Groveland-Big Oak Flat, California

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Groveland-Big Oak Flat is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tuolumne County, California, United States. The population was 3,388 at the 2000 census. This CDP includes the communities of Groveland, Big Oak Flat, and Pine Mountain Lake.

The town hosts an annual 49er Parade. Groveland is the location of the Groveland Ranger District office of the Stanislaus National Forest. The Groveland Community Services District provides services, including fire protection, to the community . The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Tuolumne-Calaveras Ranger Unit, Battalion 16, has a Forest Fire Station west of Groveland on State Route 120.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
- 3.1 Sources
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Location of Groveland-Big Oak Flat, California

Groveland-Big Oak Flat is located at 37°50′45″N, 120°12′28″W (37.845867, -120.207697)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 74.6 km² (28.8 mi²). 73.9 km² (28.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.7 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (0.90%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 3,388 people, 1,533 households, and 1,100 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 45.8/km² (118.7/mi²). There were 2,904 housing units at an average density of 39.3/km² (101.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.62% White, 0.65% African American, 1.59% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.06% from other races, and 3.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.93% of the population.

There were 1,533 households out of which 18.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.55.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 17.4% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 16.5% from 25 to 44, 34.0% from 45 to 64, and 28.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $41,928, and the median income for a family was $48,386. Males had a median income of $39,861 versus $21,161 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $27,394. About 2.6% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

Groveland has always been an important stop on the highway to Yosemite but really grew in the early 1900's with the development of the Tuolumne River Hetch-Hetchy water project for the city of San Francisco. Groveland is adjacent to the Stanislaus National Forest and is known for the historic Iron Door Saloon, the gated community of Pine Mountain Lake, and the friendly nursery, gallery, and general store Mountain Sage.

The modern community of Big Oak Flat was founded by James D. Savage who began mining the area about 1851. In some works, Savage is credited as discovering the Yosemite Valley about 1848. He is also identified as one of the first persons of European ancestry to enter the valley, (March 27, 1851). Others of European ancestry may have seen the valley as early as 1833.

[edit] Sources

Map: "Stanislaus National Forest, California," U.S. Forest Service, 1979.
Browning, Peter, "Place Names of the Sierra Nevada," (Berkeley, California: Wilderness Press, 1991).