Holtville, California
Encyclopedia
Holtville is a city in Imperial County, California. Holtville is located 10.5 miles (17 km) east of El Centro
, The population was 5,939 at the 2010 census, up from 5,612 at the 2000 census. It is part of the 'El Centro, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area'. City officials believed the population doubled in the last 6 years by 2007.
Holtville was famous in the 20th century with having the Imperial Valley Carrot Festival but was confused with the Coachella Valley
in the 1953 animated Looney Tunes
short, Bully for Bugs
. In it, Bugs Bunny
requests directions to the Coachella Valley "and the carrot festival therein" when he reads the map seeking a Carrot Festival.
, the city has a total area of 1.1 sq mi (2.8 km²), with 1.1 square miles land and 0.40% water.
in 1904. Holtville incorporated in 1908. The name honors W.F. Holt, founder of the community.
was 5,152.0 people per square mile (1,989.2/km²). The racial makeup of Holtville was 3,655 (61.5%) White, 37 (0.6%) African American, 41 (0.7%) Native American, 50 (0.8%) Asian, 4 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 1,977 (33.3%) from other races
, and 175 (2.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4,858 persons (81.8%).
The Census reported that 5,939 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,799 households, out of which 894 (49.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,033 (57.4%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 290 (16.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 106 (5.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 81 (4.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 6 (0.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 319 households (17.7%) were made up of individuals and 164 (9.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.30. There were 1,429 families
(79.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.72.
The population was spread out with 1,850 people (31.2%) under the age of 18, 618 people (10.4%) aged 18 to 24, 1,327 people (22.3%) aged 25 to 44, 1,416 people (23.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 728 people (12.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.1 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
There were 1,937 housing units at an average density of 1,680.3 per square mile (648.8/km²), of which 904 (50.3%) were owner-occupied, and 895 (49.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%. 3,017 people (50.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,922 people (49.2%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 5,612 people, 1,564 households, and 1,340 families residing in the city. The population density
was 4,920.8 people per square mile (1,900.7/km²). There were 1,617 housing units at an average density of 1,417.8 per square mile (547.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 54.4% White
, 0.6% Black
or African American
, 0.8% Native American
, 0.8% Asian
, 0.1% Pacific Islander
, 39.2% from other races
, and 4.1% from two or more races. 73.8% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 1,564 households out of which 52.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples
living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.3% were non-families. 12.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.5 and the average family size was 3.8.
In the city the population was spread out with 35.2% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,318, and the median income for a family was $39,347. Males had a median income of $31,328 versus $26,477 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $12,505. About 15.7% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.
Holtville is located in the 40th Senate
District, represented by Democrat
Juan Vargas
, and in the 80th Assembly
District, represented by Republican
Bonnie Garcia
. Federally, Holtville is located in California's 51st congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +7 and is represented by Democrat Bob Filner
.
History was made during the election cycle of 2006, when voters elected Lisa Bianca Padilla, becoming the first female Hispanic candidate ever to win a seat on the city council.
. The construction of railroads in the 1890s, the All-American Canal
in the late 1940s, U.S. Route 80 in the 1920s later converted to Interstate 8 in the 1970s and the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) economic boom in the 1990s brought more people to Holtville and the Imperial Valley.
The city of Holtville, which was originally called Holton, was founded in 1903 by W.F. Holt, and incorporated on June 20, 1908. The name was changed to Holtville due to a request by the Postal Service because the name Holton sounded too much like Colton
, (in San Bernardino County), the regional headquarters of the Southern Pacific Railroad
at the time.
The city lies on the northeast bank of the Alamo River
formed by the floods of 1905-07 when the Colorado River
break made the river's course turn west and filled the low-lying depression of water now the Salton Sea
.
The old U.S. Route 80 once ran along Fifth Street through the center of town. A small obelisk in Holt Park, just north of Fifth Street, gives the distances to various points to the north, east and west. U.S. Route 80 has been decommissioned and made as County Route S80 in California. The portion in and near Holtville is now part of State Route 115
.
Much of the east-west automobile traffic has been diverted to Interstate 8, about 2.5 miles to the south. Holtville is easily accessible through the Orchard Road interchange. The newly constructed State Route 7 connects Holtville with the factories and industrial areas of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
The city was once joined by railroad to El Centro, but this line (nicknamed the "Holton Interurban"), and another railroad line going to the north, have been abandoned. The closure of the railroad station brought on economic decline to the town in the late 20th century.
The city's major civic event is the annual Carrot Festival, held in late January or early February. It usually features a parade, a carnival and other activities over a 10-day period. Holtville was famous in the mid 20th century with having the Holtville "Carrot Festival" but was confused with the "Coachella Valley" name from Bugs Bunny
animated shorts in the 1940s when he reads the map seeking a "Carrot Festival".
A weekly newspaper, The Holtville Tribune, is distributed by mail and newsstand in the Holtville area. Its circulation is about 3,750. The daily newspaper, the Imperial Valley Press in El Centro, has circulation at over 20,000.
The city was featured in Milton J. Silverman's bestselling novel "Open and Shut," which chronicled the true crime story of Norma Winters, a Holtville resident who contracted for the death of her husband during the summer of 1974.
The city formerly had its own police force, but police protection is now provided by the Imperial County Sheriff's Department.
El Centro, California
El Centro is a city in and county seat of Imperial County, the largest city in the Imperial Valley and the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core urban area and principal city of the El Centro metropolitan area which encompasses all of Imperial County. El Centro is also...
, The population was 5,939 at the 2010 census, up from 5,612 at the 2000 census. It is part of the 'El Centro, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area'. City officials believed the population doubled in the last 6 years by 2007.
Holtville was famous in the 20th century with having the Imperial Valley Carrot Festival but was confused with the Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...
in the 1953 animated Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
short, Bully for Bugs
Bully For Bugs
Bully for Bugs is a 1952 Warner Brothers Looney Tunes theatrical cartoon short released in August 1953. It was directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese.- Synopsis :...
. In it, Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
requests directions to the Coachella Valley "and the carrot festival therein" when he reads the map seeking a Carrot Festival.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1.1 sq mi (2.8 km²), with 1.1 square miles land and 0.40% water.
History
The community started in 1903 as Holton. The first post office at Holtville was transferred from EastsideEastside, California
Eastside is a former settlement in Imperial County, California. It was located north of Holtville.A post office operated at Eastside from 1903 to 1904, when service was transferred to Holtville.-References:...
in 1904. Holtville incorporated in 1908. The name honors W.F. Holt, founder of the community.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Holtville had a population of 5,939. 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 5,152.0 people per square mile (1,989.2/km²). The racial makeup of Holtville was 3,655 (61.5%) White, 37 (0.6%) African American, 41 (0.7%) Native American, 50 (0.8%) Asian, 4 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 1,977 (33.3%) 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 175 (2.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4,858 persons (81.8%).
The Census reported that 5,939 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,799 households, out of which 894 (49.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,033 (57.4%) 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, 290 (16.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 106 (5.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 81 (4.5%) 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 6 (0.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 319 households (17.7%) were made up of individuals and 164 (9.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.30. There were 1,429 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...
(79.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.72.
The population was spread out with 1,850 people (31.2%) under the age of 18, 618 people (10.4%) aged 18 to 24, 1,327 people (22.3%) aged 25 to 44, 1,416 people (23.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 728 people (12.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.1 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
There were 1,937 housing units at an average density of 1,680.3 per square mile (648.8/km²), of which 904 (50.3%) were owner-occupied, and 895 (49.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%. 3,017 people (50.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,922 people (49.2%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 5,612 people, 1,564 households, and 1,340 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,920.8 people per square mile (1,900.7/km²). There were 1,617 housing units at an average density of 1,417.8 per square mile (547.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 54.4% 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...
, 0.6% 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...
, 0.8% 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...
, 0.8% 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...
, 39.2% 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 4.1% from two or more races. 73.8% 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 1,564 households out of which 52.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% 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, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.3% were non-families. 12.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.5 and the average family size was 3.8.
In the city the population was spread out with 35.2% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,318, and the median income for a family was $39,347. Males had a median income of $31,328 versus $26,477 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 $12,505. About 15.7% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.
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...
Holtville is located in the 40th 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...
Juan Vargas
Juan Vargas
Juan C. Vargas is a Senator in the State of California, 40th District. He is a Democrat and former member of the California State Assembly, San Diego City Council, and Order of the Jesuits, having fought for the poor, aged, and infirmed....
, and in the 80th 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...
Bonnie Garcia
Bonnie Garcia
Bonnie Garcia was the representative of California's 80th Assembly District, serving eastern Riverside County and all of Imperial County....
. Federally, Holtville is located in California's 51st congressional district
California's 51st congressional district
California's 51st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district includes all of Imperial County and the extreme southern portions of San Diego County that run across the U.S.-Mexico border...
, 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 +7 and is represented by Democrat Bob Filner
Bob Filner
Robert Earl Filner is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 50th, serving since 1993, and Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
.
History was made during the election cycle of 2006, when voters elected Lisa Bianca Padilla, becoming the first female Hispanic candidate ever to win a seat on the city council.
General information
The city was founded by Swiss-German settlers in the 1880s often through the U.S.-Mexican border from MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The construction of railroads in the 1890s, the All-American Canal
All-American Canal
The All-American Canal is an long aqueduct, located in southeastern California. It conveys water from the Colorado River into the Imperial Valley and to nine cities. It is the Imperial Valley's only water source, and replaced the Alamo Canal, which was located mostly in Mexico...
in the late 1940s, U.S. Route 80 in the 1920s later converted to Interstate 8 in the 1970s and the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA) economic boom in the 1990s brought more people to Holtville and the Imperial Valley.
The city of Holtville, which was originally called Holton, was founded in 1903 by W.F. Holt, and incorporated on June 20, 1908. The name was changed to Holtville due to a request by the Postal Service because the name Holton sounded too much like Colton
Colton, California
Colton is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The city is located in the Inland Empire region of the state and is approximately 57 miles east of Los Angeles. The population of Colton is 52,154 according to the 2010 census, up from 47,662 at the 2000 census.Colton is the...
, (in San Bernardino County), the regional headquarters of 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....
at the time.
The city lies on the northeast bank of the Alamo River
Alamo River
The Alamo River is a river flowing west and north from the Mexicali Valley across the Imperial Valley . The river drains into the Salton Sea....
formed by the floods of 1905-07 when the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
break made the river's course turn west and filled the low-lying depression of water now the Salton Sea
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in California's Imperial Valley. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Like Death...
.
The old U.S. Route 80 once ran along Fifth Street through the center of town. A small obelisk in Holt Park, just north of Fifth Street, gives the distances to various points to the north, east and west. U.S. Route 80 has been decommissioned and made as County Route S80 in California. The portion in and near Holtville is now part of State Route 115
California State Route 115
State Route 115 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It runs from Interstate 8 southeast of Holtville to Calipatria in Imperial County...
.
Much of the east-west automobile traffic has been diverted to Interstate 8, about 2.5 miles to the south. Holtville is easily accessible through the Orchard Road interchange. The newly constructed State Route 7 connects Holtville with the factories and industrial areas of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
The city was once joined by railroad to El Centro, but this line (nicknamed the "Holton Interurban"), and another railroad line going to the north, have been abandoned. The closure of the railroad station brought on economic decline to the town in the late 20th century.
The city's major civic event is the annual Carrot Festival, held in late January or early February. It usually features a parade, a carnival and other activities over a 10-day period. Holtville was famous in the mid 20th century with having the Holtville "Carrot Festival" but was confused with the "Coachella Valley" name from Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
animated shorts in the 1940s when he reads the map seeking a "Carrot Festival".
A weekly newspaper, The Holtville Tribune, is distributed by mail and newsstand in the Holtville area. Its circulation is about 3,750. The daily newspaper, the Imperial Valley Press in El Centro, has circulation at over 20,000.
The city was featured in Milton J. Silverman's bestselling novel "Open and Shut," which chronicled the true crime story of Norma Winters, a Holtville resident who contracted for the death of her husband during the summer of 1974.
The city formerly had its own police force, but police protection is now provided by the Imperial County Sheriff's Department.