Kingsburg, California
Encyclopedia
Kingsburg is a city in Fresno County, California
. Kingsburg is located 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Selma
at an elevation of 302 feet (92 m), on the banks of the Kings River. The city is half an hour away from Fresno
, and two hours away from the California Central Coast and Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The population was 11,382 at the 2010 census.
when it completed the Valley Line in 1873. In the early 1870s, Swedish natives settled in a railroad town called "Kings River Switch". In 1874 the present town site was drawn up and the name was changed to "Kingsbury". Two years later it became "Kingsburgh" and in 1894 took on its present spelling, "Kingsburg", which was finally established as a town in 1908. By 1921, ninety-four percent of the population within a three-mile radius of Kingsburg was Swedish-American, giving the community the nickname of "Little Sweden". To keep up with the town's Swedish history they have most retail businesses designed in Swedish architecture.
and table grape
s; however in 2002 a large surplus of raisins and grapes drove the price for these commodities down to an all time low. Subsequently, farmers were forced to replant the fields with stone fruit, or (particularly on the west side of town) sell their land to developers to help cope with the rising population. Kingsburg is the headquarters of Sun-Maid
Growers of California, a producer of raisins and other dried fruit
s. Kingsburg is home to the world's largest box of raisin
s, built by students at California State University, Fresno
.
Kingsburg is located in the central portion of the Central Valley of California.
The town is two hours away from The Sierra Nevadas Mountain range and the coast. It is about 3–4 hours away from L.A., San Francisco, and Sacramento.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), all of it land.
was 4,024.3 people per square mile (1,553.8/km²). The racial makeup of Kingsburg was 8,576 (75.3%) White, 62 (0.5%) African American, 146 (1.3%) Native American, 383 (3.4%) Asian, 21 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 1,706 (15.0%) from other races
, and 488 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4,883 persons (42.9%).
The Census reported that 11,300 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 82 (0.7%) were institutionalized.
There were 3,822 households, out of which 1,671 (43.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,287 (59.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 474 (12.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 176 (4.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 186 (4.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 19 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 770 households (20.1%) were made up of individuals and 398 (10.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96. There were 2,937 families
(76.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.41.
The population was spread out with 3,368 people (29.6%) under the age of 18, 1,043 people (9.2%) aged 18 to 24, 2,899 people (25.5%) aged 25 to 44, 2,618 people (23.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,454 people (12.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.7 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
There were 4,069 housing units at an average density of 1,438.7 per square mile (555.5/km²), of which 2,536 (66.4%) were owner-occupied, and 1,286 (33.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%. 7,518 people (66.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,782 people (33.2%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 9,199 people, 3,226 households, and 2,458 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,933.4 people per square mile (1,517.8/km²). There were 3,358 housing units at an average density of 1,435.8 per square mile (554.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.93% White
, 0.45% Black
or African American
, 0.67% Native American
, 2.74% Asian
, 0.14% Pacific Islander
, 9.61% from other races
, and 4.46% from two or more races. 34.42% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 21.7% were of German
, 28.6% Swedish, 5.4% Irish
and 9.7% English
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 3,226 households out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% were married couples
living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.8% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,490, and the median income for a family was $44,737. Males had a median income of $35,452 versus $23,409 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,137. About 10.4% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.
The town's population increased to 12,567 during the 2011 year.
and by Fresno-based television and radio stations. KVPW (Power 106.3), a Top 40/Rhythmic music station, is licensed to Kingsburg.
Junior High School. Kingsburg High School
serves as the community high school, and its district is separate from that of the elementary school system. The elementary school district also operates Central Valley Home School which serves as a supplement to traditional Home Schooling.
Fresno County, California
Fresno County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. As of the 2010 census, it is the tenth most populous county in California with a population of 930,450, and the sixth largest in size with an area of . The county...
. Kingsburg is located 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Selma
Selma, California
Selma is a city in Fresno County, California. The population was 23,219 at the 2010 census, up from 19,240 at the 2000 census. Selma is located southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 308 feet .-Geography:...
at an elevation of 302 feet (92 m), on the banks of the Kings River. The city is half an hour away from Fresno
Fresno
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...
, and two hours away from the California Central Coast and Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The population was 11,382 at the 2010 census.
History
Kingsburg was established as a railroad town, its site set by the Central Pacific RailroadCentral Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
when it completed the Valley Line in 1873. In the early 1870s, Swedish natives settled in a railroad town called "Kings River Switch". In 1874 the present town site was drawn up and the name was changed to "Kingsbury". Two years later it became "Kingsburgh" and in 1894 took on its present spelling, "Kingsburg", which was finally established as a town in 1908. By 1921, ninety-four percent of the population within a three-mile radius of Kingsburg was Swedish-American, giving the community the nickname of "Little Sweden". To keep up with the town's Swedish history they have most retail businesses designed in Swedish architecture.
Agriculture
For much of the town's history the fields around Kingsburg were mostly grape vineyards which produce mainly raisinRaisin
Raisins are dried grapes. They are produced in many regions of the world. Raisins may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking and brewing...
and table grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s; however in 2002 a large surplus of raisins and grapes drove the price for these commodities down to an all time low. Subsequently, farmers were forced to replant the fields with stone fruit, or (particularly on the west side of town) sell their land to developers to help cope with the rising population. Kingsburg is the headquarters of Sun-Maid
Sun-Maid
Sun-Maid Growers of California is a cooperative of raisin growers headquartered in Kingsburg, California. It was founded in 1912 as the California Associated Raisin Company...
Growers of California, a producer of raisins and other dried fruit
Dried fruit
Dried fruit is fruit where the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to the fourth millennium BC in Mesopotamia, and is prized...
s. Kingsburg is home to the world's largest box of raisin
Raisin
Raisins are dried grapes. They are produced in many regions of the world. Raisins may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking and brewing...
s, built by students at California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of...
.
Swedish Festival
One of the more unique landmarks in the community is the Kingsburg water tower which is shaped like an antique Swedish coffee pot. The Swedish immigrant heritage of the community is principally preserved with festivals. Kingsburg Swedish Festival, which is the biggest and most known festivals that bring people in from all over the country, is held annually during the third weekend in May. Activities include a Swedish pancake breakfast, a parade and the coronation of the Swedish Festival Queen. Many booths, rides and activities are set up all along the side of Downtown Kingsburg's Draper Street. This festival, which has traditionally been held on Friday, Saturday,and Sunday, was demoted to only Saturday and Sunday in 2009 after the town's centennial due to the suffering economy.But, in 2011 they added Thursday activities to the festival.Notable residents
- Rafer JohnsonRafer JohnsonRafer Lewis Johnson is an American former decathlete and film actor.-Biography:Johnson was born in Hillsboro, Texas, but the family moved to Kingsburg, California, when he was nine. For a while, they were the only black family in the town. A versatile athlete, he played on Kingsburg High School's...
, Olympic gold-medal decathlete - Jimmy Johnson, Cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers
- 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...
, actor, was born in Kingsburg. - Larry HillblomLarry HillblomLarry Lee Hillblom was an American businessman, and a co-founder of DHL Worldwide Express, a shipping company.-Background:Larry Hillblom was born and raised in Kingsburg, California. Larry Hillblom was a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law and briefly...
, co-founder of DHL Worldwide ExpressDHLDHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail....
and progenitor. - Monte ClarkMonte ClarkMonte Dale Clark was an American football player who served as head coach for two National Football League teams: the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions.-College career:...
, former American football player - Tyler BrayTyler BrayTyler Bray is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Volunteers. He is considered one of the best quarterbacks of his class.-Early years:...
, University of Tennessee quarterback
Geography
Kingsburg is located at 36°30′50"N 119°33′14"W.Kingsburg is located in the central portion of the Central Valley of California.
The town is two hours away from The Sierra Nevadas Mountain range and the coast. It is about 3–4 hours away from L.A., San Francisco, and Sacramento.
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 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), all of it land.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Kingsburg had a population of 11,382. 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 4,024.3 people per square mile (1,553.8/km²). The racial makeup of Kingsburg was 8,576 (75.3%) White, 62 (0.5%) African American, 146 (1.3%) Native American, 383 (3.4%) Asian, 21 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 1,706 (15.0%) 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 488 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4,883 persons (42.9%).
The Census reported that 11,300 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 82 (0.7%) were institutionalized.
There were 3,822 households, out of which 1,671 (43.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,287 (59.8%) 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, 474 (12.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 176 (4.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 186 (4.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 19 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 770 households (20.1%) were made up of individuals and 398 (10.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96. There were 2,937 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...
(76.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.41.
The population was spread out with 3,368 people (29.6%) under the age of 18, 1,043 people (9.2%) aged 18 to 24, 2,899 people (25.5%) aged 25 to 44, 2,618 people (23.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,454 people (12.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.7 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
There were 4,069 housing units at an average density of 1,438.7 per square mile (555.5/km²), of which 2,536 (66.4%) were owner-occupied, and 1,286 (33.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%. 7,518 people (66.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,782 people (33.2%) 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 9,199 people, 3,226 households, and 2,458 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 3,933.4 people per square mile (1,517.8/km²). There were 3,358 housing units at an average density of 1,435.8 per square mile (554.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.93% 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...
, 0.45% 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...
, 0.67% 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...
, 2.74% 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...
, 0.14% 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...
, 9.61% 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 4.46% from two or more races. 34.42% 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. 21.7% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 28.6% Swedish, 5.4% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and 9.7% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 3,226 households out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% 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, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.8% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,490, and the median income for a family was $44,737. Males had a median income of $35,452 versus $23,409 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 $16,137. About 10.4% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.
The town's population increased to 12,567 during the 2011 year.
Media
The local weekly newspaper is The Kingsburg Recorder. Residents are served by the daily Fresno BeeThe Fresno Bee
The Fresno Bee is the daily newspaper serving Fresno, California and surrounding counties in that U.S. state's San Joaquin Valley. It is owned by The McClatchy Company and ranks fourth in circulation among the company's newspapers....
and by Fresno-based television and radio stations. KVPW (Power 106.3), a Top 40/Rhythmic music station, is licensed to Kingsburg.
School system
Kingsburg Elementary schools operate on a charter school system. Kingsburg's elementary school system is unique in that all students in Kindergarten through 8th grades will all go to the same schools together. The school year starts during the later weeks of August. Washington Elementary serves as a Kindergarten only school. First grade is at Roosevelt Elementary. Second and Third grades are at Lincoln Elementary. Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth grades are at Ronald Reagan Elementary. Seventh and Eighth grades are at Rafer JohnsonRafer Johnson
Rafer Lewis Johnson is an American former decathlete and film actor.-Biography:Johnson was born in Hillsboro, Texas, but the family moved to Kingsburg, California, when he was nine. For a while, they were the only black family in the town. A versatile athlete, he played on Kingsburg High School's...
Junior High School. Kingsburg High School
Kingsburg High School
Kingsburg High School is a public high school located in the town of Kingsburg, California. It is part of the Kingsburg Joint Union High School District.-Administration:*Randy Morris - Superintendent*Randy Morris - Principal...
serves as the community high school, and its district is separate from that of the elementary school system. The elementary school district also operates Central Valley Home School which serves as a supplement to traditional Home Schooling.