Sutter Creek, California
Encyclopedia
Sutter Creek is a city in Amador County
, California
, United States
. The population was 2,501 at the 2010 census, up from 2,303 at the 2000 census. It is accessible via State Route 49
.
," was named after John Sutter
, who sent a party to the area in 1846 in search of timber
. Sutter logged this area for a while before returning to his fort in Sacramento.
Sutter's discovery of gold
at nearby Coloma
in January 1848 triggered the California Gold Rush
. After all his workers left him to go on their own hunt for gold, Sutter moved to Mormon Island with a couple of hands. After about 2 weeks miners flooded the island so Sutter and his hands left and once again went to Sutter Creek. Sutter said that, "I broke up the camp and started on the march further south, and located my next camp on Sutter Creek, now in Amador County, and thought that I should be there alone. The work was going on well for a while, until three or four traveling grog-shops surrounded me, at from one-half to ten miles (16 km) distance from the camp. Then, of course, the gold was taken to these places, for drinking, gambling, etc., and then the following day they were sick and unable to work, and became deeper and more indebted to me, particularly the Kanakas
[native Hawaiians]." Shortly thereafter Sutter moved out of Sutter Creek and back to his fort.
Sutter Creek became a destination for fortune hunters and became a town in 1854. A post office was established in 1852. Sutter Creek incorporated in 1913.
Although plenty of placer gold was found there, gold-bearing quartz
deposits were discovered in 1851 and mining those deposits for gold became the mainstay of the local economy for many years. With the prosperity brought by quartz mining, Sutter Creek became a boomtown. By 1932 the Central Eureka mine, begun in 1869, had reached the 2300 feet (701 m) level. By 1939, it was the best-paying mine in Sutter Creek. The mines continued operations until 1942, when most gold mines were closed for manpower reasons during World War II
. The Central Eureka mine reopened after the war and then shut down for good in 1951.
Today, Sutter Creek is a tourist town with many shops and restaurants. The town itself is registered as California Historical Landmark
#322. Many of the original brick buildings are still standing, as are some of the mansions built by wealthier residents. Leland Stanford
was one of Sutter Creek's most famous residents.
, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.6 km²), all of it land.
was 977.8 people per square mile (377.5/km²). The racial makeup of Sutter Creek was 2,272 (90.8%) White, 10 (0.4%) African American, 34 (1.4%) Native American, 65 (2.6%) Asian, 5 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 40 (1.6%) from other races
, and 75 (3.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 219 persons (8.8%).
The Census reported that 2,500 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 1 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,168 households, out of which 258 (22.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 500 (42.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 109 (9.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 51 (4.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 65 (5.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 15 (1.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 418 households (35.8%) were made up of individuals and 239 (20.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14. There were 660 families
(56.5% of all households); the average family size was 2.77.
The population was spread out with 466 people (18.6%) under the age of 18, 191 people (7.6%) aged 18 to 24, 426 people (17.0%) aged 25 to 44, 768 people (30.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 650 people (26.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.4 years. For every 100 females there were 84.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.
There were 1,367 housing units at an average density of 534.4 per square mile (206.4/km²), of which 626 (53.6%) were owner-occupied, and 542 (46.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 14.6%. 1,355 people (54.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,145 people (45.8%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 2,303 people, 1,025 households, and 658 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,377.3 people per square mile (532.5/km²). There were 1,106 housing units at an average density of 661.4 per square mile (255.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.45% White, 0.22% African American, 1.30% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.30% Pacific Islander, 2.13% from other races
, and 3.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.82% of the population.
Of the 1,025 households 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples
living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.79.
23.2% of residents were under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 20.3% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 22.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.6 males.
The median income
for a household in the city was $47,000, and the median income for a family was $55,795. Males had a median income of $46,563 versus $30,188 for females. The per capita income
was $23,100. About 4.9% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Sutter Creek is located in the 1st Senate
District, represented by Republican
Dave Cox
, and in the 10th Assembly
District, represented by Democrat Alyson Huber
. Federally, Sutter Creek is located in California's 3rd congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +7 and is represented by Republican Dan Lungren
.
. Amador is very small and they compete in Divisions IV and V in the San Joaquin District.
Amador County, California
Amador County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 38,091. The county seat is Jackson.Amador County bills itself as "The Heart of the Mother Lode" and lies within the Gold Country...
, 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 2,501 at the 2010 census, up from 2,303 at the 2000 census. It is accessible via State Route 49
California State Route 49
State Route 49 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California that passes through many historic mining communities of the 1849 California gold rush. Highway 49 is numbered after the "49ers", the waves of immigrants who swept into the area looking for gold, and a portion of it...
.
History
Sutter Creek, known as the "Jewel of the Mother LodeGold Country
Gold Country is a region in the central and northeastern part of California, United States. It is famed for the mineral deposits and gold mines that attracted waves of immigrants, known as the 49ers, during the 1849 California Gold Rush.-Geography:State Route 49 was built through the Gold Country,...
," was named after John Sutter
John Sutter
Johann Augus Sutter was a Swiss pioneer of California known for his association with the California Gold Rush by the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall and the mill making team at Sutter's Mill, and for establishing Sutter's Fort in the area that would eventually become Sacramento, the...
, who sent a party to the area in 1846 in search of timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
. Sutter logged this area for a while before returning to his fort in Sacramento.
Sutter's discovery of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
at nearby Coloma
Coloma, California
Coloma is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, USA. It is approximately northeast of Sacramento, California. Coloma is most noted for being the site where James W. Marshall first discovered gold in California, at Sutter's Mill on January 24, 1848, leading to the California...
in January 1848 triggered the 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...
. After all his workers left him to go on their own hunt for gold, Sutter moved to Mormon Island with a couple of hands. After about 2 weeks miners flooded the island so Sutter and his hands left and once again went to Sutter Creek. Sutter said that, "I broke up the camp and started on the march further south, and located my next camp on Sutter Creek, now in Amador County, and thought that I should be there alone. The work was going on well for a while, until three or four traveling grog-shops surrounded me, at from one-half to ten miles (16 km) distance from the camp. Then, of course, the gold was taken to these places, for drinking, gambling, etc., and then the following day they were sick and unable to work, and became deeper and more indebted to me, particularly the Kanakas
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
[native Hawaiians]." Shortly thereafter Sutter moved out of Sutter Creek and back to his fort.
Sutter Creek became a destination for fortune hunters and became a town in 1854. A post office was established in 1852. Sutter Creek incorporated in 1913.
Although plenty of placer gold was found there, gold-bearing quartz
Quartz
Quartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. There are many different varieties of quartz,...
deposits were discovered in 1851 and mining those deposits for gold became the mainstay of the local economy for many years. With the prosperity brought by quartz mining, Sutter Creek became a boomtown. By 1932 the Central Eureka mine, begun in 1869, had reached the 2300 feet (701 m) level. By 1939, it was the best-paying mine in Sutter Creek. The mines continued operations until 1942, when most gold mines were closed for manpower reasons during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Central Eureka mine reopened after the war and then shut down for good in 1951.
Today, Sutter Creek is a tourist town with many shops and restaurants. The town itself is registered as California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
#322. Many of the original brick buildings are still standing, as are some of the mansions built by wealthier residents. Leland Stanford
Leland Stanford
Amasa Leland Stanford was an American tycoon, industrialist, robber baron, politician and founder of Stanford University.-Early years:...
was one of Sutter Creek's most famous residents.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.6 km²), all of it land.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Sutter Creek had a population of 2,501. 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 977.8 people per square mile (377.5/km²). The racial makeup of Sutter Creek was 2,272 (90.8%) White, 10 (0.4%) African American, 34 (1.4%) Native American, 65 (2.6%) Asian, 5 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 40 (1.6%) 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 75 (3.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 219 persons (8.8%).
The Census reported that 2,500 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 1 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,168 households, out of which 258 (22.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 500 (42.8%) 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, 109 (9.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 51 (4.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 65 (5.6%) 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 15 (1.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 418 households (35.8%) were made up of individuals and 239 (20.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14. There were 660 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...
(56.5% of all households); the average family size was 2.77.
The population was spread out with 466 people (18.6%) under the age of 18, 191 people (7.6%) aged 18 to 24, 426 people (17.0%) aged 25 to 44, 768 people (30.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 650 people (26.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.4 years. For every 100 females there were 84.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.
There were 1,367 housing units at an average density of 534.4 per square mile (206.4/km²), of which 626 (53.6%) were owner-occupied, and 542 (46.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 14.6%. 1,355 people (54.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,145 people (45.8%) 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 2,303 people, 1,025 households, and 658 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 1,377.3 people per square mile (532.5/km²). There were 1,106 housing units at an average density of 661.4 per square mile (255.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.45% White, 0.22% African American, 1.30% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.30% Pacific Islander, 2.13% 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 3.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.82% of the population.
Of the 1,025 households 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% 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, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.79.
23.2% of residents were under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 20.3% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 22.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.6 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 $47,000, and the median income for a family was $55,795. Males had a median income of $46,563 versus $30,188 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...
was $23,100. About 4.9% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Sutter Creek is located in the 1st 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...
Dave Cox
Dave Cox
David E. Cox was an American politician from Holdenville, Oklahoma. A Republican, he served as a California State Senator, representing the 1st district from December 2004 until his death in July 2010, and also served as an California State Assemblyman for the six years immediately before his...
, and in the 10th 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 Democrat Alyson Huber
Alyson Huber
Alyson Huber is a representative in the California State Legislature from the 10th Assembly District in Northern California. Assemblywoman Huber has served since 2008...
. Federally, Sutter Creek is located in California's 3rd congressional district
California's 3rd congressional district
California's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California. It covers most of Sacramento County and part of Solano County, as well as all of Alpine, Amador and Calaveras 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 R +7 and is represented by Republican Dan Lungren
Dan Lungren
Daniel Edward "Dan" Lungren is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. The district covers most of Sacramento County and part of Solano County, as well as all of Alpine, Amador and Calaveras counties...
.
Landmarks
Sutter Creek has two buildings on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
- Knight FoundryKnight FoundryKnight Foundry, also known as Knight's Foundry and Shops, is a cast iron foundry and machine shop in Sutter Creek, California. It was established in 1873 to supply heavy equipment and repair facilities to the gold mines and timber industry of the Mother Lode. Samuel N. Knight developed a high...
- Sutter Creek Grammar School
Points of interest
- Sutter Gold Mine
- Sutter Creek Ice Cream Emporium
- Hanford House Inn B+B
- Chatter Box Cafe
- Sutter Creek Theatre
- Chaos Glassworks
- The American Exchange Hotel
- The Annex
- The Twisted Fork Restaurant
In popular culture
- In the television series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., often referred to as just Brisco or Brisco County,The series is referred to as just Brisco or by Brisco County by the creator and executive producer Carlton Cuse, actors involved with the show, and by many critics. Some examples include:* Cuse, Carlton, DVD extra...
, Sutter Creek was shown as the lawless hideout of Big Smith, played by M. C. GaineyM. C. GaineyMichael Connor "Mike" Gainey , better known as M. C. Gainey, is an American film and television actor whose distinctive mustache, 6'2½" height, and threatening look have given him supporting roles as Southern/Southwestern types, thugs, and criminals.Gainey attended the University of Southern...
.
High schools
Sutter Creek is home to Amador High SchoolAmador High School
Amador High School is located in Sutter Creek, CA and is one of 2 high schools in Amador County. It is a public school that serves about 800 students in grades 9-12. Originally known as "Sutter Creek High School" since its inception in 1912...
. Amador is very small and they compete in Divisions IV and V in the San Joaquin District.
Book
- Gianpaolo Zeni, En Merica! L'emigrazione della gente di Magasa e ValvestinoValvestinoValvestino is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy in northern Italy.-Historical and cultural profile:The Stoni and the Gallic Cenomani, then the Romans and the Lombards lived here. The Lodrone family establisched in Valvestino from 1200 to 1807; then, for centuries, this has been...
in America, Cooperativa Il Chiese, Storo 2005.
External links
- Sutter Creek Official home page
- Sutter Creek Community home page