Avenal, California
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Avenal is a city in Kings County, California, United States. It is part of the Hanford - Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA Code 25260), which encompasses all of Kings County. The Zip Code for this community is 93204, telephone numbers begin with (559)386-XXXX The population was at the 15,689 2000 census. 7,062 of these residents are inmates at the Avenal State Prison, the first prison actively solicited by a community in the state of California. The remaining residents largely either work at the prison or in the agriculture industry. The prison provides 1,000 jobs to residents. The city's motto is "Oasis in the Sun".
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[edit] History
The City of Avenal was named by Spanish soldiers and explorers. "Avena" means oats or oatfield in Spanish. This area was covered with wild oats, "waist high," that looked like golden silk and covered the Kettleman Plains.
Early American settlers arrived in the Kettleman Hills during the 1850s with dreams of raising cattle and farming. Oil, however, would bring fame, fortune and people to the area. Indians had always known oil was in the hills, with natural seepage around Coalinga and Tar Canyon. The first Kettleman Hills well was drilled in 1900, followed by countless unproductive efforts.
On March 27, 1927, the Milham Exploration Company began work on Elliot No. 1. The crew toiled for 19 months, drilling past the 7,000 foot mark. On October 5, 1928, the well blew out with a roar which was heard 20 miles away, spewing forth an oil so fine that its color was white, and the gasoline could reportedly be used unrefined in automobiles.
The discovery of oil transformed Avenal into a boomtown. In 1929, Standard Oil surveyed the current site of Avenal to build a town. Makeshift houses were hauled in from Taft to take the place of the tents. A water line was laid and later a sewer plant was installed, a post office replaced a cigar box in the general store, a fire department was organized and a community grew. Standard Oil Company built the residents a 600-seat theater and a hospital.
Also in the first year (1929), nearly 20 businesses occupied Kings Street and Skyline Boulevard. By 1936, Avenal boasted a population of 3,000 - mostly oil workers - with 100 businesses and 69 private telephones and numerous community organizations. In 1940, Avenal was the second largest town in Kings County with a population of over 4,000 and was known to have some of the best services and schools in the state.
Although today Avenal and its economy are largely reliant on the Avenal State Prison and agriculture, Avenal was once a booming oil town known as the "Oil Fields Capital."
The teeming life of the oil fields, the forward thrust of civilization into the sun-baked hills so recently in their pristine state meant the early development of nearby towns where adequate living facilities could be provided to care for the fast growing population.
Milham City was projected by a group of Kings County citizens who owned lands on the slope of the hills east of the oil field. It scarcely had emerged from the dream stage when the Standard Oil Company announced in 1929, that a townsite had been set aside on the northwestern slope of the hills and that it would be called Avenal.
Thus the present thriving, interesting little town of Avenal came into being as the "oil capital" of the great field. Roads and streets were surveyed and laid out, water mains were laid, the town was launched on its purposeful career almost overnight.
An emergency hospital was built. Small and large homes were purposefully constructed to enjoy a fuller life in the erstwhile barren plains and trees were planted to provide much needed shade.
On December 5 1929, the first mail arrived at the new Avenal post office located at Moore's Soda Fountain.
Among the first business establishments at Avenal were Koepp's Welding Works, The Republic Supply Company, Mac's Coffee Shop, Moore's Soda Fountain and the Cross Lumber Company. Presently, the town included 26 oil field supply houses, 12 oil field service company branches, 9 grocery stores, 9 service stations, 8 restaurants, 5 welding establishments, 4 builders' supply houses and numerous other enterprises.
While the oil fields and their urban center were populated with industrious, lay-abiding people the problem of keeping the peace and maintaining the dignity of the law existed there just as it does in all other communities where there is life, action and big payrolls. To meet this commonplace problem a township was established and on April 1, 1937, E.W. Oliver was appointed as justice of the peace and William "Bill" Brendal was named constable. Aiding and cooperating with them in the enforcement of the law was Deputy Sherrif Richard "Dick" Doty, who was appointed by Sheriff L.P. Loftis in 1935.
Two other county offices maintained deputies at Avenal for service in the oil fields. They were Orville Robbins, deputy county assessor; and R. W. Zivnuska, deputy county treasurer.
By election in February, 1934, the Avenal Township formed a fire district, which served efficiently both in the town and country districts. The three fire district commissioners originally elected were Ray Mohler, Floyd Rice and Jess Hamilton.
The Avenal district owned one well equipped White fire truck and a half interest with the West Side Fire Protection District, of a 2-ton Reo fire truck. Two full-time drivers were regularly employed and 20 firemen worked call. The firehouse provided living quarters for the employees. Fire chief L. H. Dell was assisted by M. L. Sperling.
By April, 1930, Dr. S. V. Dragoo was the head of the emergency hospital. Dr. Dragoo was assisted by one office worker and two nurses, having two special nurses on call. Between five and six hundred calls per month with about thirty accident cases are handled by this organization, not to mention the ambulance service extended.
Appointed postmistress in November, 1931, Mrs. Marie Eads served in that office until July 1933, when she resigned and Charles E. Day was appointed. The postoffice later occupied a two-story building leased by the Standard Oil Company in 1935. Later in Avenal's history, the Post Office leased a space adjacent to Finster's Market (later T&T Market). In the late 1990s, the Post Office was relocated to its current location near the intersection of Skyline Blvd and San Joaquin Street.
The collapse of oil and gas production came with the intrusion of salt water into the oil reservoir, leaving 65 to 70 percent of the North Dome of the Kettleman Hills still undisturbed.
In 1953, oil companies with holdings in the area fields unitized, naming Standard Oil to operate the fields. Avenal's economy dwindled and with it, many stores, buildings and houses were vacated until the 1960s when an influx of agricultural workers made a major impact on Avenal and surrounding area.
The 1970s saw two substantial projects that had significant impacts on the city: the completion of the California Aqueduct which brought in needed water to the westside, and the opening of Interstate 5.
The citizen's of Avenal voted for incorporation in September, 1979, and while going through the early stages of being a new City, the citizens pursued and were successful in bringing a state prison to Avenal. Avenal State Prison was constructed and opened in 1987. The prison is a vital part of the community, which employs well over 1,000 people from this area. The building of the facility dramatically increased the City's total valuation with construction, improvements and activity that could be seen in every area of the City.
Construction has been completed on the renovation of Skyline Boulevard (SR 269) in the City's joint effort with Caltrans. Avenal has also completed a massive public improvement project with the development of 52 miles of new curb, gutters and sidewalks throughout the City.
The City has been actively pursuing industrial development and is looking at future development of the Interstate 5 interchange area for both commercial and industrial uses.
Avenal is situated 180 miles north of Los Angeles and 200 miles south of both San Francisco and Sacramento - the City boasts at being located, "Half the way from the Bay to L.A."
Although Avenal's future is no longer closely related to oil, it will always mark its beginnings from "the day Milham came in," and the cigar box on the counter of the general store which was its first post office.
[edit] Geography
Avenal is located at (36.025086, -120.120605).GR1
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 49.5 km² (19.1 mi²), all land.
Avenal is a small city of approximately 16,187 people. Avenal owes its origin to the discovery of oil on 4 October 1928. Avenal was the site of a "tent city" as the boom started, but foresight made the boom orderly, so that by 1940 Avenal was the second largest town in Kings County with a population of 4,600.
Growth continues today to include a more diversified economy based on oil, agriculture, and the service industry. In 1978, Avenal citizens voted to incorporate and improve the quality of life for all Avenal residents. The presence of the Avenal State Prison helps this rural community maintain economic stability
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 15,689 people, 1,928 households, and 1,640 families residing in the city. The population density was 296.3/km² (767.3/mi²). There were 2,061 housing units at an average density of 41.6/km² (107.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 35.84% White, 12.61% Black or African American, 0.95% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 47.38% from other races, and 2.79% from two or more races. 65.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,928 households out of which 60.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.9% were non-families. 11.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.14 and the average family size was 4.30.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 13.5% from 18 to 24, 46.5% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 3.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 289.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 403.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,710, and the median income for a family was $28,019. Males had a median income of $30,802 versus $20,852 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,090. About 28.3% of families and 30.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.4% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
All of the schools in the city of Avenal are under the Reef-Sunset Unified School District (RSUSD) located at 205 N. Park Ave, Avenal CA, 93204. Superintendent: Dr. Nancy A. Mellor.
The schools in this district are:
Avenal Elementary School (K-5) Mascot: Wildcat,
Tamarack Elementary School (K-3) Mascot: Tiger,
Reef-Sunset Middle School (6-8) Mascot: Diamondback,
Avenal High School (9-12) Mascot: Buccaneers,
Sunrise Continuation School (9-12) Mascot: Golden Eagles
Adelante Continuation School (9-12) Mascot: N/A,
and Kettleman City Elemantary School (K-8) Mascot: Coyote.
Note: Kettleman City students go to Avenal High School after finishing grades K-8.
West Hills Community College is located in Coalinga about 18 miles northwest of Avenal.
[edit] Government
City of Avenal 919 Skyline Blvd., Avenal, CA 93204
City Council
Sid Craighead Mayor
Ray Elliott Mayor ProTem
Harlin Casida
Alfred Lara
Monica Barrera
Meets 2nd & 4th Thursday, 7:00 p.m.
Planning Commission
James Jepsen Chairperson
Bill Woolley
Randy Mullen
Sheryl Gustofson
Dalene Stacey
Meets 1st Monday, 6:00 p.m.
City Staff
Melissa Whitten City Manager
Esther Strong Finance Director
Nina Garza City Clerk
Steve Sopp Community Development Director
Jerry Watson Public Works Director
Rick Cunningham Utilities Superintendent
Dean Morrow Sheriff Commander
Al Ybarra Fire Commander
Mike Farley Legal Counsel
United States Postal Service
913 East San Joaquin Street, Avenal, CA 93204
Kings County Public Library Avenal Branch
501 East Kings Street, Avenal CA, 93204
[edit] External links
- Avenal State Prison
- http://www.avenalsanddrags.com/
- http://rsusd.net/
- Maps and aerial photos
- 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
Incorporated places: Hanford (County seat) • Avenal • Corcoran • Lemoore
Census-designated places: Armona • Home Garden • Kettleman City • Lemoore Station • Stratford
