Willits, California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City of Willits, California | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Mendocino |
| Area | |
| - City | 2.8 sq mi (7.3 km²) |
| - Land | 2.8 sq mi (7.3 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²) |
| Elevation | 1,391 ft (424 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - City | 5,073 |
| - Density | 1,811.7/sq mi (699.5/km²) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) |
| - Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| ZIP codes | 95429, 95490 |
| Area code(s) | 707 |
| FIPS code | 06-85600 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1652654 |
| Website: http://www.willitscity.com/ | |
Willits is a city in Mendocino County, California, United States. The population was 5,073 at the 2000 census. Willits is at the center of Mendocino County and its redwood forests. An arch in the center of town, donated to the city by Reno, Nevada in 1995 [1] displays Willits' slogans "Heart of Mendocino County" and "Gateway to the Redwoods."
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[edit] Geography and Environment
Located at (39.404357, -123.350947).GR1, Willits is at the center of Mendocino County in the Little Lake Valley, 20 miles (32 km) north of Ukiah on U.S. Route 101 (otherwise known as the Redwood Highway). The mountains to the west cause Willits to have a cool winter and hot summer climate.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.3 km² (2.8 mi²), all land.
[edit] History and Culture
Willits was originally called Willitsville.
The city is the eastern terminus of the California Western Railroad (otherwise known as the "Skunk Train"), running through the Coast Redwood forests to coastal Fort Bragg.
Willits is the home of the Frontier Days & Rodeo, the oldest continuous rodeo and Independence Day celebration in California (held every July), as well as the Roots of Motive Power Locomotive Museum and the Mendocino County Museum.
The Willits area is the final home of the racehorse Seabiscuit: Ridgewood Ranch, where Seabiscuit trained, recuperated, lived out his retirement and was buried, is located a few miles south of the city.
Some notable names from Willits include Tré Cool, drummer for the band Green Day, and Mona Gnader, the bass player for Sammy Hagar. Although the band Tommy Tutone is usually referred to as "a San Francisco band", they were located in Willits at the time that their enduring hit single "Jenny (867-5309)" was released. The folk singer Jeff Buckley spent a year at Willits High School [citation needed]. Stagecoach bandit Charles Bolles (aka Black Bart) stole multiple Wells Fargo boxes and mail from stagecoaches traveling through Willits. [2]
Many residents of the city are currently embroiled in a class-action lawsuit against the Whitman Corporation, alleging that hexavalent chromium pollution left by the Remco Hydraulics chrome plating plant, which was owned by Whitman and operated in Willits from 1964-1995, is responsible for a host of local health problems [3]. Litigator Erin Brockovich, known for the eponymous movie about her work in a similar case, is participating in the lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiffs.
Five miles East of Willits the San Francisco Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts Of America operate a 2200 acre camp named Wente Scout Reservation. Previously known as Willits Scout Ranch, the camp in 1984 "saved" the town of Willits during an emergency water crisis by releasing 20,000 acre feet of water from their private lake into the town's water system.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 5,073 people, 1,935 households, and 1,230 families residing in the city. The population density was 699.5/km² (1,813.7/mi²). There were 2,013 housing units at an average density of 277.6/km² (719.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 4,247 (83.72%) White, 32 (0.63%) African American, 179 (3.53%) Native American, 59 (1.16%) Asian, 20 (0.04%) Pacific Islander, 359 (7.08%) from other races, and 195 (3.84%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race numbered 745, or 14.69% of the population.
There were 1,935 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,283, and the median income for a family was $36,193. Males had a median income of $30,983 versus $22,089 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,642. About 11.6% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Willits Chamber of Commerce
- California Western Railroad - "The Skunk Train"
- Mendocino County Museum
- Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation - tours of Ridgewood Ranch
- Roots of Motive Power Locomotive Museum
- Willits Library
- Article discussing high rate of cancer in residents of Willits due to hexavalent chromium poisoning by Remco/Abex
- Wente Scout Reservation - Boy Scouts of America, San Francisco Bay Area Council
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Mendocino County, California |
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|---|---|---|
| County seat: Ukiah | ||
| Cities |
Fort Bragg | Point Arena | Ukiah | Willits |
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| CDPs |
Covelo | Laytonville | Mendocino | Talmage |
|
| Unincorporated communities |
Albion | Boonville | Branscomb | Calpella | Caspar | Elk | Gualala | Hopland | Little River | Philo | Redwood Valley | Potter Valley |
|
