Alturas, California

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Alturas is the county seat of Modoc County. The population was 2,892 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code for the community is 96101. As the county seat, the town is home to regional government offices. There is a California Highway Patrol office and a state Department of Motor Vehicles office. Modoc Subdivision track of the Union Pacific Railroad, and the Lake County Railroad, (of Lake County, Oregon) serve the area.

Part of Alturas, Calif. with Warner Mountains in the background

1 Geography
2 History
3 Demographics
4 Economy
5 Notable Residents
6 External links

[edit] Geography

Alturas is located on the Pit River in the extreme northeastern corner of California at 41°29′20″N, 120°32′45″W (41.488814, -120.545935)^GR1. The tall Warner Mountains lie to the east.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.7 km² (2.2 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.

[edit] History

The site Alturas now occupies was inititally an Achumawi (Pit River) village known as Kosealekte. The city was initially known as Dorris Bridge, named after Jim Dorris, the first white settler in the area who settled in 1869. In 1876, the town was renamed Alturas, which means "The Heights" in Spanish. Settlement continued over the next few decades, until the city was officially incorporated on September 16, 1901. Alturas is the seat, and only incorporated city, in Modoc County.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 2,892 people, 1,181 households, and 753 families residing in the city. The population density was 507.5/km² (1,316.3/mi²). There were 1,367 housing units at an average density of 239.9/km² (622.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.89% White, 0.31% Black or African American, 4.39% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 4.84% from other races, and 3.73% from two or more races. 11.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,181 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 28.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,351, and the median income for a family was $31,385. Males had a median income of $36,500 versus $21,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,281. About 23.0% of families and 27.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Economy

It is the headquarters to the Modoc National Forest, the Alturas Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge and other recreation areas, and is the trade center for the agricultural region, which produces beef, sheep, potatoes, alfalfa and lumber. Despite its abundance of wilderness, recreational opportunities, hunting and fishing resources, and resplendent natural beauty, tourism is not a major sector of the local economy--largely due to the city's remote location.

Local, State, Federal, and Tribal governments are the largest employers in Alturas. A vibrant timber industry collapsed in the early 1980s due to increased production costs and low market prices for softwood lumber.

The Modoc Joint Unified School District is headquartered in Alturas.

The Alturas Rancheria, a band of Pit River Indians, operates a small casino just outside the city limits.