Windsor, California
Encyclopedia
Windsor is an incorporated town in Sonoma County
, California
, United States
. The population was 26,801 as of the 2010 census.
valley, about 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Healdsburg, California
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²), 99.66% of it land and 0.34% of it water. Windsor is 2 miles (3.2 km) from the Russian River
.
Rider, Hiram Lewis, became the town's first postmaster in 1855. He named the town Windsor because it reminded him of the grounds around Windsor Castle
.
In 1915, the Old Redwood Highway
through Windsor was paved. Up until then, all roads in the area had been dirt.
During World War II
, a United States Army Air Forces
air base (now the Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport) was built in southern Windsor, and it was typical to hear fighter aircraft and bombers flying over the town. In 1943, a camp for German prisoners-of-war was built 1 miles (1.6 km) from downtown.
In 1965, the Windsor Volunteer Fire Department was organized, providing fire protection to the local area. Originally operated out of a small garage by an antique shop, using two 1940s-era fire engines, the department grew rapidly. In the early 1970s, the volunteer firefighters built a larger firehouse, by hand, at 444 Windsor Road. This was demoted to Station 2 in 1998 and was replaced in 2009 by a brand-new firehouse. Around that time the equipment roster grew from two pieces of equipment to two engines, a water tender, a rescue squad, and two utility vehicles, filling up the entire station. In 1992, the department was formed into the Windsor Fire Protection District and brought on two paid firefighters. By 2008, it had grown to four paid firefighters on duty at any given time. Today there are two fire stations protecting the town, one on each side of U.S. Route 101.
Substantiation for many of the items above (for which it is indicated that citation is needed) may be obtained from the Gaye LeBaron Collection. North Bay Regional & Special Collections, University Library, Sonoma State University.
Windsor was home to a brutal beating in 1996 when a young teen was brutally attacked by Norteno affiliated gang members in the Varrio West Side Windsor gang.
was 3,675.0 people per square mile (1,418.9/km²). The racial makeup of Windsor was 19,798 (73.9%) White, 227 (0.8%) African American, 594 (2.2%) Native American, 810 (3.0%) Asian, 51 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 4,052 (15.1%) from other races
, and 1,269 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,511 persons (31.8%).
The Census reported that 99.8% of the population lived in households and 0.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters.
There were 8,970 households, out of which 3,863 (43.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,349 (59.6%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 906 (10.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 453 (5.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 545 (6.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 76 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,742 households (19.4%) were made up of individuals and 840 (9.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98. There were 6,708 families
(74.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.40.
The population was spread out with 7,517 people (28.0%) under the age of 18, 2,218 people (8.3%) aged 18 to 24, 6,833 people (25.5%) aged 25 to 44, 7,301 people (27.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,932 people (10.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.0 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
There were 9,549 housing units at an average density of 1,309.4 per square mile (505.5/km²), of which 75.8% were owner-occupied and 24.2% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.7%. 74.0% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 25.8% lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 22,744 people, 7,589 households, and 5,775 families residing in the town. The population density
was 3,372.7 people per square mile (1,302.9/km²). There were 7,728 housing units at an average density of 1,146.0 per square mile (442.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 79.00% White, 0.78% African American, 1.48% Native American, 2.29% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 12.42% from other races
, and 3.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.58% of the population.
There were 7,589 households out of which 43.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples
living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.40.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.
The median income
for a household in the town was $63,252, and the median income for a family was $67,992. Males had a median income of $46,553 versus $33,330 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $24,336. About 2.9% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
In the state legislature
, Windsor is located in the 2nd Senate district
and the 1st Assembly district
. Federally, Windsor is located in California's 1st congressional district
.
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
, 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 26,801 as of the 2010 census.
Geography
Windsor is located on U.S. Route 101 in the Russian RiverRussian River
Russian River may refer to one of the following rivers in the United States:* Russian River * Russian River Russian River may also refer to a brewpub in Santa Rosa, California:* Russian River Brewing Company...
valley, about 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Healdsburg, California
Healdsburg, California
Healdsburg is a city located in Sonoma County, California, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a population of 11,254...
.
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 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²), 99.66% of it land and 0.34% of it water. Windsor is 2 miles (3.2 km) from the Russian River
Russian River (California)
The Russian River, a southward-flowing river, drains of Sonoma and Mendocino counties in Northern California. With an annual average discharge of approximately , it is the second largest river flowing through the nine county Greater San Francisco Bay Area with a mainstem 110 miles ...
.
History
Although first settled by European Americans in 1851, Windsor was not incorporated until July 1, 1992. Pony ExpressPony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
Rider, Hiram Lewis, became the town's first postmaster in 1855. He named the town Windsor because it reminded him of the grounds around Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
.
In 1915, the Old Redwood Highway
Redwood Highway
The Redwood Highway refers to the following two highway segments in California, United states:*U.S. Route 101 in California, from the Golden Gate Bridge - Marin County, California through the North Coast region to the junction with U.S. Route 199 near Crescent City, California.*The entire route of...
through Windsor was paved. Up until then, all roads in the area had been dirt.
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...
, a United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
air base (now the Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport) was built in southern Windsor, and it was typical to hear fighter aircraft and bombers flying over the town. In 1943, a camp for German prisoners-of-war was built 1 miles (1.6 km) from downtown.
In 1965, the Windsor Volunteer Fire Department was organized, providing fire protection to the local area. Originally operated out of a small garage by an antique shop, using two 1940s-era fire engines, the department grew rapidly. In the early 1970s, the volunteer firefighters built a larger firehouse, by hand, at 444 Windsor Road. This was demoted to Station 2 in 1998 and was replaced in 2009 by a brand-new firehouse. Around that time the equipment roster grew from two pieces of equipment to two engines, a water tender, a rescue squad, and two utility vehicles, filling up the entire station. In 1992, the department was formed into the Windsor Fire Protection District and brought on two paid firefighters. By 2008, it had grown to four paid firefighters on duty at any given time. Today there are two fire stations protecting the town, one on each side of U.S. Route 101.
Substantiation for many of the items above (for which it is indicated that citation is needed) may be obtained from the Gaye LeBaron Collection. North Bay Regional & Special Collections, University Library, Sonoma State University.
Windsor was home to a brutal beating in 1996 when a young teen was brutally attacked by Norteno affiliated gang members in the Varrio West Side Windsor gang.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Windsor had a population of 26,801. 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 3,675.0 people per square mile (1,418.9/km²). The racial makeup of Windsor was 19,798 (73.9%) White, 227 (0.8%) African American, 594 (2.2%) Native American, 810 (3.0%) Asian, 51 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 4,052 (15.1%) 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 1,269 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,511 persons (31.8%).
The Census reported that 99.8% of the population lived in households and 0.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters.
There were 8,970 households, out of which 3,863 (43.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,349 (59.6%) 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, 906 (10.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 453 (5.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 545 (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 76 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,742 households (19.4%) were made up of individuals and 840 (9.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98. There were 6,708 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...
(74.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.40.
The population was spread out with 7,517 people (28.0%) under the age of 18, 2,218 people (8.3%) aged 18 to 24, 6,833 people (25.5%) aged 25 to 44, 7,301 people (27.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,932 people (10.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.0 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
There were 9,549 housing units at an average density of 1,309.4 per square mile (505.5/km²), of which 75.8% were owner-occupied and 24.2% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.7%. 74.0% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 25.8% 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 22,744 people, 7,589 households, and 5,775 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 3,372.7 people per square mile (1,302.9/km²). There were 7,728 housing units at an average density of 1,146.0 per square mile (442.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 79.00% White, 0.78% African American, 1.48% Native American, 2.29% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 12.42% 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 3.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.58% of the population.
There were 7,589 households out of which 43.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% 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, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.40.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 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 $63,252, and the median income for a family was $67,992. Males had a median income of $46,553 versus $33,330 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 $24,336. About 2.9% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Windsor is governed by a town council with five members; one serves as mayor and another serves as vice mayor.In the state legislature
California 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...
, Windsor is located in the 2nd Senate district
California's 2nd State Senate district
California's 2nd State Senate District is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Noreen Evans of Santa Rosa.-District profile:...
and the 1st Assembly district
California's 1st State Assembly district
California's 1st State Assembly District is one of 80 districts in the California State Assembly. It is currently represented by Democrat Wesley Chesbro of Arcata.-District profile:...
. Federally, Windsor is located in California's 1st congressional district
California's 1st congressional district
California's 1st congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California and presently consists of the northern coastline and includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino and Napa counties and parts of Sonoma and Yolo counties.The district is currently...
.
Education
- Windsor Creek
- Mattie Washburn
- Brooks Elementary
- Windsor High SchoolWindsor High School (California)Windsor High School or WHS is a public secondary school in Windsor, California. It is part of Windsor Unified School District. This school has a unique "core" system for its students to make the large school seem not as large. It is also a closed campus but off-campus passes are issued to students...
- Cali Calmecac Language Academy
- Windsor Middle School