Albion, California
| Albion | |
|---|---|
| census-designated place | |
|
Albion in 1911 | |
  Albion Location in California | |
| Coordinates: 39°13′25″N 123°46′07″W / 39.22361°N 123.76861°WCoordinates: 39°13′25″N 123°46′07″W / 39.22361°N 123.76861°W | |
| Country |
 United States |
| State |
 California |
| County | Mendocino |
| Area[1] | |
| • Total | 1.852 sq mi (4.799 km2) |
| • Land | 1.815 sq mi (4.702 km2) |
| • Water | 0.037 sq mi (0.097 km2) 2.02% |
| Elevation[2] | 174 ft (53 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 168 |
| • Density | 91/sq mi (35/km2) |
| Time zone | Pacific (PST) (UTC-8) |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| ZIP Code | 95410 |
| Area code(s) | 707 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1657904; 2628703 |
| U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Albion, California; U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Albion, California | |
Albion is a census-designated place[3] in Mendocino County, California.[2] It is located 15 miles (24 km) south of Fort Bragg,[4] at an elevation of 174 feet (53 m).[2] Albion had a population of 168 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Albion lies directly on California's State Route 1 north of Elk, and south of Mendocino and Little River. It lies just north of the intersection of State Route 128 and State Route 1 (Shoreline Highway). The town consists of three major roads: Albion Ridge Road, Navarro Ridge Road, and Middle Ridge Road. The first two are accessible from the coast (State Route 1), but Middle Ridge, running parallel, is only accessible from Albion Ridge Road (inland). The side-roads on Albion Ridge Road are labeled from B through Q. Middle Ridge road begins at Albion Ridge Road just beyond M Road.
The nearest beaches include Navarro Beach, to the south, and Handley Beach at the head of Albion Ridge Road.
Vegetation includes Coastal Headlands, California Redwood Forests, and Pygmy forests.
Albion has two bridges, spanning the Albion River and Little Salmon Creek. The Albion River Bridge, built in 1944 when steel and concrete were in short supply, remains as the last wooden bridge still in use on State Route 1.
The ZIP Code is 95410. The community is inside area code 707.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 4.799 km2 (1.853 sq mi), 97.98% of it land, and 2.02% of it water.
History
Albion was named in 1844, as a reference to when Sir Francis Drake landed on the northern California coast and called it New Albion. The name is an ancient word for Britain, which stems from the Latin word albus, meaning white, referring to the White Cliffs of Dover.[5]
In 1845, Mexico awarded English sea captain William A. Richardson a large land grant, stretching along the California coast from Mal Paso Creek to Big River (encompassing the land between the present-day towns of Elk and Mendocino). Captain Richardson had partly earned this prize by marrying the daughter of the Mexican Commandant of Yerba Buena (present-day San Francisco). By 1853 Richardson had built, in the middle of this tract, a home and sawmill alongside a narrow river estuary.
Richardson's sawmill was the first to begin operation along the Redwood Coast. It was powered by a tide-driven water wheel, which would operate whether the tide was coming in or going out. Unfortunately, the mill was destroyed by ocean waves during its first winter. Richardson rebuilt the mill the following year, steam-driven this time, but lost all his land that same year when the U.S. Land Commission refused to recognize his Mexican title.
The first post office opened in 1859.[4]
The sawmill continued to operate at this location over the next 75 years. By 1861 a hotel, livery stable, and mercantile store were also in operation. Miles Standish (a direct descendant of the famous pilgrim) and Henry Hickey purchased the lumber company in 1891. Southern Pacific Railroad bought the operation in 1907 in order to provide redwood ties for railroads they were building in Mexico. They expanded the small logging railroad in the area, extending lines inland to Comptche and the deep end of Anderson Valley. The mill eventually closed down in 1928, and the Fort Bragg and Southeastern Railroad halted operation in 1930.[6]
Schools
The town belongs to the Mendocino Unified School District and children attend Albion Elementary School or Mendocino K-8 School until third grade, then Mendocino K-8 School and Mendocino High School.[7]
The Albion Biological Field Station, a facility of Pacific Union College (a private Seventh-day Adventist college) is located in Albion, on the south bank of the Albion River; it offers college biology courses to Pacific Union students as well as shorter courses for elementary and high school students and seniors.[8]
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census[9] reported that Albion had a population of 168. The population density was 90.7 people per square mile (35.0/km²). The racial makeup of Albion was 150 (89.3%) White, 1 (0.6%) African American, 4 (2.4%) Native American, 5 (3.0%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 0 (0.0%) from other races, and 8 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4 persons (2.4%).
The Census reported that 156 people (92.9% of the population) lived in households, 12 (7.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 82 households, out of which 13 (15.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 20 (24.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 8 (9.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 5 (6.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 8 (9.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1 (1.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 36 households (43.9%) were made up of individuals and 15 (18.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.90. There were 33 families (40.2% of all households); the average family size was 2.55.
The population was spread out with 20 people (11.9%) under the age of 18, 10 people (6.0%) aged 18 to 24, 40 people (23.8%) aged 25 to 44, 64 people (38.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 34 people (20.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.3 years. For every 100 females there were 115.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.5 males.
There were 112 housing units at an average density of 60.4 per square mile (23.3/km²), of which 54 (65.9%) were owner-occupied, and 28 (34.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 17.6%. 105 people (62.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 51 people (30.4%) lived in rental housing units.
Politics
In the state legislature, Albion is in the 2nd Senate District, represented by Democrat Mike McGuire,[10] and the 2nd Assembly District, represented by Democrat Jim Wood.[11]
Federally, Albion is in California's 2nd congressional district, represented by Democrat Jared Huffman.[12]
See also
References
- ↑ U.S. Census Archived 2012-01-24 at WebCite
- 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Albion, California
- ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Albion, California
- 1 2 Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 7. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
- ↑ William Bright; Erwin Gustav Gudde (30 November 1998). 1500 California place names: their origin and meaning. University of California Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-520-21271-8. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ↑ "Mendo Realty – About the Region – Albion". Retrieved February 7, 2015.
- ↑ "Mendocino Unified School District – Schools". Retrieved February 7, 2015.
- ↑ "Albion Biological Field Station – a quiet summer place to work, play and learn", Independent Coast Observer, July 20, 2007.
- ↑ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Albion CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
- ↑ "California's 2nd Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
External links
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Albion (California). |
