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Beckwourth, California

Coordinates: 39°49′39″N 120°24′13″W / 39.82750°N 120.40361°W / 39.82750; -120.40361
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Beckwourth
census-designated place
Location in Plumas County and the state of California
Location in Plumas County and the state of California
Beckwourth is located in the United States
Beckwourth
Beckwourth
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 39°49′39″N 120°24′13″W / 39.82750°N 120.40361°W / 39.82750; -120.40361
Country United States
State California
CountyPlumas
Area
[1]
 • Total
11.69 sq mi (30.27 km2)
 • Land11.68 sq mi (30.26 km2)
 • Water0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)  0.04%
Elevation
[2]
4,911 ft (1,497 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
478
 • Density40.91/sq mi (15.80/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
96129
Area code530
FIPS code06-04772
GNIS feature IDs1658022; 2407819
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Beckwourth, California; U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Beckwourth, California

Beckwourth (formerly, Beckwith[3] and Beekwith[4]) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Plumas County, California, United States.[5] Beckwourth is located on the Middle Fork Feather River 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Portola.[2][3] The population was 478 at the 2020 census.

Name

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The community was named for James P. Beckwourth, an explorer who discovered Beckwourth Pass in 1851.[6]

History

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The Beckwith post office opened in 1870 and changed its name to Beckwourth in 1932.[3]

Geography

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Beckwourth is located at 39°49′39″N 120°24′13″W / 39.82750°N 120.40361°W / 39.82750; -120.40361 (39.827528, -120.403710).[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 11.7 square miles (30 km2), 99.96% of it land and 0.04% of it water.

Nervino Airport (FAA identifier: O02 or oscar-zero-two) is plotted three quarters of a mile east of Beckwourth along State Route 70 on the Reconnaissance Peak, California 7.5 minute quadrangle. It has a 4,600-foot (1,400 m) runway and is located at 39°49′05″N 120°21′20″W / 39.81806°N 120.35556°W / 39.81806; -120.35556.[8] The US Geological Survey says variant names for the airport are Beckwourth Airport and Plumas County Airport.[9]

State facilities in the town include a State of California, Department of Water Resources maintenance yard and a Caltrans Maintenance Station. These appear to be colocated (at the same site).

Climate

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This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Beckwourth has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.[10]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
2000342—
201043226.3%
202047810.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1850–1870[12][13] 1880-1890[14]
1900[15] 1910[16] 1920[17]
1930[18] 1940[19] 1950[20]
1960[21] 1970[22] 1980[23]
1990[24] 2000[25] 2010[26]

The 2020 United States census reported that Beckwourth had a population of 478. The population density was 40.9 inhabitants per square mile (15.8/km2). The racial makeup of Beckwourth was 90.2% White, 0.8% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 1.9% from other races, and 6.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.2% of the population.

The whole population lived in households. There were 228 households, out of which 15.4% included children under the age of 18, 53.1% were married-couple households, 4.4% were cohabiting couple households, 13.6% had a female householder with no partner present, and 28.9% had a male householder with no partner present. 28.5% of households were one person, and 10.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.1. There were 148 families (64.9% of all households).

The age distribution was 12.8% under the age of 18, 4.4% aged 18 to 24, 15.1% aged 25 to 44, 34.5% aged 45 to 64, and 33.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 59.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males.

There were 360 housing units at an average density of 30.8 units per square mile (11.9 units/km2), of which 228 (63.3%) were occupied. Of these, 88.6% were owner-occupied, and 11.4% were occupied by renters.[27][28]

Politics

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In the state legislature Beckwourth is located in the 1st Senate District, represented by Republican Megan Dahle,[29] and the 1st Assembly District, represented by Republican Heather Hadwick.[30]

Federally, Beckwourth is in California's 1st congressional district, represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa.[31]

Education

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The school district is Plumas Unified School District.[32]

See also

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Notable people

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  • Jim Beckwourth, mountain man, fur trader, and explorer
  • Alice Marble, a World Number One American tennis player who won 18 Grand Slam championships

References

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  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Beckwourth, California
  3. ^ a b c Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, California: Word Dancer Press. p. 355. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  4. ^ The Great Register of Plumas County, California - 1894 (Collection no. 4-2A, CSL Film Roll 34 ed.). Sacramento, CA: California State Library, California History Section. 1898.
  5. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Beckwourth, California
  6. ^ Brown, Thomas P. (May 30, 1940). "Over the Sierra". Indian Valley Record. p. 3. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  8. ^ US Geological Survey, Reconnaissance Peak, California, 7.5 minute quadrangle, 1994.
  9. ^ US Geological Survey, National Geographic Names Database.
  10. ^ Climate Summary for Beckwourth, California
  11. ^ "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  13. ^ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  15. ^ "1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  16. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  17. ^ "1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  18. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  19. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  20. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  21. ^ "1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  22. ^ "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  23. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  24. ^ "1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  25. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  26. ^ "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  27. ^ "Beckwourth CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  28. ^ "Beckwourth CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  29. ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  30. ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
  31. ^ "California's 1st Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  32. ^ Geography Division (December 18, 2020). 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Plumas County, CA (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 22, 2025. - Text list
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