Pismo Beach, California
Encyclopedia
Pismo Beach is a city in San Luis Obispo County
, California
, United States
. The population was 7,655 at the 2010 census, down from 8,551 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Five Cities Area, a term used to describe the cluster of cities that are present in that area of San Luis Obispo County.
Mexican land grant made to José Ortega, grandson of José Francisco de Ortega (explorer)
, in 1840. In 1846 José Ortega sold Rancho Pismo to Isaac Sparks. John Michael Price bought most of the rancho from Isaac Sparks. Price established the town of Pismo Beach. His homestead is now Price Historical Park. His home is a registered historical landmark. Pismo State Beach
is named for the city of Pismo Beach. The name Pismo comes from the Chumash
word for tar, which was gathered from tar springs in Price Canyon near Pismo Beach. It was a valuable product used to caulk canoes. The Pismo clam
was named for the long wide beach where so many were once found. Once so abundant they were harvested with plows on the beach, giving the city the name "Clam Capitol of the World", the Pismo Clam is now greatly diminished.
The first wharf at Pismo was built in 1882, followed by a fishing pier built in 1924. After it suffered considerable storm damage, it was replaced by the present Pismo Pier in 1985. The Pismo Pier is admired for its diamond-shaped platforms over the beach and over the water.
was 568.0 people per square mile (219.3/km²). The racial makeup of Pismo Beach was 6,976 (91.1%) White, 50 (0.7%) African American, 41 (0.5%) Native American, 203 (2.7%) Asian, 11 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 170 (2.2%) from other races
, and 204 (2.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 715 persons (9.3%).
The Census reported that 7,642 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 13 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 3,834 households, out of which 619 (16.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,710 (44.6%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 267 (7.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 102 (2.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 235 (6.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 39 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,372 households (35.8%) were made up of individuals and 578 (15.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.99. There were 2,079 families
(54.2% of all households); the average family size was 2.55.
The population was spread out with 1,020 people (13.3%) under the age of 18, 450 people (5.9%) aged 18 to 24, 1,555 people (20.3%) aged 25 to 44, 2,642 people (34.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,988 people (26.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.8 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there ere 91.4 males.
There were 5,585 housing units at an average density of 414.4 per square mile (160.0/km²), of which 2,336 (60.9%) were owner-occupied, and 1,498 (39.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.6%. 4,658 people (60.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,984 people (39.0%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 8,551 people, 4,230 households, and 2,322 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,366.0 people per square mile (914.6/km²). There were 5,496 housing units at an average density of 1,520.7 per square mile (587.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.35% White, 0.60% African American, 0.71% Native American, 2.92% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.65% from other races
, and 2.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.89% of the population.
There were 4,230 households out of which 17.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples
living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.1% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.58.
In the city the population was spread out with 15.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The median income
for a household in the city was $46,396, and the median income for a family was $61,036. Males had a median income of $48,606 versus $30,189 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $30,835. About 6.3% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
The population had a wave of expansion starting in the 1980s, after completion of waste water treatment facilities expansion designed by Kennedy Jenks Engineers; this lack of infrastructure had previously limited population growth.
, the city has a total area of 13.5 square miles (35 km²). 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) of it is land and 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²) of it (73.29%) is water.
Pismo Creek enters the Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach.
Shell Beach is a populated place
within the city limits of Pismo Beach, located at 35.1552532°N 120.6723950°W.
Pismo Beach is located in the 15th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Abel Maldonado
, and in the 33rd Assembly
District, represented by Republican Sam Blakeslee
. Federally, Pismo Beach is located in California's 23rd congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +9 and is represented by Democrat
Lois Capps.
competitions and a clam-themed parade. At the southern end of Price Street upon first entering Pismo Beach, a gigantic concrete clam statue greets visitors. Clamming
once drew thousands of clammers to the beach during low tides and is still legal; however, due to over-harvesting by humans and the protected sea otter
(which feasts on clams), few clams are to be found. An 8 inch shell of the Pismo clam (Tivela stultorum) is on display at the Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce.
In "Ali Baba Bunny
", Bugs Bunny
and his travelling companion Daffy Duck
emerge from a burrow, believing they have arrived at Pismo Beach "and all the clams we can eat".
In one of the later episodes of "Dragnet 1967", Frank Gannon retires to Pismo Beach and in explaining his plans to Joe Friday, he states his reason, "The clams, man. The clams."
San Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census its population was 269,637, up from 246,681 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 7,655 at the 2010 census, down from 8,551 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Five Cities Area, a term used to describe the cluster of cities that are present in that area of San Luis Obispo County.
History
Pismo Beach is a popular beach town located in southern San Luis Obispo County in the Central Coast area of California. It is located on the Rancho PismoRancho Pismo
Rancho Pismo was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1840 by Governor Pro Tem Manuel Jimeno to José Ortega. The grant extended along the Pacific coast and encompassed present day Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Shell Beach and parts of Arroyo...
Mexican land grant made to José Ortega, grandson of José Francisco de Ortega (explorer)
José Francisco Ortega
José Francisco Ortega was soldier and early settler of California.-Early life:Ortega was born in 1734 at Zelaya, Guanajuanto, Mexico, where he worked as a warehouse clerk. In 1755, he enlisted and served at the Presidio at Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto. In 1759 Ortega married María Antonia...
, in 1840. In 1846 José Ortega sold Rancho Pismo to Isaac Sparks. John Michael Price bought most of the rancho from Isaac Sparks. Price established the town of Pismo Beach. His homestead is now Price Historical Park. His home is a registered historical landmark. Pismo State Beach
Pismo State Beach
Pismo State Beach is a beach on the Pacific coast of California. It is approximately 17 miles long and fronts the towns of Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, and Oceano in San Luis Obispo County, California...
is named for the city of Pismo Beach. The name Pismo comes from the Chumash
Chumashan languages
Chumashan is a family of languages that were spoken on the southern California coast by Native American Chumash people.From the Coastal plains and valleys of San Luis Obispo to Malibu), neighboring inland and Transverse Ranges valleys and canyons east to bordering the San Joaquin Valley; and on...
word for tar, which was gathered from tar springs in Price Canyon near Pismo Beach. It was a valuable product used to caulk canoes. The Pismo clam
Pismo clam
Tivela stultorum, also known as the Pismo clam, is a species of saltwater clam in the genus Tivela. It is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean . As the name implies, the Pismo clam lives in Pismo Beach, California....
was named for the long wide beach where so many were once found. Once so abundant they were harvested with plows on the beach, giving the city the name "Clam Capitol of the World", the Pismo Clam is now greatly diminished.
The first wharf at Pismo was built in 1882, followed by a fishing pier built in 1924. After it suffered considerable storm damage, it was replaced by the present Pismo Pier in 1985. The Pismo Pier is admired for its diamond-shaped platforms over the beach and over the water.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Pismo Beach had a population of 7,655. 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 568.0 people per square mile (219.3/km²). The racial makeup of Pismo Beach was 6,976 (91.1%) White, 50 (0.7%) African American, 41 (0.5%) Native American, 203 (2.7%) Asian, 11 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 170 (2.2%) 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 204 (2.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 715 persons (9.3%).
The Census reported that 7,642 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 13 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 3,834 households, out of which 619 (16.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,710 (44.6%) 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, 267 (7.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 102 (2.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 235 (6.1%) 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 39 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,372 households (35.8%) were made up of individuals and 578 (15.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.99. There were 2,079 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...
(54.2% of all households); the average family size was 2.55.
The population was spread out with 1,020 people (13.3%) under the age of 18, 450 people (5.9%) aged 18 to 24, 1,555 people (20.3%) aged 25 to 44, 2,642 people (34.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,988 people (26.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.8 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there ere 91.4 males.
There were 5,585 housing units at an average density of 414.4 per square mile (160.0/km²), of which 2,336 (60.9%) were owner-occupied, and 1,498 (39.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.6%. 4,658 people (60.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,984 people (39.0%) 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 8,551 people, 4,230 households, and 2,322 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 2,366.0 people per square mile (914.6/km²). There were 5,496 housing units at an average density of 1,520.7 per square mile (587.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.35% White, 0.60% African American, 0.71% Native American, 2.92% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.65% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.89% of the population.
There were 4,230 households out of which 17.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% 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, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.1% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.58.
In the city the population was spread out with 15.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The median income
Income
Income is the consumption and savings opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. However, for households and individuals, "income is the sum of all the wages, salaries, profits, interests payments, rents and other forms of earnings...
for a household in the city was $46,396, and the median income for a family was $61,036. Males had a median income of $48,606 versus $30,189 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 $30,835. About 6.3% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
The population had a wave of expansion starting in the 1980s, after completion of waste water treatment facilities expansion designed by Kennedy Jenks Engineers; this lack of infrastructure had previously limited population growth.
Geography and climate
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 13.5 square miles (35 km²). 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) of it is land and 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²) of it (73.29%) is water.
Pismo Creek enters the Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach.
Shell Beach is a populated place
Populated place
A populated place is a place or area with clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent human population referenced with geographic coordinates...
within the city limits of Pismo Beach, located at 35.1552532°N 120.6723950°W.
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...
Pismo Beach is located in the 15th 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...
Abel Maldonado
Abel Maldonado
Abel Maldonado is an American politician who was the 48th Lieutenant Governor of California. On November 23, 2009, then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Maldonado as his nominee for Lieutenant Governor to fill the vacancy created by John Garamendi's election to the United States House of...
, and in the 33rd 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 Sam Blakeslee
Sam Blakeslee
Samuel Norman Blakeslee is a Republican California State Senator representing California's 15th State Senate district, a former California State Assemblyman from California's 33rd State Assembly district, and a former State Assembly Republican Leader...
. Federally, Pismo Beach is located in California's 23rd congressional district
California's 23rd congressional district
California's 23rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that runs along the Pacific coasts of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties...
, 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 +9 and is 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...
Lois Capps.
Public schools
- Shell Beach Elementary School, 2100 Shell Beach Rd., Pismo Beach, CA 93449 (Grades K-6)
- Judkins Middle School, 680 Wadsworth, Pismo Beach, CA 93449 (Grades 7-8)
- High school students attend Arroyo Grande High SchoolArroyo Grande High SchoolArroyo Grande High School is an American public high school located in Arroyo Grande, California. It serves grades 9-12 as part of the Lucia Mar Unified School District .-Campus:...
, 495 Valley Road, Arroyo GrandeArroyo Grande, CaliforniaArroyo Grande is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 17,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Arroyo Grande is a small coastal town with historic, suburban, and rural elements located at...
, CA 93420
Colleges and universities
- Cuesta CollegeCuesta CollegeCuesta College is a public community college located in San Luis Obispo County near the Central Coast of California. It currently offers 76 Associate's degree programs and 96 certificate programs...
, San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CaliforniaSan Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities... - California Polytechnic State UniversityCalifornia Polytechnic State UniversityCalifornia Polytechnic State University, or Cal Poly, is a public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, United States. The university is one of two polytechnic campuses in the 23-member California State University system....
San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly)
Clams
Pismo Beach adopted the name "Clam Capital of the World" in the 1950s. The city holds the Clam Festival every October, complete with clam chowderClam chowder
Clam chowder is any of several chowders containing clams and broth. Along with the clams, diced potato is common, as are onions, which are occasionally sauteed in the drippings from salt pork or bacon. Celery is frequently used. Other vegetables are uncommon, but small carrot strips might...
competitions and a clam-themed parade. At the southern end of Price Street upon first entering Pismo Beach, a gigantic concrete clam statue greets visitors. Clamming
Clam digging
Clam digging is a common means of harvesting clams from below the surface of the tidal mud flats where they live. It is done both recreationally and commercially...
once drew thousands of clammers to the beach during low tides and is still legal; however, due to over-harvesting by humans and the protected sea otter
Sea Otter
The sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals...
(which feasts on clams), few clams are to be found. An 8 inch shell of the Pismo clam (Tivela stultorum) is on display at the Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce.
In "Ali Baba Bunny
Ali Baba Bunny
Ali Baba Bunny is a Warner Brothers Merrie Melodies short featuring Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, directed by Chuck Jones and released in 1957. In 1994, it was voted #35 of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time by members of the animation field...
", 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...
and his travelling companion Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
emerge from a burrow, believing they have arrived at Pismo Beach "and all the clams we can eat".
In one of the later episodes of "Dragnet 1967", Frank Gannon retires to Pismo Beach and in explaining his plans to Joe Friday, he states his reason, "The clams, man. The clams."