Mariposa, California
Encyclopedia
Mariposa is a census-designated place
(CDP) in and the county seat
of Mariposa County
, California
, United States
. The population was 2,173 at the 2010 census, up from 1,373 at the 2000 census. Its name is Spanish for "butterfly", after the flocks of Monarchs
seen overwintering there by early explorers.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 12.9 square miles (33.4 km²), all but 0.23% of it land.
Mariposa County includes much of Yosemite National Park
, and a good deal of the local economy is related to the Park and to tourism. The county courthouse, constructed in 1854, is the oldest in continuous use west of the Rockies. Tours are available.
The county lies at the southern end of the Mother Lode
, and Europeans were attracted to Mariposa by gold. During the 19th century California Gold Rush
, its streams were panned and deep mines worked the underground veins. At one time John C. Frémont
lived here and owned claims to much of the mineral wealth of Mariposa. He later was the first United States Senator
from the state, and the first Republican candidate for President
.
was 168.7 people per square mile (65.1/km²). The racial makeup of Mariposa was 1,895 (87.2%) White, 10 (0.5%) African American, 105 (4.8%) Native American, 30 (1.4%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 59 (2.7%) from other races
, and 74 (3.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 215 persons (9.9%).
The Census reported that 2,098 people (96.5% of the population) lived in households, 12 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 63 (2.9%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,013 households, out of which 237 (23.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 365 (36.0%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 140 (13.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 40 (3.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 60 (5.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 2 (0.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 413 households (40.8%) were made up of individuals and 235 (23.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07. There were 545 families
(53.8% of all households); the average family size was 2.77.
The population was spread out with 434 people (20.0%) under the age of 18, 130 people (6.0%) aged 18 to 24, 389 people (17.9%) aged 25 to 44, 631 people (29.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 589 people (27.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.3 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
There were 1,143 housing units at an average density of 88.7 per square mile (34.3/km²), of which 529 (52.2%) were owner-occupied, and 484 (47.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.8%. 1,082 people (49.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,016 people (46.8%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 1,373 people, 676 households, and 327 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 426.4 people per square mile (164.6/km²). There were 754 housing units at an average density of 234.1 per square mile (90.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.8% White, 0.6% African American, 6.3% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 1.8% from other races
, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.8% of the population.
There were 676 households out of which 21.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.4% were married couples
living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.5% were non-families. 47.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 27.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.94 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 20.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 27.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 80.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.7 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $18,144, and the median income for a family was $27,344. Males had a median income of $26,771 versus $26,635 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $22,436. About 28.0% of families and 24.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.5% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
Mariposa is located in the 14th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Tom Berryhill
, and in the 25th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Kristin Olsen
. Federally, Mariposa is located in California's 19th congressional district
, which is represented by Republican Jeff Denham
.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in and 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 Mariposa County
Mariposa County, California
Mariposa County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It lies north of Fresno, east of Merced, and southeast of Stockton. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,251 up from 17,130 at the 2000 census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,173 at the 2010 census, up from 1,373 at the 2000 census. Its name is Spanish for "butterfly", after the flocks of Monarchs
Monarch butterfly
The Monarch butterfly is a milkweed butterfly , in the family Nymphalidae. It is perhaps the best known of all North American butterflies. Since the 19th century, it has been found in New Zealand, and in Australia since 1871 where it is called the Wanderer...
seen overwintering there by early explorers.
Geography
Mariposa is located at 37°29′06"N 119°57′59"W, at 1949 feet (594.1 m) in elevation. It lies in the rugged foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Mariposa Creek flows through the town.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 CDP has a total area of 12.9 square miles (33.4 km²), all but 0.23% of it land.
Mariposa County includes much of Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
, and a good deal of the local economy is related to the Park and to tourism. The county courthouse, constructed in 1854, is the oldest in continuous use west of the Rockies. Tours are available.
The county lies at the southern end of the Mother Lode
Mother Lode
Mother lode is a principal vein or zone of veins of gold or silver ore. The term probably came from a literal translation of the Spanish veta madre, a term common in old Mexican mining...
, and Europeans were attracted to Mariposa by gold. During the 19th century California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
, its streams were panned and deep mines worked the underground veins. At one time John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
lived here and owned claims to much of the mineral wealth of Mariposa. He later was the first United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from the state, and the first Republican candidate for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
History
The town was founded as a mining camp. The original town site was located about 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) further downstream. After a flood during the winter of 1849/50, the town was moved to higher ground at a site the miners called Logtown. In time the old name was restored, and the Mariposa post office opened in 1851. The Southern Sierra Miwuk occupied Mariposa for centuries prior to immigrants from other regions.2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Mariposa had a population of 2,173. 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 168.7 people per square mile (65.1/km²). The racial makeup of Mariposa was 1,895 (87.2%) White, 10 (0.5%) African American, 105 (4.8%) Native American, 30 (1.4%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 59 (2.7%) 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 74 (3.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 215 persons (9.9%).
The Census reported that 2,098 people (96.5% of the population) lived in households, 12 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 63 (2.9%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,013 households, out of which 237 (23.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 365 (36.0%) 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, 140 (13.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 40 (3.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 60 (5.9%) 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 2 (0.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 413 households (40.8%) were made up of individuals and 235 (23.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07. There were 545 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...
(53.8% of all households); the average family size was 2.77.
The population was spread out with 434 people (20.0%) under the age of 18, 130 people (6.0%) aged 18 to 24, 389 people (17.9%) aged 25 to 44, 631 people (29.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 589 people (27.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.3 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
There were 1,143 housing units at an average density of 88.7 per square mile (34.3/km²), of which 529 (52.2%) were owner-occupied, and 484 (47.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.8%. 1,082 people (49.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,016 people (46.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,373 people, 676 households, and 327 families residing in the CDP. 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 426.4 people per square mile (164.6/km²). There were 754 housing units at an average density of 234.1 per square mile (90.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.8% White, 0.6% African American, 6.3% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 1.8% 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 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.8% of the population.
There were 676 households out of which 21.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.4% 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, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.5% were non-families. 47.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 27.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.94 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 20.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 27.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 80.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.7 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $18,144, and the median income for a family was $27,344. Males had a median income of $26,771 versus $26,635 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 CDP was $22,436. About 28.0% of families and 24.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.5% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
Some living past and present notable residents in alphabetical order include:- Darryl Greenamyer - aviatorAviatorAn aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
- Jon LeicesterJon LeicesterJonathan David Leicester is a professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres organization...
- baseball pitcher for the Orix BuffaloesOrix BuffaloesThe are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo.... - Sal MaccaroneSal MaccaroneSal Maccarone is a American author, woodworking seminar speaker, furniture maker, wood sculptor and kinetic artist. He is best known as a master craftsman, and for his internationally distributed woodworking books such as Tune Up Your Tools, ISBN 1-55870-409-4, and How to Make $40,000 a Year...
- AuthorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and Sculptor - Sam MaccaroneSam MaccaroneSam Maccarone is an actor, film director, and writer. He wrote, directed and stars in National Lampoon's TV: The Movie. In the film, he plays Jeffrey Sutton, Dick Weston Fernandez and Chad .- Personal life :...
- DirectorFilm directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, ScreenwriterScreenwriterScreenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... - Logan MankinsLogan Mankins-2005–06 seasons:Mankins was drafted with the final pick of the first round, 32nd overall, in the 2005 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Despite playing his entire collegiate career as a tackle, Mankins was moved to left guard by the Patriots, where he immediately stepped into the starting...
- Guard for New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
football team - George RadanovichGeorge RadanovichGeorge Purdy Radanovich is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 to 2011. The district includes most of northern Fresno, as well as several rural areas northeast of the city. On December 29, 2009, Radanovich announced he would not seek reelection in 2010...
- Politician and Author
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...
Mariposa is located in the 14th 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 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...
Tom Berryhill
Tom Berryhill
Tom Berryhill is a Republican politician in the United States who currently represents the 14th district in the California State Senate...
, and in the 25th 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 Kristin Olsen
Kristin Olsen
Kristin Olsen is an American politician currently serving in the California State Assembly. She is a Republican representing the 25th district, encompassing Calaveras, Mariposa, Mono, and Tuolumne counties, and parts of Madera and Stanislaus counties...
. Federally, Mariposa is located in California's 19th congressional district
California's 19th congressional district
California's 19th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California that covers parts of Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Tuolumne, and Stanislaus counties....
, which is represented by Republican Jeff Denham
Jeff Denham
Jeffrey John "Jeff" Denham is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.He previously served two terms in the California State Senate, representing the 12th District, which includes Madera, Merced, Monterey, San Benito and Stanislaus counties. Denham was the second...
.
External links
- Mariposa Storytelling Festival Annual storytelling festivalStorytelling festivalA storytelling festival is often an annual event that features local, regional and/or nationally known oral storytellers. Each storyteller will have a scheduled amount of time to share a story with an audience...
in March - Mariposa History And Genealogy
- Daily News and Photos of Mariposa
- Mariposa's Rockslide - Video
- Mariposa County High School
- Superior Court of Mariposa County
- VisitMariposa.net