring Dr. King, read by then Mayor Joaquin Gonzales. The most prominent African-Americans living in the community include Chris Jordan, almost 30-year veteran City of Hanford Police Captain, then elected in 2006 as the first black Sheriff of Kings County. The late civil rights activist, Wanda Williams-Hinton, turned the Black History MonthBlack History Month
Black History Month is an observance of the history of the African diaspora in a number of countries outside of Africa. Since 1976, it is observed annually in the United States and Canada in February, while in the United Kingdom it is observed in October...
celebration into an annual citywide tradition; that has since been carried on by community leader Gerry Young.
Sister city
Setana, HokkaidoSetana, Hokkaido
is a town located in Kudō District, Hiyama, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of December 2008, the town has an estimated population of 10,190 and a density of 15.96 persons per km²...
, Japan
Hanford is a sister city with Setana, a small town on Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The program is known for promoting international friendship. Both cities send a delegate group of both prominent city citizens and high school students. For the city of Hanford, high school students are selected from both high schools through an application and interview process for delegate spots. The Setana high school provides a student delegate position for their entire upper class. Hanford delegates travel to Setana, Japan in the summer. Setana delegates travel to Hanford in the winter.
Sites of interest
- The Hanford Fox TheatreFox TheatreFox Theatres was a large chain of movie theaters in the United States dating from the 1920s either built by Fox Film Corporation studio owner William Fox, or subsequently merged in 1929 by Fox with the West Coast Theatres chain, to form the Fox West Coast Theatres chain.-Architectural styles:Many...
was constructed in 1929 and is located on Irwin Street in Hanford's city center. It is regularly used for live concerts. Featured artists in 2006 and 2007 included the Charlie Daniels Band, Dwight YoakamDwight YoakamDwight David Yoakam is an American singer-songwriter, actor and film director, most famous for his pioneering country music...
, Kathy GriffinKathy GriffinKathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedienne, television personality, New York Times best-selling author and an LGBT rights advocate. Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom...
and George JonesGeorge JonesGeorge Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
. In the past, the Hanford Fox Theater hosted benefit performances by Bob HopeBob HopeBob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, Red SkeltonRed SkeltonRichard Bernard "Red" Skelton was an American comedian who is best known as a top radio and television star from 1937 to 1971. Skelton's show business career began in his teens as a circus clown and went on to vaudeville, Broadway, films, radio, TV, night clubs and casinos, all while pursuing...
and John DenverJohn DenverHenry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
.
- The Kings County CourthouseKings County Courthouse (Hanford, California)The Kings County Courthouse was erected after Kings County was formed; it opened in 1896. Constructed in an eclectic mix of styles in a park in the center of Hanford, it was expanded in 1914...
was erected after Kings County was formed; it opened in 1896. Constructed in an eclectic mix of styles in a park in the center of Hanford, it was expanded in 1914. The building served as the county's courthouse until 1976 when it was replaced by the new Kings County Government Center on West Lacey Boulevard. The old courthouse was remodeled in the early 1980s and now houses offices, small shops and restaurants.
- The building now known as The Bastille just north of the old courthouse was the Kings County Jail from 1898 until 1964. Constructed in Romanesque style, it is notable for its crenellated octagonal tower. It is currently closed down and boarded up.
- Superior Dairy is a classic 1920s ice cream parlor that is well-known in the Hanford area. The business makes all of its ice cream on-site. Superior Dairy is across the street from the Civic Auditorium and The Bastille.
- Fort RooseveltFort Roosevelt, CaliforniaFort Roosevelt was located at Roosevelt Elementary School in Hanford, California. It was a fort surrounded by almost 1000 telephone poles in the style of a fort from the Old West. World-class outdoor education was delivered there and Fort Roosevelt became a nationally recognized model for...
was a well-known environmental educationEnvironmental educationEnvironmental education refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environments function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in order to live sustainably. The term is often used to imply education within the school system, from primary to...
and wildlife rehabilitationWildlife rehabilitationWildlife rehabilitation is the process of removing from the wild and caring for injured, orphaned, or sick wild animals. The goal of wildlife rehabilitation is to provide the food, housing and medical care of these animals, returning them to the wild after treatment.-Process:Rehabilitation begins...
center located at the Roosevelt Elementary School until it was closed and demolished in 2005.
Sports
Hanford is the site of the Sentinel Criterium bicycle races held on a Sunday in late March or early April. The 0.9 miles (1.4 km) hourglass style loop course is run on downtown streets. The Criterium is held under USA CyclingUSA Cycling
USA Cycling or USAC, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the national governing body for bicycle racing in the United States. It covers the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, BMX and collegiate racing...
racing rules and permit.
Dirt track auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
takes place at the Kings Speedway from March through October. The track is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval and is located at the Kings Fairgrounds.
Notable residents
- Ryan BowenRyan BowenRyan Cleo Bowen is an American former professional basketball player who last played for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He was a 6'9", power forward.-Career:...
is a former baseball player for the Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
and Florida MarlinsFlorida MarlinsThe Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
who was born, lived, and attended high school in Hanford. - Ken CaminitiKen CaminitiKenneth Gene Caminiti was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball and the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player. He was born in Hanford, California, and attended San Jose State University...
is a former baseball player and National League MVP who was born in Hanford. - Tyson ChandlerTyson ChandlerTyson Cleotis Chandler is an American professional basketball center who most recently played for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. He was also a member of the United States men's national basketball team.-High school:...
is an NBA basketball player who was born in Hanford. - Calvin M. Dooley graduated from Hanford Union High School in 1972 and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 2005.
- Dameane DouglasDameane DouglasDameane Douglas is a former American football wide receiver the National Football League. Drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 1999 NFL Draft, Douglas played 4 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles...
was a wide receiver in the National Football League who was born in Hanford. - Harlan F. Hagen lived in Hanford and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1953 to 1967.
- Jermaine HaleyJermaine HaleyJermaine Leroy Haley is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League for the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Butte College...
is a football player who was born in Hanford. - Tamara KeithTamara KeithTamara Keith is a radio reporter, host and producer. She is frequently heard on NPR radio. She joined NPR as a business reporter in 2009. In her words, she “aspires to make business stories relatable to all of our listeners, not just those that read the Wall Street Journal”...
is an NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
radio reporter that grew up in Hanford and graduated from Hanford High SchoolHanford Joint Union High School DistrictThe Hanford Joint Union High School District in Hanford consists of a total of 3,522 students from three comprehensive high schools - Hanford High School and Hanford West High School along with Earl F. Johnson Continuation School, and Hanford Adult School...
. - Bill LandisBill LandisWilliam Henry Landis is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1963 through 1969 for the Kansas City Athletics and Boston Red Sox...
was a baseball player born, raised in, and still lives in Hanford. He played on the 1967 American League Champion Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. - Mark Lee was a cornerback in the National Football League who was born in Hanford.
- Louis Bert Lindley, Jr., better known as Slim PickensSlim PickensLouis Burton Lindley, Jr. , better known by the stage name Slim Pickens, was an American rodeo performer and film and television actor who epitomized the profane, tough, sardonic cowboy, but who is best remembered for his comic roles, notably in Dr...
, was a rodeo cowboy and actor who grew up in Hanford. - Pauline LordPauline LordPauline Lord was an American stage and film actress-Biography:She was born in Hanford, California to Edward Lord and Sara Foster...
, actress, was born in Hanford. - Scott Marcellus; A/V Designer in Las Vegas, former Broadway Sound Designer and Operator, who was born, lived, and attended high school in Hanford.
- Chad MendesChad MendesChad Edward Mendes is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-High school:Mendes finished 8th in the state of California , wrestling for Hanford High School. In 2002, he finished 5th at 114 lbs. and in 2003, he finished third at 121 lbs...
, mixed-martial artist, UFCUltimate Fighting ChampionshipThe Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
. - Richard C. MillerRichard C. MillerRichard Crump Miller was an American photographer best known for his vintage carbro prints, photos of celebrities, and work documenting the Hollywood Freeway.- Early life :...
, famous American photographer, was a native of Hanford. - Lorenzo NealLorenzo NealLorenzo LaVonne Neal is an American football fullback who played in the NFL from 1993–2009. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 1993 NFL Draft...
a 3 time pro bowl full back in the NFL was born in Hanford. - Scott Parker, one of the few Californian-born hockey players to play in the NHL.
- Sean R. Parnell, the current Governor of Alaska, was born in Hanford. He succeeded former Governor Sarah PalinSarah PalinSarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
on July 26, 2009 following her resignation. - Steve PerrySteve Perry (musician)Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Journey from 1977–1987 and 1995–1998. Perry had a successful solo career throughout the late 1980s and early '90s.Perry's voice has garnered acclaim from musical peers and music...
is a rock singer with the band JourneyJourney (band)Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
who was born in Hanford. - James RainwaterJames RainwaterLeo James Rainwater was an American physicist who shared the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1975 for his part in determining the asymmetrical shapes of certain atomic nuclei.-Biography:...
, physicist and co-winner of the 1975 Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in Physics, lived in Hanford as a child and graduated from Hanford High SchoolHanford Joint Union High School DistrictThe Hanford Joint Union High School District in Hanford consists of a total of 3,522 students from three comprehensive high schools - Hanford High School and Hanford West High School along with Earl F. Johnson Continuation School, and Hanford Adult School...
. - Matt ShivelyMatt ShivelyMatthew James "Matt" Shively, Jr. is an American actor best known for his role as Ryan Laserbeam on the Nickelodeon television series True Jackson, VP. Beginning in June 2011, he began appearing in the Nickelodeon series The Troop as Kirby.-Early life:Shively was born in Hanford, California...
, actor on True Jackson, VPTrue Jackson, VPTrue Jackson, VP is an American television sitcom that aired on Nickelodeon from November 8, 2008 to August 20, 2011. The series starred Keke Palmer, Ashley Argota, Matt Shively, Danielle Bisutti, Greg Proops, Robbie Amell and Ron Butler. The theme song was written by Toby Gad and Keke Palmer and...
, was born and grew up in Hanford. - Norm VerryNorm VerryNorm Verry was a professional American football player. He was a member of the Chicago Rockets of the All-America Football Conference....
, professional football player, was born in Hanford. - Jan-Michael VincentJan-Michael VincentJan-Michael Vincent is an American actor best known for his role as helicopter pilot Stringfellow Hawke on the 1980s U.S. television series Airwolf .-Early life:...
, actor, moved to Hanford with his family as a teenager, and graduated from Hanford High SchoolHanford Joint Union High School DistrictThe Hanford Joint Union High School District in Hanford consists of a total of 3,522 students from three comprehensive high schools - Hanford High School and Hanford West High School along with Earl F. Johnson Continuation School, and Hanford Adult School...
. - Cornelius WarmerdamCornelius WarmerdamCornelius Warmerdam was a long time pole vault world record holder and is considered to be among the all time greatest vaulters....
, long time pole vault world record holder, grew up in Hanford. - Darrell WinfieldDarrell WinfieldDarrell H. Winfield, was a rancher and model , was born in Oklahoma on July 30, 1929. His family relocated to California's San Joaquin Valley when he was 6 years old...
is an actor who played the Marlboro manMarlboro ManThe Marlboro Man is a figure used in tobacco advertising campaign for Marlboro cigarettes. In the United States, where the campaign originated, it was used from 1954 to 1999. The Marlboro Man was first conceived by Leo Burnett in 1954. The image involves a rugged cowboy or cowboys, in nature with...
and was born in Hanford. - Delbert Wong (1920–2006), first judge of Chinese-American descent in the continental United States, was born in Hanford.