Pescadero, California
Encyclopedia
Pescadero is a census-designated place
(CDP) in San Mateo County, California
two miles (3 km) east of State Route 1 and Pescadero State Beach
. The center of town, on Pescadero Creek Road, is located at latitude 37.255 and longitude 122.38028. The town is 14.4 miles (23.2 km) south of Half Moon Bay
. The ZIP Code
is 94060 and the community is inside area code 650
. The population was 643 at the 2010 census.
Pescadero is a farming and ranching community near the Pescadero Marsh, a wildlife refuge. Pescadero Creek
, the longest stream in San Mateo County, is an annual creek that empties into the Pacific Ocean near the town.
Pescadero is also a weekend tourist destination during the summer months because of beaches, parks including Memorial Park and Butano State Park
, as well as extensive rural roads for biking and trails for hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains
. Attractions include Duarte's Tavern, Pescadero Country Store, Norm's Bakery, Harley Farms Goat Dairy, and Taqueria y Mercado de Amigos, an acclaimed taqueria in the local gas station.
Pescadero hosts the annual Pescadero Art and Fun Fair (PAFF) on the third weekend of each August. The Alto Velo Bicycle Racing Club holds the annual Pescadero Coastal Classic Road Race, which travels through the town and nearby countryside, in early- to mid-June.
Many of the buildings in town date from the 19th Century. Pescadero is situated near the Pacific Ocean
about 17 miles (27.4 km) south of Half Moon Bay
and about 34 miles (54.7 km) north of Santa Cruz
.
The town is home to Pescadero High School. The Pescadero High School and Middle School Teams are the Vikings and the Panthers, respectively.
KPDO
, at 89.3 FM
, is Pescadero's community radio station.
, the CDP covers an area of 4.0 square miles (10.4 km²), 99.79% of it land, and 0.21% of it water.
was 159.4 people per square mile (61.5/km²). The racial makeup of Pescadero was 314 (48.8%) White, 2 (0.3%) African American, 2 (0.3%) Native American, 5 (0.8%) Asian, 1 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 294 (45.7%) from other races
, and 25 (3.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 402 persons (62.5%).
The Census reported that 624 people (97.0% of the population) lived in households, 19 (3.0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 195 households, out of which 82 (42.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 98 (50.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 23 (11.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 16 (8.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 17 (8.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 3 (1.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 41 households (21.0%) were made up of individuals and 8 (4.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.20. There were 137 families
(70.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.75.
The population was spread out with 179 people (27.8%) under the age of 18, 58 people (9.0%) aged 18 to 24, 197 people (30.6%) aged 25 to 44, 130 people (20.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 79 people (12.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.5 years. For every 100 females there were 110.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 123.1 males.
There were 216 housing units at an average density of 53.5 per square mile (20.7/km²), of which 86 (44.1%) were owner-occupied, and 109 (55.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.4%. 205 people (31.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 419 people (65.2%) lived in rental housing units.
In 2000, there were 250 single-family owner-occupied homes; the median value (dollars) was 411,500.
cooperative weather station is in the nearby village of San Gregorio
, north of Pescadero on Stage Road.
Mexican land grant; former Mission Santa Cruz
pasture given to Juan José Gonzalez in 1833. Alexander Moore (1823–1902), an American pioneer, built his home in Pescadero Valley in 1853. The rich, fertile soil of the valley had attracted other settlers, and in the 1860s Pescadero was a prosperous town surrounded by farms and lumber mills.
According to a guidebook published by the California Coastal Commission
, the residents of Pescadero recovered a large quantity of white paint from the 1853 wreck of the clipper ship Carrier Pigeon
at Pigeon Point. The paint was "used liberally on all the town's buildings", and residents have since maintained the tradition of painting their houses white. [However, other sources credit the 1896 wreck of the steamer Columbia as the source of the white paint.]
An article in the "Wells Fargo Messenger" states that a stagecoach
salvaged from the Carrier Pigeon was laboriously hoisted up the cliffs onto the road, and put into service within a week. The coach, built in Concord, New Hampshire
, carried passengers and freight on the Pescadero road for the Wells Fargo Company
for forty years, and, in 1914, was listed among the company's prized possessions.
Another tale relates that an Irishman named John Daly, who was employed driving pigs from Santa Cruz to Alexander Moore's Pescadero ranch, discovered some lumps of coal from the steamer Sea Birds cargo on the beach at Ano Nuevo. Mr. Daly endeavored to parley his discovery into money which he might spend on whiskey. Since coal deposits had been rumored to exist in the area, Mr. Daly proceeded with his lumps of coal to Santa Cruz, announcing to Captain Brannan and three others that he'd discovered a coal mine at Gazos Creek. After collecting his monetary reward, he led the four men up Gazos Creek in search of the alleged coal outcropping, with the intention of escaping and leaving his benefactors behind empty-handed. However, Captain Brannan, who was armed, managed to capture Daly and extracted a confession. Daly was administered a whipping on the spot and later fled the area.
Due to many causes, both natural and man-made, the health of Pescadero Marsh is deteriorating rapidly. Anoxic water conditions result in annual "die-offs" of hundreds of juvenile fish, crabs, and other species. As water levels fluctuate, many species are cut off from supportive habitat, and the entire eco-system degrades.
Since 1998 concerned citizens and other wildlife agencies have repeatedly asked California State Parks to take immediate corrective action. The Parks department has moved to request further studies. Meanwhile, native species populations in the marsh have reached critically low levels. According to a study by Dr. Jerry Smith, San Jose State Professor, estimates in 1985 showed that 10,000 steelhead were rearing in the lagoon. As of 2008, 750 steelhead were counted in the same area.
Little known fact that Gordon Moore (founder of INTEL) grew up in Pescadero and resided there until he was about 10 years of age. His childhood home still stands (Lunasea) as does the barn he played in (Pescadero Creekside Barn).
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 San Mateo County, California
San Mateo County, California
San Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula just south of San Francisco, and north of Santa Clara County. San Francisco International Airport is located at the northern end of the county, and...
two miles (3 km) east of State Route 1 and Pescadero State Beach
Pescadero State Beach
Pescadero State Beach is alongside State Route 1, located 14.5 miles south of Half Moon Bay and 1.5 miles west of the city of Pescadero in San Mateo County, California....
. The center of town, on Pescadero Creek Road, is located at latitude 37.255 and longitude 122.38028. The town is 14.4 miles (23.2 km) south of Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay is a city in San Mateo County, CaliforniaHalf Moon Bay may also refer to:- Geographic features :* Half Moon Bay , a bay on the San Mateo County Coast of California...
. 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 94060 and the community is inside area code 650
Area code 650
North American area code 650 is a California telephone area code which includes most of San Mateo County and the extreme northwestern portion of Santa Clara County including Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Los Altos....
. The population was 643 at the 2010 census.
Profile
Pescadero Creek
Pescadero Creek is a major stream in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties in California. At , it is the longest stream in San Mateo County and flows all year from springs in the Santa Cruz Mountains...
, the longest stream in San Mateo County, is an annual creek that empties into the Pacific Ocean near the town.
Pescadero is also a weekend tourist destination during the summer months because of beaches, parks including Memorial Park and Butano State Park
Butano State Park
Butano State Park is a state park of California, USA, showcasing a secluded redwood-filled canyon. Located in San Mateo County near Pescadero, the park was established in 1956.....
, as well as extensive rural roads for biking and trails for hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains
Santa Cruz Mountains
The Santa Cruz Mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are a mountain range in central California, United States. They form a ridge along the San Francisco Peninsula, south of San Francisco, separating the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco Bay and the Santa Clara Valley, and continuing south,...
. Attractions include Duarte's Tavern, Pescadero Country Store, Norm's Bakery, Harley Farms Goat Dairy, and Taqueria y Mercado de Amigos, an acclaimed taqueria in the local gas station.
Pescadero hosts the annual Pescadero Art and Fun Fair (PAFF) on the third weekend of each August. The Alto Velo Bicycle Racing Club holds the annual Pescadero Coastal Classic Road Race, which travels through the town and nearby countryside, in early- to mid-June.
Many of the buildings in town date from the 19th Century. Pescadero is situated near the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
about 17 miles (27.4 km) south of Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay, California
Half Moon Bay is a coastal city in San Mateo County, California, USA. Its population was 11,324 as of the 2010 census. Immediately at the north of Half Moon Bay is the Pillar Point Harbor and the unincorporated community of Princeton-by-the-Sea....
and about 34 miles (54.7 km) north of Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
.
The town is home to Pescadero High School. The Pescadero High School and Middle School Teams are the Vikings and the Panthers, respectively.
KPDO
KPDO
KPDO is a community radio station broadcasting from Pescadero, California, on 89.3 MHz. It is non-commercial and listener-sponsored.The station provides public affairs, news, and music programming, both locally and nationally sourced...
, at 89.3 FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
, is Pescadero's community radio station.
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 CDP covers an area of 4.0 square miles (10.4 km²), 99.79% of it land, and 0.21% of it water.
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Pescadero had a population of 643. 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 159.4 people per square mile (61.5/km²). The racial makeup of Pescadero was 314 (48.8%) White, 2 (0.3%) African American, 2 (0.3%) Native American, 5 (0.8%) Asian, 1 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 294 (45.7%) 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 25 (3.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 402 persons (62.5%).
The Census reported that 624 people (97.0% of the population) lived in households, 19 (3.0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 195 households, out of which 82 (42.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 98 (50.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 23 (11.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 16 (8.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 17 (8.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 3 (1.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 41 households (21.0%) were made up of individuals and 8 (4.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.20. There were 137 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...
(70.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.75.
The population was spread out with 179 people (27.8%) under the age of 18, 58 people (9.0%) aged 18 to 24, 197 people (30.6%) aged 25 to 44, 130 people (20.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 79 people (12.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.5 years. For every 100 females there were 110.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 123.1 males.
There were 216 housing units at an average density of 53.5 per square mile (20.7/km²), of which 86 (44.1%) were owner-occupied, and 109 (55.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.4%. 205 people (31.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 419 people (65.2%) lived in rental housing units.
In 2000, there were 250 single-family owner-occupied homes; the median value (dollars) was 411,500.
Weather
Pescadero has cool, wet winters and mild, mostly dry summers. Fog and low overcast are common throughout the year, particularly during the summer months. Strong winds sometimes blow off the nearby Pacific Ocean. January is the coolest month with an average maximum of 60 °F (15.6 °C) and an average minimum of 40 °F (4.4 °C). September is the warmest month with an average maximum of 72 °F (22.2 °C) and an average minimum of 49 °F (9.4 °C). Winter temperatures seldom drop below freezing, and summer temperatures rarely exceed 90 °F (32.2 °C). Average annual precipitation is 29.52 inches (749.8 mm), mostly falling as rain since snow is extremely rare on the coast. The nearest National Weather ServiceNational 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...
cooperative weather station is in the nearby village of San Gregorio
San Gregorio, California
-History:Named after Pope Gregory I , San Gregorio was a booming town in the 1850s, when wealthy San Franciscans would travel to the San Gregorio House by stagecoach to enjoy fishing, hunting, sea bathing, and boat races. The building still stands, but is no longer a functioning hotel. However, the...
, north of Pescadero on Stage Road.
History
Pescadero is located on the Rancho PescaderoRancho Pescadero (Gonzalez)
Rancho Pescadero was a Mexican land grant in present day San Mateo County, California given in 1833 by Governor José Figueroa to Juan José Gonzales. At the time, the grant was in Santa Cruz County; an 1868 boundary adjustment gave the land to San Mateo County. The name means fishing place...
Mexican land grant; former Mission Santa Cruz
Mission Santa Cruz
Mission Santa Cruz was established in 1791 and named for the feast of the Exultation of the Cross, the name that the explorer Gaspar de Portolà gave to the area when he camped on the banks of the San Lorenzo River on October 17, 1769, and erected a wooden cross...
pasture given to Juan José Gonzalez in 1833. Alexander Moore (1823–1902), an American pioneer, built his home in Pescadero Valley in 1853. The rich, fertile soil of the valley had attracted other settlers, and in the 1860s Pescadero was a prosperous town surrounded by farms and lumber mills.
According to a guidebook published by the California Coastal Commission
California Coastal Commission
The California Coastal Commission is a state agency in the U.S. state of California with quasi-judicial regulatory oversight over land use and public access in the California coastal zone....
, the residents of Pescadero recovered a large quantity of white paint from the 1853 wreck of the clipper ship Carrier Pigeon
Carrier Pigeon (ship)
The Carrier Pigeon was an American clipper ship that was launched in the fall of 1852 from Bath, Maine. Her value was estimated at $54,000. She was wrecked on her maiden voyage, off Santa Cruz, California.-History:...
at Pigeon Point. The paint was "used liberally on all the town's buildings", and residents have since maintained the tradition of painting their houses white. [However, other sources credit the 1896 wreck of the steamer Columbia as the source of the white paint.]
An article in the "Wells Fargo Messenger" states that a stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
salvaged from the Carrier Pigeon was laboriously hoisted up the cliffs onto the road, and put into service within a week. The coach, built in Concord, New Hampshire
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
, carried passengers and freight on the Pescadero road for the Wells Fargo Company
History of Wells Fargo
This article outlines the history of Wells Fargo & Company from its origins to its merger with Norwest and beyond. The new company chose to retain the name of "Wells Fargo" and so this article also includes the history after the merger.-Origins:...
for forty years, and, in 1914, was listed among the company's prized possessions.
Another tale relates that an Irishman named John Daly, who was employed driving pigs from Santa Cruz to Alexander Moore's Pescadero ranch, discovered some lumps of coal from the steamer Sea Birds cargo on the beach at Ano Nuevo. Mr. Daly endeavored to parley his discovery into money which he might spend on whiskey. Since coal deposits had been rumored to exist in the area, Mr. Daly proceeded with his lumps of coal to Santa Cruz, announcing to Captain Brannan and three others that he'd discovered a coal mine at Gazos Creek. After collecting his monetary reward, he led the four men up Gazos Creek in search of the alleged coal outcropping, with the intention of escaping and leaving his benefactors behind empty-handed. However, Captain Brannan, who was armed, managed to capture Daly and extracted a confession. Daly was administered a whipping on the spot and later fled the area.
Pescadero Marsh
Located at the confluence of Pescadero and Butano Creeks, the area known as Pescadero Marsh has for decades been a thriving habitat for both migratory and native wildlife. Besides being a refuge and nesting ground for wintering waterfowl, the Marsh ia a critical spawning area and nursery for coho salmon, steelhead trout, tidewater goby, and many other threatened or endangered fish, amphibian, and reptile species.Due to many causes, both natural and man-made, the health of Pescadero Marsh is deteriorating rapidly. Anoxic water conditions result in annual "die-offs" of hundreds of juvenile fish, crabs, and other species. As water levels fluctuate, many species are cut off from supportive habitat, and the entire eco-system degrades.
Since 1998 concerned citizens and other wildlife agencies have repeatedly asked California State Parks to take immediate corrective action. The Parks department has moved to request further studies. Meanwhile, native species populations in the marsh have reached critically low levels. According to a study by Dr. Jerry Smith, San Jose State Professor, estimates in 1985 showed that 10,000 steelhead were rearing in the lagoon. As of 2008, 750 steelhead were counted in the same area.
Little known fact that Gordon Moore (founder of INTEL) grew up in Pescadero and resided there until he was about 10 years of age. His childhood home still stands (Lunasea) as does the barn he played in (Pescadero Creekside Barn).
See also
- Carrier PigeonCarrier Pigeon (ship)The Carrier Pigeon was an American clipper ship that was launched in the fall of 1852 from Bath, Maine. Her value was estimated at $54,000. She was wrecked on her maiden voyage, off Santa Cruz, California.-History:...
, clipper ship that wrecked near the town in 1853