Lakeport, California

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Lakeport is the county seat of Lake County, California. The population was 4,820 at the 2000 census.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Historical Notes
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Lakeport is located at 39°2′42″N, 122°55′6″W (39.044865, -122.918383)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.2 km² (2.8 mi²). 6.9 km² (2.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (3.60%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 4,820 people, 1,967 households, and 1,233 families residing in the city. The population density was 694.4/km² (1,799.8/mi²). There were 2,394 housing units at an average density of 344.9/km² (893.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.71% White, 0.75% African American, 1.99% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 3.49% from other races, and 3.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.45% of the population.

There were 1,967 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,226, and the median income for a family was $37,900. Males had a median income of $36,719 versus $25,089 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,215. About 13.5% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.9% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Historical Notes

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• Lakeport was first settled by Native Americans several thousand years ago. At the coming of the settlers, the Kabe-napos, a subtribe of the Pomo people, lived here within their main village. The village name was Kaci-Badon, after the water lily plant Kaci and badon which was the native name for island.

• The first business in Lakeport was established in 1855. Goods were traded to the natives for their wares and baskets. The business was run by a man named Johnson, but he did not have a store location. The first shop built in the Lakeport area was constructed by Dr. Boynton.

• It was William Forbes and James Parrish, however, who created the first shop in the main Lakeport area. Parish was a blacksmith and Forbes was a wagon maker. Forbes was also a pioneer undertaker. It was this investment as well as the land grant Forbes bestowed upon the county, which earned Lakeport its first name: Forbestown.

• William Forbes came to the area in 1858. He purchased 160 acres on which to build his home and farm. When the county was investigating land to put the local county seat, Williams offered 40 acres of his property with which they could build the county office on. The electorate thanked Forbes for his generosity by naming the town after him. Although the town no longer bears his name, other landmarks still retain their name association to the late William Forbes.

• On June 14th, 1861, Forbestown was officially changed to Lakeport. Some locations still bear the Forbes name however, such as Forbes creek and Forbes Street.

• 1850 – Captain Nathaniel Lyon leads attack in the Bloody Island Massacre. Lyon would later die fighting for the Union in the Civil War.

• First Lakeport courthouse built from wood in 1861. The building burnt under suspicious circumstances in 1867.

• In 1864 the Cache Creek Dam is built. Four years later the locals tore the dam down and destroyed the mills it helped operate after waters diverted by the dam flood most of Lower Lake and Anderson Ranch.

• 1872 – Legendary ‘Monster of Blue Lakes’ or ‘Devil Fish’ is again spotted and causes Indians from all around to gather at Temescal to await an expected calamity.

• In 1882, Black Bart robs the stage traveling between Lakeport and Cloverdale. During this time period, over 450 Chinese immigrants are employed to work the area’s quicksilver mines.

• 1883 – William ‘Digger’ Jones hanged at Lakeport jail. He is the only white man ever legally hanged by the county.

• 1888 - Lakeport is incorporated. For nearly a century, it is the only incorporated city in Lake County.

• 1892 – Lakeport gets its first telephone.

(Sources) "History of Clear Lake, Mt. Konocti and the Lake County Cattle Industry" by Henry K. Mauldin 1960, "A Description of Lake County California" published by Authority of the Board of Supervisors 1888, "History of Lake County 1881" by Henry Hudson 1881.