Lone Pine, California

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For the series of children's books, see Lone Pine.

Lone Pine is a census-designated place (CDP) in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 1,655 at the 2000 census. The town is located in the Owens Valley, near the Alabama Hills. From possible choices of urban, rural, and frontier, the Census Bureau identifies this area as "frontier." The local hospital, Southern Inyo Hospital, offers standby emergency services.^[1]

On March 26, 1872 a very large earthquake destroyed most of the town and killed 27 of its 250-300 residents (see 1872 Lone Pine earthquake).

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Tourism
4 Transportation
5 References
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Geography

Lone Pine is located at 36°35′11″N, 118°4′14″W (36.586402, -118.070668)^GR1. It is on U.S. Highway 395, the main north-south artery through the Owens Valley, connecting Los Angeles to Reno, Nevada. In addition, Lone Pine is at the junction of Whitney Portal Road and U.S. 395; Whitney Portal is the road which leads to the trailheads to both Mount Whitney and the John Muir Wilderness. Immediately south of Lone Pine is the junction with SR 136, which leads to Death Valley.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 48.5 km² (18.7 mi²). 48.2 km² (18.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.59%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 1,655 people, 709 households, and 448 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 34.3/km² (88.9/mi²). There were 867 housing units at an average density of 18.0/km² (46.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 83.20% White, 0.06% Black or African American, 2.72% Native American, 0.97% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 8.10% from other races, and 4.89% from two or more races. 26.83% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 709 households out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $29,079, and the median income for a family was $35,800. Males had a median income of $30,813 versus $22,778 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,262. About 16.5% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.9% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

The Lone Pine Indian Reservation is believed to be home to persons of Achomawi, Paiute, and Shoshone lineage. The reservation is along the south side of town on both sides of US395. ^[2] ^[3]

[edit] Tourism

The town is home to an Interagency Visitor Center at SR136 and US395. ^[4]

Much of the local economy is based on tourism, since the town is between several major tourist destinations, such as Mammoth, Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Death Valley; many motels line the main road through town.

A local attraction is the Beverly and Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History which exposes the area's frequent appearances in Hollywood feature films. The Alabama Hills, west of town, are frequently used as a location for Westerns and other movies.

The Manzanar National Historic Site (formerly the Manzanar War Relocation Center), a Japanese American internment camp (concentration camp) during World War II, is located on Highway 395 north of Lone Pine and south of Independence, California. Manzanar (which means "apple orchard" in Spanish) is the best-known of the ten camps in which Japanese Americans, both citizens (including natural-born Americans) and resident aliens, were imprisoned during World War II. Manzanar has been identified as the best preserved of these camps by the United States National Park Service which maintains and is restoring the site as a U.S. National Historic Site.

[edit] Transportation

Serving the area with a 4,000 foot runway, Lone Pine Airport (FAA identifier: O26) is located about a mile southeast of town at 36°35′17″N, 118°03′07″W. ^[5] ^[6]

The community is located on U.S. Route 395 north of California State Route 136. Owens Lake is just over six miles south of town on US395. ^[7]

Before the 1950s, the Southern Pacific Railroad, served the town. The railroad ran a 3-foot narrow-gauge line from Inyokern through the Owens Valley. The advent of good, paved roadways in the area undermined the need for a rail line. Some narrrow gauge equipment is on static display at the Laws railroad Museum in Laws, California.

[edit] References

^ Licensed Healthcare Facilities, 2006, California Department of Health Services. This area is defined as being in "California Health Service Area 12."
^ U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer's web site lists California tribal lands.
^ Inyo National Forest, California 1993, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Forest Service Geometronics Service Center, 1989 (GPO 1994-585-901).
^ Inyo National Forest, California 1993, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Forest Service Geometronics Service Center, 1989 (GPO 1994-585-901).
^ U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Southwest Airport Facility Directory, (unknown year).
^ Lone Pine, California, 7.5-minute quadrangle, U.S. Geological Survey, 1994.
^ Lone Pine, California, 7.5-minute quadrangle, U.S. Geological Survey, 1994.