Truckee, California
Encyclopedia
Truckee is an incorporated town in Nevada County
, California
, United States
. The population was 16,180 at the 2010 census, up from 13,864 at the 2000 census.
Truckee
was named after a Paiute
chief. His assumed Paiute name was Tru-ki-zo. He was the father of Chief Winnemucca
and grandfather of Sarah Winnemucca
. The first Europeans who came to cross the Sierra Nevada encountered his tribe. The friendly Chief rode toward them yelling "Tro-kay!", which is Paiute for "Everything is all right". The unaware travelers assumed he was yelling his name. Chief Truckee later served as a guide for John C. Frémont
.
at 39°20′32"N 120°12′13"W (39.342163, -120.203568).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 33.7 square miles (87.3 km²), of which, 32.3 square miles (83.7 km²) of it is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it (3.96%) is water, mostly the Truckee River
, the only outlet of Lake Tahoe
.
The National Weather Service
reports that Truckee's warmest month is July with an average maximum temperature of 82.7 °F (28.2 °C) and an average minimum temperature of 42.4 °F (5.8 °C). January is the coldest month with an average maximum temperature of 40.9 °F (4.9 °C) and an average minimum temperature of 16.3 °F (-8.7 °C). The record maximum temperature of 104 °F (40 °C) was on July 6, 2007. The record minimum temperature of -23 °F (-30.6 °C) was on February 27, 1962. Annually, there are an average of 8.4 days with highs of 90 °F (32.2 °C) or higher; there are an average of 228.4 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower and 6.0 days with lows of 0 °F (-17.8 °C) or lower. Freezing temperatures have been observed in every month of the year.
Normal annual precipitation in Truckee is 30.85 inches (784 mm); measurable precipitation (0.01 inch (0.25 mm) or more) occurs on an average of 87.0 days annually. The most precipitation in one month was 19.02 inches (483 mm) in February 1986. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 5.21 inches (132 mm) on February 1, 1963.
Truckee has an average of 204.4 inches (519.2 cm) of snow annually, which makes it the 5th snowiest city in the United States. The most snow in one month was 113.0 inches (287.0 cm) in December 1992. The maximum 24-hour snowfall was 34.0 inches (86.4 cm) on February 17, 1990.
was 480.8 people per square mile (185.6/km²). The racial makeup of Truckee was 13,992 (86.5%) White, 60 (0.4%) African American, 95 (0.6%) Native American, 241 (1.5%) Asian, 15 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 1,431 (8.8%) from other races
, and 346 (2.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,016 persons (18.6%).
The Census reported that 16,137 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 43 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 6,343 households, out of which 2,135 (33.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,443 (54.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 411 (6.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 314 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 502 (7.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 43 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,382 households (21.8%) were made up of individuals and 275 (4.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54. There were 4,168 families
(65.7% of all households); the average family size was 2.98.
The population was spread out with 3,769 people (23.3%) under the age of 18, 1,139 people (7.0%) aged 18 to 24, 5,030 people (31.1%) aged 25 to 44, 4,986 people (30.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,256 people (7.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.0 years. For every 100 females there were 108.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.3 males.
There were 12,803 housing units at an average density of 380.4 per square mile (146.9/km²), of which 4,326 (68.2%) were owner-occupied, and 2,017 (31.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.8%. 10,783 people (66.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,354 people (33.1%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 13,864 people, 5,149 households, and 3,563 families residing in the town. The population density
was 426.1 people per square mile (164.5/km²). There were 9,757 housing units at an average density of 299.8 per square mile (115.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.39% White, 0.25% African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 7.57% from other races
, and 2.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.79% of the population.
There were 5,149 households out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town, the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 36.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 5.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 112.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.0 males.
The median income
for a household in the town was $58,848, and the median income for a family was $62,746. Males had a median income of $38,631 versus $29,536 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $26,786. About 2.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over. Recent land clearing outside town limits may affect the population.
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Truckee. The city's passenger rail station is centrally located at 10000 East River Street in the heart of the historic downtown. Amtrak Train 5, the westbound California Zephyr
, departs Truckee daily with service to Colfax, Roseville, Sacramento
, Davis, Martinez, and Emeryville
across the bay from San Francisco. Amtrak Train 6, the eastbound California Zephyr, departs Truckee daily with service to Reno, Sparks, Winnemucca, Elko, Salt Lake City, Provo, Helper, Green River, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Denver, Omaha, Galesburg, and Chicago
. Capitol Corridor
service from San Jose has been proposed, with the intention to go to Reno, Nevada
.
Interstate 80
passes just to the north of central Truckee. Reno, Nevada
is 31 miles away via I-80.
The Truckee-Tahoe Airport provides access to the North Lake Tahoe recreational area through general aviation services. The airfield boasts a 7000 foot main runway and a 4600 foot crosswind runway. The airport is not serviced by any commercial airline at the present time.
, Truckee is located in the 1st Senate
District, represented by Republican
Ted Gaines
, and in the 3rd Assembly
District, represented by Republican Dan Logue. Federally, Truckee is located in California's 4th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +11 and is represented by Republican Tom McClintock
.
The town is governed by a five-member Town Council, which elects one of its members as Mayor; the mayor presides over meetings and ceremonial events, but has no other special responsibilities. The mayor as of July 2011 is Richard Anderson.
and Sacramento, California
. The two-year Sierra College
, headquartered in Rocklin
, has its Tahoe-Truckee campus in town. Students can complete all the requirements for a two-year Associate of Arts degree at this campus, as well as various certificates, such as Accounting.
The Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District
provides K-12 education to Truckee and the Lake Tahoe area with nine traditional schools, of which two elementary schools, a middle school, elementary school and Truckee High School
are in the town itself. A newer middle school was recently built as well.
In interscholastic athletics, due to Truckee's isolation from the rest of California by the Sierra Nevada crest, Truckee High competes in the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association
along with four other similarly-isolated California schools including North Tahoe High School
, South Tahoe High School
, Coleville High School, and Needles High School
.
Both a source of settler pride and an example of hubris, The Donner Party
ordeal is Truckee's most famous historical event. In 1846, a group of settlers from Illinois, originally known as the Donner-Reed Party but now usually referred to as The Donner Party, became snowbound in early fall as a result of several trail mishaps and poor decisions. Choosing multiple times on shortcuts to save distance compared to the traditional Oregon Trail, coupled with infighting, a disastrous crossing of the Utah salt flats, and the attempt to use the pass near the Truckee River (now Donner Pass) all caused delays in their journey. Finally, a massive, early blizzard brought the remaining settlers to a halt at the edge of what is now Donner Lake - about 1,200 feet below the steep granite summit of the Sierra Nevada mountains and 90 miles east of their destination, Sutter's Fort near Sacramento. Several attempts at carting their few remaining wagons, oxen, and supplies - sometimes by pulling them up by rope - over the summit proved impossible due to freezing conditions and a lack of any pre-existing trail. The party returned, broken in spirit and supplies, to the edge of Donner Lake. A portion of the camp also returned to the Alder Creek campsite a few miles to the east. What followed during the course of the brutal winter is a miserable story of starvation and an infamous resorting to cannibalism
. Although 15 members had constructed makeshift snowshoes and set out for Sutter's Fort in the late fall, they were also thwarted by freezing weather and disorientation. Of them, only 7 survived with 6 having been cannabilized and 2 being lost or having escaped. The Truckee camps survivors were saved by a Reed Party member who had set out ahead as a result of being ejected from the party months earlier after killing a man in a fit of jealous rage. Seeing that his group never arrived at Sutter's Fort, he initiated several relief parties. Of the original 87 settlers, 48 remarkably survived the ordeal. The Donner Memorial State Park
is dedicated to the settlers and is located at the East End of Donner Lake
.
Truckee grew as a railroad town originally named Colburn Station, starting with the Transcontinental Railroad
. The railroad goes into downtown Truckee and the Amtrak passenger lines still stop there on the services from Chicago
to San Francisco
.
In 1886, the Chinese inhabitants, about 1,400 in number, were expelled from Truckee as part of a campaign that included a boycott of any business that did business with Chinese.
In 1891, Truckee's famous lawman, Jacob Teeter, was killed in a violent gunfight with fellow lawman, James Reed (no relation to James Frazier Reed of the Donner Party).
August 6th is the anual "Wagon Train" Gathering just off of Hobart Rd. The entertainment this year will be the same as it has been for the last 10yrs, The featured Band will be "Joanie Lee and Branding Iron" Members of this band of musicians are as follows; Joanie Lee- Founder/Lead Vocals, Johnnie Rich- Lead Vocals/Bassist, Gary Mahan- Lead Guitar, Hubert Pilk- Lead Vocals/Drums. *Note, Gary Mahan and Hubert Pilk Are the new members of Joanie's Band, and Joanie is an honorary member of the Wagon Train events in Truckee Ca.
Nevada County, California
Nevada County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of California, in the Mother Lode country. As of 2010 its population was 98,764. The county seat is Nevada City.-History:Nevada County was created in 1851 from parts of Yuba County....
, 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 16,180 at the 2010 census, up from 13,864 at the 2000 census.
Name
The town's original name was Coburn Station, commemorating a saloon keeper.Truckee
Truckee (chief)
Truckee was medicine chief of the Northern Paiute and an influential prophet.-Family life:...
was named after a Paiute
Paiute
Paiute refers to three closely related groups of Native Americans — the Northern Paiute of California, Idaho, Nevada and Oregon; the Owens Valley Paiute of California and Nevada; and the Southern Paiute of Arizona, southeastern California and Nevada, and Utah.-Origin of name:The origin of...
chief. His assumed Paiute name was Tru-ki-zo. He was the father of Chief Winnemucca
Chief Winnemucca
Winnemucca, , was born a Shoshoni around 1820 in what would later become the Oregon Territory. He married a Kuyuidika woman, the daughter of Old Winnemucca, and thus was a Paiute himself by tribal rules...
and grandfather of Sarah Winnemucca
Sarah Winnemucca
Sarah Winnemucca was a prominent female Native American activist and educator, and an influential figure in the United States' nineteenth-century Indian policies...
. The first Europeans who came to cross the Sierra Nevada encountered his tribe. The friendly Chief rode toward them yelling "Tro-kay!", which is Paiute for "Everything is all right". The unaware travelers assumed he was yelling his name. Chief Truckee later served as a guide for 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...
.
Geography
Truckee is located along Interstate 80Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
at 39°20′32"N 120°12′13"W (39.342163, -120.203568).
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 town has a total area of 33.7 square miles (87.3 km²), of which, 32.3 square miles (83.7 km²) of it is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it (3.96%) is water, mostly the Truckee River
Truckee River
The Truckee River is a stream in the U.S. states of California and Nevada. The river is about long. Its endorheic drainage basin is about , of which about are in Nevada. The Truckee is the sole outlet of Lake Tahoe and drains part of the high Sierra Nevada, emptying into Pyramid Lake in the Great...
, the only outlet of Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
.
Climate
National 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...
reports that Truckee's warmest month is July with an average maximum temperature of 82.7 °F (28.2 °C) and an average minimum temperature of 42.4 °F (5.8 °C). January is the coldest month with an average maximum temperature of 40.9 °F (4.9 °C) and an average minimum temperature of 16.3 °F (-8.7 °C). The record maximum temperature of 104 °F (40 °C) was on July 6, 2007. The record minimum temperature of -23 °F (-30.6 °C) was on February 27, 1962. Annually, there are an average of 8.4 days with highs of 90 °F (32.2 °C) or higher; there are an average of 228.4 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower and 6.0 days with lows of 0 °F (-17.8 °C) or lower. Freezing temperatures have been observed in every month of the year.
Normal annual precipitation in Truckee is 30.85 inches (784 mm); measurable precipitation (0.01 inch (0.25 mm) or more) occurs on an average of 87.0 days annually. The most precipitation in one month was 19.02 inches (483 mm) in February 1986. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 5.21 inches (132 mm) on February 1, 1963.
Truckee has an average of 204.4 inches (519.2 cm) of snow annually, which makes it the 5th snowiest city in the United States. The most snow in one month was 113.0 inches (287.0 cm) in December 1992. The maximum 24-hour snowfall was 34.0 inches (86.4 cm) on February 17, 1990.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Truckee had a population of 16,180. 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 480.8 people per square mile (185.6/km²). The racial makeup of Truckee was 13,992 (86.5%) White, 60 (0.4%) African American, 95 (0.6%) Native American, 241 (1.5%) Asian, 15 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 1,431 (8.8%) 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 346 (2.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,016 persons (18.6%).
The Census reported that 16,137 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 43 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 6,343 households, out of which 2,135 (33.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,443 (54.3%) 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, 411 (6.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 314 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 502 (7.9%) 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 43 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,382 households (21.8%) were made up of individuals and 275 (4.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54. There were 4,168 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...
(65.7% of all households); the average family size was 2.98.
The population was spread out with 3,769 people (23.3%) under the age of 18, 1,139 people (7.0%) aged 18 to 24, 5,030 people (31.1%) aged 25 to 44, 4,986 people (30.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,256 people (7.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.0 years. For every 100 females there were 108.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.3 males.
There were 12,803 housing units at an average density of 380.4 per square mile (146.9/km²), of which 4,326 (68.2%) were owner-occupied, and 2,017 (31.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.8%. 10,783 people (66.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,354 people (33.1%) 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 13,864 people, 5,149 households, and 3,563 families residing in the town. 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 426.1 people per square mile (164.5/km²). There were 9,757 housing units at an average density of 299.8 per square mile (115.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.39% White, 0.25% African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 7.57% 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 2.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.79% of the population.
There were 5,149 households out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% 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, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town, the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 36.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 5.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 112.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.0 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 town was $58,848, and the median income for a family was $62,746. Males had a median income of $38,631 versus $29,536 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 town was $26,786. About 2.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over. Recent land clearing outside town limits may affect the population.
Transportation
AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Truckee. The city's passenger rail station is centrally located at 10000 East River Street in the heart of the historic downtown. Amtrak Train 5, the westbound California Zephyr
California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
, departs Truckee daily with service to Colfax, Roseville, Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, Davis, Martinez, and Emeryville
Emeryville, California
Emeryville is a small city located in Alameda County, California, in the United States. It is located in a corridor between the cities of Berkeley and Oakland, extending to the shore of San Francisco Bay. Its proximity to San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, the University of California, Berkeley, and...
across the bay from San Francisco. Amtrak Train 6, the eastbound California Zephyr, departs Truckee daily with service to Reno, Sparks, Winnemucca, Elko, Salt Lake City, Provo, Helper, Green River, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Denver, Omaha, Galesburg, and Chicago
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
. Capitol Corridor
Capitol Corridor
The Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in California. Because it is fully supported by the state, the Capitol Corridor operates under Amtrak California. It runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, roughly parallel to Interstate 80...
service from San Jose has been proposed, with the intention to go to Reno, Nevada
Reno (Amtrak station)
The Reno Amtrak station is a train station in Reno, Nevada, United States, served by Amtrak's California Zephyr train and multiple-frequency daily Thruway Motorcoach service. The depot was built in 1926 by the Southern Pacific Railroad. It is the 3rd train depot built at this same location. The...
.
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 in California
In the U.S. state of California, Interstate 80 , a major east–west route of the Interstate Highway System, has its western terminus in San Francisco, California, United States. From there it heads east across the Bay Bridge to Oakland, where it turns north and crosses the Carquinez Bridge...
passes just to the north of central Truckee. Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
is 31 miles away via I-80.
The Truckee-Tahoe Airport provides access to the North Lake Tahoe recreational area through general aviation services. The airfield boasts a 7000 foot main runway and a 4600 foot crosswind runway. The airport is not serviced by any commercial airline at the present time.
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...
, Truckee 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...
Ted Gaines
Ted Gaines
Edward M. Gaines is a California State Senator, representing the 1st Senate district. He won a January 4, 2011, special election to replace the late Dave Cox and took office two days later...
, and in the 3rd 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 Dan Logue. Federally, Truckee is located in California's 4th congressional district
California's 4th congressional district
California's 4th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California. It covers the northeastern corner of California along Route 395, encompassing El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Sierra, Plumas, Lassen, and Modoc counties, as well as parts of Butte County...
, 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 +11 and is represented by Republican Tom McClintock
Tom McClintock
Thomas Miller McClintock II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a former Assemblyman and state Senator...
.
The town is governed by a five-member Town Council, which elects one of its members as Mayor; the mayor presides over meetings and ceremonial events, but has no other special responsibilities. The mayor as of July 2011 is Richard Anderson.
Education
There are no four-year universities in Truckee. The closest large universities are in Reno, NevadaReno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
and Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. The two-year Sierra College
Sierra College
Sierra College, a California community college, has its main campus located in Rocklin, California. Rocklin is located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, approximately twenty minutes from the state capital of Sacramento and east of San Francisco. The campus lies within the watershed...
, headquartered in Rocklin
Rocklin, California
Rocklin is a city in Placer County, California located in the metropolitan area of Sacramento. It shares borders with Roseville, Loomis, and Lincoln...
, has its Tahoe-Truckee campus in town. Students can complete all the requirements for a two-year Associate of Arts degree at this campus, as well as various certificates, such as Accounting.
The Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District
Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District
Tahoe Truckee Unified School District is a unified school district based in Truckee, California that educates students in the Truckee and northern Lake Tahoe areas....
provides K-12 education to Truckee and the Lake Tahoe area with nine traditional schools, of which two elementary schools, a middle school, elementary school and Truckee High School
Truckee High School
Truckee High School is one of two high schools in the Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District, which is based in the Lake Tahoe area town of Truckee in eastern Nevada County, California...
are in the town itself. A newer middle school was recently built as well.
In interscholastic athletics, due to Truckee's isolation from the rest of California by the Sierra Nevada crest, Truckee High competes in the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association
Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association
The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association is the governing body of athletic programs for high schools in the state of Nevada...
along with four other similarly-isolated California schools including North Tahoe High School
North Tahoe High School
North Tahoe High School is a high school located in the eastern Placer County settlement of Tahoe City, California, on the northern side of Lake Tahoe...
, South Tahoe High School
South Tahoe High School
South Tahoe High School is a public secondary school in South Lake Tahoe, California that is part of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District. The school mascot is the Viking, and the school's colors are blue and gold....
, Coleville High School, and Needles High School
Needles High School
Needles High School is a small public high school in Needles, California. It is part of the Needles Unified School District. The school mascot is the mustang, and the school colors are royal blue and white. The current alma mater, "All Hail to Thee," was written by members of the Class of 1959 as...
.
History
The Truckee River flows from Lake Tahoe for approximately 100 miles northeast to the border of the arid Great Basin of Nevada and Utah and into Pyramid Lake. This water source formed a natural, seasonal route for Native Americans. Although no particular tribe is considered to have inhabited Truckee year-round, the Washoe Tribe occupied a large territory roughly centered in the modern day Carson City area, but Shoshone and Paiute Tribes were also present (the Paiute Tribe Reservation now encompasses Pyramid Lake). These peoples are considered to be the primary source of Native American travelers in the area. Hobart Mills, just north of Truckee on Highway 89, has a large, horizontal, circular petroglyph of the type common to travel routes in Nevada. The date of that petroglyph, as well as several etched into granite slabs on the summit west of Truckee, are not agreed upon. But those artifacts, as well as the abundance of arrowheads throughout the Truckee region, attest to a minimum of hundreds of years of Native American presence. It is possible that, like the Shoshone, Ute and earlier Fremont tribes of Utah and Eastern Nevada, the nearby Native American populations fluctuated over the course of millennia as a result of weather cycles, food changes, and possibly disease or war. Some historians date the pre-Fremont Indian culture of Eastern Nevada to as early as 10,000 B.C. and it's likely that the Eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains next to Truckee, since it faces the Great Basin, had native Americans of a hunter-gatherer culture visit at least as early as 3,000 B.C. These people were probably of a purely nomadic group since datable housing structures like those found in Nevada and Utah are not present. Like most of the modern history of the West, as the European settlers' population increased, the Native American population decreased. The Gold Rush of 1849 caused a surge in fortune-seeking settlers (although Truckee itself wasn't settled until later). It is not known exactly when the last Native Americans passed naturally through Truckee, but they were visually recorded in the 1850s.Both a source of settler pride and an example of hubris, The Donner Party
Donner Party
The Donner Party was a group of American pioneers who set out for California in a wagon train. Delayed by a series of mishaps, they spent the winter of 1846–47 snowbound in the Sierra Nevada...
ordeal is Truckee's most famous historical event. In 1846, a group of settlers from Illinois, originally known as the Donner-Reed Party but now usually referred to as The Donner Party, became snowbound in early fall as a result of several trail mishaps and poor decisions. Choosing multiple times on shortcuts to save distance compared to the traditional Oregon Trail, coupled with infighting, a disastrous crossing of the Utah salt flats, and the attempt to use the pass near the Truckee River (now Donner Pass) all caused delays in their journey. Finally, a massive, early blizzard brought the remaining settlers to a halt at the edge of what is now Donner Lake - about 1,200 feet below the steep granite summit of the Sierra Nevada mountains and 90 miles east of their destination, Sutter's Fort near Sacramento. Several attempts at carting their few remaining wagons, oxen, and supplies - sometimes by pulling them up by rope - over the summit proved impossible due to freezing conditions and a lack of any pre-existing trail. The party returned, broken in spirit and supplies, to the edge of Donner Lake. A portion of the camp also returned to the Alder Creek campsite a few miles to the east. What followed during the course of the brutal winter is a miserable story of starvation and an infamous resorting to cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
. Although 15 members had constructed makeshift snowshoes and set out for Sutter's Fort in the late fall, they were also thwarted by freezing weather and disorientation. Of them, only 7 survived with 6 having been cannabilized and 2 being lost or having escaped. The Truckee camps survivors were saved by a Reed Party member who had set out ahead as a result of being ejected from the party months earlier after killing a man in a fit of jealous rage. Seeing that his group never arrived at Sutter's Fort, he initiated several relief parties. Of the original 87 settlers, 48 remarkably survived the ordeal. The Donner Memorial State Park
Donner Memorial State Park
Donner Memorial State Park is a US state park located near Truckee, California. The park is named after the ill-fated Donner Party, and contains the Emigrant Trail Museum and the Pioneer Monument dedicated to them. The Donner Camp site at Alder Creek, where the Donner families were trapped by...
is dedicated to the settlers and is located at the East End of Donner Lake
Donner Lake
Donner Lake is a freshwater lake in northeast California on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada and about northwest of the much larger Lake Tahoe. A moraine serves as a natural dam for the lake. The lake is located in the town of Truckee, sandwiched between Interstate 80 to the north and...
.
Truckee grew as a railroad town originally named Colburn Station, starting with the Transcontinental Railroad
Transcontinental railroad
A transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...
. The railroad goes into downtown Truckee and the Amtrak passenger lines still stop there on the services from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
.
In 1886, the Chinese inhabitants, about 1,400 in number, were expelled from Truckee as part of a campaign that included a boycott of any business that did business with Chinese.
In 1891, Truckee's famous lawman, Jacob Teeter, was killed in a violent gunfight with fellow lawman, James Reed (no relation to James Frazier Reed of the Donner Party).
August 6th is the anual "Wagon Train" Gathering just off of Hobart Rd. The entertainment this year will be the same as it has been for the last 10yrs, The featured Band will be "Joanie Lee and Branding Iron" Members of this band of musicians are as follows; Joanie Lee- Founder/Lead Vocals, Johnnie Rich- Lead Vocals/Bassist, Gary Mahan- Lead Guitar, Hubert Pilk- Lead Vocals/Drums. *Note, Gary Mahan and Hubert Pilk Are the new members of Joanie's Band, and Joanie is an honorary member of the Wagon Train events in Truckee Ca.
Books
- Darabi, P., & Sparksworthy, L. (2002). Women of Truckee making history: a collection of profiles of some of the exceptional and dedicated women in Truckee, California. Truckee, Ca: Dr. Homa Darabi Foundation.
- Hagaman, W. R. (2004). The Chinese must go!: the Anti-Chinese boycott, Truckee, California - 1886. Nevada City, California: The Cowboy Press.
- Zeni, Gianpaolo (2005). En Merica! L'emigrazione della gente di MagasaMagasaMagasa is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy in northern Italy.-Historical and cultural profile:In position on the plateau of Denai, in the Valley of Vestino, inland of Lake of Garda, rises the small village of Magasa, whose origins go back to the Celtics; they called the...
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.