Dixon, California

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City of Dixon, California
Official seal of City of Dixon, California
Seal
Location in Solano County and the state of California
Location in Solano County and the state of California
Coordinates: 38°26′57″N 121°49′37″W / 38.44917, -121.82694
Country United States
State California
County Solano
Government
 - Mayor Mary Ann Courville
 - Senate Michael Machado (D)
 - Assembly Lois Wolk (D)
 - U. S. Congress Ellen Tauscher (D)
Area
 - Total 6.7 sq mi (17.3 km²)
 - Land 6.6 sq mi (17.1 km²)
 - Water 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
Elevation 62 ft (19 m)
Population (2000)
 - Total 16,103
 - Density 2,434.1/sq mi (939.2/km²)
Time zone PST (UTC−8)
 - Summer (DST) PDT (UTC−7)
ZIP code 95620
Area code(s) 707
FIPS code 06-19402
GNIS feature ID 1655973
Website: http://www.ci.dixon.ca.us/

Dixon is a city in northern Solano County, California, United States, located 23 miles from the state capital, Sacramento. The population was 16,103 at the 2000 census. Other nearby cities include Vacaville, Winters and Davis.

The city was originally supposed to be named Dicksonville, after local citizen Thomas Dickson whose land had been donated to create a railroad depot. The first rail shipment of merchandise from San Francisco arrived in 1872 mistakenly addressed to “Dixon,” and the new spelling has been used since mainly out of "simplicity." Dixon is also home to the May Fair, the longest running annual fair in the state of California. It is held at the Dixon Fairgrounds in May, with the four day event ending each year on Mother's Day.

Dixon is also the home of the Gymboree Corporation's only Distribution Center, servicing all stores and customers around the world.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Dixon is located at 38°26′57″N, 121°49′37″W (38.449108, -121.826872)[1].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.7 square miles (17.3 km²), of which, 6.6 square miles (17.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.90%) is water. In the year 2007 Dixon housed the World's Largest Cornfed Farmers Maze (deemed by the Guinness Book of World Records) [2]


Dixon is currently the most obese city in the nation. Dixon is also in a steep recession with no end in sight. The citizens of Dixon are heavly involved in area beautifaction projects for no reason other than to please the Mayor of Dixon. Dixon also has the most McDonalds per square mile of anywhere in the Nation. Students in Dixon are known for failing school twice before finally being kicked out.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 16,103 people, 5,073 households, and 4,164 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,434.1 people per square mile (939.2/km²). There were 5,172 housing units at an average density of 781.8/sq mi (301.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.51% White, 1.93% Black or African American, 0.99% Native American, 3.11% Asian, 0.30% Pacific Islander, 17.87% from other races, and 5.29% from two or more races. 33.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,073 households out of which 47.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.0% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.9% were non-families. 13.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.17 and the average family size was 3.45.

In the city the population is concentrated among adults 25 to 44 (32.2%) and children under age 18 (32%). Only 8.5% of the population is aged 18 to 24; 20.0% from 45 to 64; and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $54,472, and the median income for a family was $58,849. Males had a median income of $42,286 versus $30,378 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,139. About 5.2% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Transportation

Interstate 80 passes through Dixon.

The Union Pacific Railroad mainline between Oakland and Sacramento also passes through Dixon. This line was owned by Southern Pacific Railroad until its merger with Union Pacific on September 11, 1996. The track was constructed in 1868 by the California Pacific Railroad.

Amtrak Capitol Corridor also passes through Dixon over the UP mainline but the nearest station stops are at Davis and Fairfield/Suisun. Amtrak's California Zephyr and Coast Starlight also pass through Dixon without stopping.

In 2006, the City of Dixon finished construction on a train station near downtown Dixon. However, there are currently no scheduled stops at the station.

[edit] Radio Transmissions

The Voice Of America ran a shortwave transmitter site that was formerly owned and operated by NBC as KNBA from 1963-1982. NBC built the site in 1944 not too long before the end of WWII IN 1945. The station served as a relay to both NBC International programming overseas, and as a relay of KNBR and it's programming overseas, mostly the Pacific area. [1]

[edit] Schools

High School

  • Dixon High (Opened 2007)
  • Maine Prairie High School (continuation school)

Middle School

  • C.A. Jacobs Intermediate
  • Neighborhood Christian

Elementary Schools

  • Silveyville (Closed 2008)
  • Anderson
  • Gretchen Higgins
  • Tremont
  • Neighborhood Christian
  • Dixon Montessori Charter School

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links