Lafayette, California

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Lafayette, California
Location of Lafayette in California.
Coordinates: 37°53′28″N, 122°06′42″W
Country	United States
State	California
County	Contra Costa
Government
- Mayor	Ivor Samson
Area
- City	15.4 sq mi (39.9 km²)
- Land	15.2 sq mi (39.4 km²)
- Water	0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
Elevation	320 ft (97.5 m)
Population (2000)
- City	23,908
- Density	1,572.9/sq mi (606.8/km²)
Time zone	PST (UTC-8)
- Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
Website: http://www.ci.lafayette.ca.us/

Lafayette is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city's population was 23,908. The city is named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, the French military hero of the American Revolutionary War, and is one of many U.S. cities to be so named.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Demographics 4 Cross Memorial 5 Schools 6 Notable citizens 7 Infamous Citizens 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

[edit] History

Before the colonization of the region by Spain, Lafayette and its vicinity were inhabited by the Saclan tribe of the indigenous Bay Miwok. Ohlone also populated some of the areas along Lafayette Creek.^[1] The indigenous inhabitants' first contact with Europeans was in the late 1700s with the founding of Catholic missions in the region. These initial contacts developed into conflict, with years of armed struggle, including a battle on what is currently Lafayette soil in 1797 between the Saclan and the Spanish, and eventually resulting in the subjugation of the native population. Most of what is currently Lafayette was given as a land grant, Rancho Acalanes (the name seems to have come from the name of a native village in the area, Ahala-n), to Candelario Valencia in 1834, by the Mexican government, which then controlled the region. ^[2]

American settlement started with the arrival of Elam Brown, who purchased Rancho Acalanes in 1848. Steadily growing from the influx of American settlers, in 1857 the community of Acalanus acquired its own post office and renamed itself La Fayette. (changed to the modern spelling of Lafayette in 1932). ^[3] In the early 1860s, Lafayette was briefly the site of a station for the Pony Express. During the mid-1900s, Lafayette was transformed from an agricultural village into a commuter town, and was incorporated in 1968.

[edit] Geography

Lafayette is located at 37°53′28″N, 122°6′42″W (37.891224, -122.111615)^GR1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 39.9 km² (15.4 mi²). 39.4 km² (15.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (1.36%) is water.

The city is part of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and has its own station on the BART public transit system. Lafayette is situated between Walnut Creek, Moraga, and Orinda, and, together with the latter two towns, is considered locally as part of "Lamorinda."

Lafayette is separated from greater Berkeley and Oakland by the Berkeley Hills (and the Caldecott Tunnel running beneath), a geographical boundary within the East Bay which also represents interesting meteorological, cultural, and political distinctions. The climate differences can be striking: during the summer, temperatures can soar beyond 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Lafayette and its neighboring cities while the areas west of the hills and nearer to the bay remain up to 20 degrees cooler. The region directly east of the hills is generally known for its more suburban or rural atmosphere, and features rolling, grassy hills which highlight a more peaceful and domestic aura. In the southwestern part of Lafayette, is the Lafayette Reservoir, and Briones Regional Park extends into the northern part of Lafayette. Although still a Democratic stronghold, Lafayette's politics are far more moderate than those of Berkeley and Oakland.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 23,908 people, 9,152 households, and 6,754 families residing in the city. The population density was 607.3/km² (1,572.5/mi²). There were 9,334 housing units at an average density of 237.1/km² (613.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.81% White, 0.55% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 8.23% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 3.30% from two or more races. 3.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,152 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 30.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $102,107, and the median income for a family was $120,364. Males had a median income of $90,067 versus $51,855 for females. The per capita income for the city was $54,319. About 2.1% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Cross Memorial

In November 2006, area residents began placing crosses on a hill overlooking the Lafayette BART station and Highway 24 to "to represent and memorialize the American soldiers who have died in the ongoing Iraqi war." ^[4] As of March 2007, there are over 3,200 crosses in place, one for each of the troops who have died in Iraq, and there is also a large sign displaying the total number of deaths. The memorial has generated public attention, media coverage and counter-protests due to its visibility from the commuter thoroughfare below.^[5]

[edit] Schools

• Lafayette Elementary School
• Burton Valley Elementary
• Happy Valley Elementary School
• Springhill Elementary School
• Acalanes High School
• Campolindo High School
• Bentley High School
• Stanley Middle School
• Contra Costa Jewish Day School

[edit] Notable citizens

• Glenn Seaborg, chemist prominent in the discovery of several transuranic elements
• Will Forte, actor, writer, and comedian best known for being a Saturday Night Live player
• Alexander Shulgin, chemist best known for his use and discovery of hundreds of psychoactive compounds
• Frankie Beverly, Internationally acclaimed singer and songwriter, known primarily for his recordings with the band Maze.
• Eddie Money, American musician, resides in Lafayette.
• Joe Montana, Famous professional football player for the San Francisco 49ers.
• Randy Spratt, CIO of Mckesson.
• Frank & Irene Malley, Businessman and Philanthropist
• Brent Mydland, Musician, lived in Lafayette for a time before dying in 1990.

[edit] Infamous Citizens

• Scott Dyleski, Murderer of Pamela Vitale

[edit] See also

• Lafayette hillside memorial

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• City of Lafayette website
• Lafayette schools
• School district website
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 37.891224° -122.111615°
  • 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