Willits, California

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Willits is a city in Mendocino County, California, United States. The population was 5,073 at the 2000 census.

The city is the eastern terminus of the California Western Railroad (otherwise known as the "Skunk Train"), running through the Coast Redwood forests to coastal Fort Bragg. Willits is at the center of Mendocino County and its redwood forests, calling itself " the "Heart of Mendocino County and Gateway to the Redwoods."

Willits is the home of the Frontier Days & Rodeo, the oldest continuous rodeo in California (held every July), Roots of Motive Power Locomotive Museum and the Mendocino County Museum. Willits was the final home of the racehorse Seabiscuit: Ridgewood Ranch, where Seabiscuit trained, recuperated, and lived out his retirement, is located a few miles south of the city.

The city is the hometown of Tré Cool, drummer for the band Green Day.

Outside of the city is a Boy Scouts Of America camp called Camp Wente.

[edit] Geography

Willits is at the center of Mendocino County in the Little Lake Valley, 20 miles (32 km) north of Ukiah on U.S. Route 101 (otherwise known as the Redwood Highway). The mountains to the west cause Willits to have a cool winter, hot summer climate. The town is located at 39°24′16″N, 123°21′3″W (39.404357, -123.350947)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.3 km² (2.8 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 5,073 people, 1,935 households, and 1,230 families residing in the city. The population density was 699.5/km² (1,813.7/mi²). There were 2,013 housing units at an average density of 277.6/km² (719.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.72% White, 0.63% African American, 3.53% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 7.08% from other races, and 3.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.69% of the population.

There were 1,935 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,283, and the median income for a family was $36,193. Males had a median income of $30,983 versus $22,089 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,642. About 11.6% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] External links

• Willits Chamber of Commerce
• California Western Railroad - "The Skunk Train"
• Mendocino County Museum
• Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation - tours of Ridgewood Ranch
• Roots of Motive Power Locomotive Museum
• Willits Library
• Willits Playgroup

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 39.404357° -123.350947°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

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