Lewiston, California

Lewiston
census-designated place
Location in Trinity County and the state of California
Lewiston Location in the United States
Coordinates: 40°41′57″N 122°48′38″W / 40.69917°N 122.81056°W / 40.69917; -122.81056Coordinates: 40°41′57″N 122°48′38″W / 40.69917°N 122.81056°W / 40.69917; -122.81056
Country	United States
State	California
County	Trinity
Area[1]
• Total	20.009 sq mi (51.824 km2)
• Land	20.009 sq mi (51.824 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation	1,814 ft (553 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	1,193
• Density	60/sq mi (23/km2)
Time zone	Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
• Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP code	96052
Area code(s)	530
FIPS code	06-41278
GNIS feature ID	0277538

Lewiston is a census-designated place (CDP) in Trinity County, California, United States. The population was 1,193 at the 2010 census, down from 1,305 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Lewiston is located at 40°41′57″N 122°48′38″W / 40.69917°N 122.81056°W / 40.69917; -122.81056 (40.699213, -122.810684).^[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 51.8 square kilometers (20.0 sq mi), all land.

Climate

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Lewiston has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.^[3]

History

A post office called Lewiston has been in operation since 1854.^[4] The community was named after Benjamin Franklin Lewis, adopted son of town founder, Tom Palmer, who, with Lewis, ran a gold mining operation on the Trinity River in the early days of the Gold Rush. Lewiston's Online Pioneer Museum: www.oldlewistonschoolhouse.org

Demographics

2010

The 2010 United States Census^[6] reported that Lewiston had a population of 1,193. The population density was 59.6 people per square mile (23.0/km²). The racial makeup of Lewiston was 1,074 (90.0%) White, 8 (0.7%) African American, 37 (3.1%) Native American, 6 (0.5%) Asian, 5 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 21 (1.8%) from other races, and 42 (3.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 78 persons (6.5%).

The Census reported that 1,193 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 553 households, out of which 112 (20.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 267 (48.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 45 (8.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 20 (3.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 44 (8.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 3 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 177 households (32.0%) were made up of individuals and 63 (11.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16. There were 332 families (60.0% of all households); the average family size was 2.70.

The population was spread out with 202 people (16.9%) under the age of 18, 63 people (5.3%) aged 18 to 24, 212 people (17.8%) aged 25 to 44, 459 people (38.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 257 people (21.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.4 years. For every 100 females there were 102.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.6 males.

There were 696 housing units at an average density of 34.8 per square mile (13.4/km²), of which 404 (73.1%) were owner-occupied, and 149 (26.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 10.2%. 838 people (70.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 355 people (29.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census^[7] of 2000, there were 1,305 people, 542 households, and 388 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 37.7 people per square mile (14.6/km²). There were 654 housing units at an average density of 18.9 per square mile (7.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.89% White, 0.23% African American, 2.61% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 1.76% from other races, and 4.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.67% of the population.

There were 542 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the CDP, the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,500, and the median income for a family was $33,889. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,214. About 16.5% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.5% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

In the California State Legislature, Lewiston is in the 2nd Senate District, represented by Democrat Mike McGuire,^[8] and the 2nd Assembly District, represented by Democrat Jim Wood.^[9]

In the United States House of Representatives, Lewiston is in California's 2nd congressional district, represented by Democrat Jared Huffman.^[10]

Neighborhoods

• ”Skinner's Hill”

-Henrietta Road, Cascade Drive, Hilltop Drive, several smaller streets-
Local residents of this hilltop neighborhood balk at its modern-day moniker, “Lewiston Heights.” But with stunning views of the Lewiston Valley among its many attributes, homeowners here have much to brag about. Who, exactly, that Skinner fellow was, is anybody's guess, however.

• Lewiston Subdivision

-Texas Avenue, Freemont Street, series of numbered streets in grid pattern-
The town's largest concentration of its population lies amid this series of tract homes built in the lead up to the construction of the nearby dam system, which housed the workers and their families back in the day. More than a hundred houses and a newer apartment complex comprise this neighborhood.

• Bucktail Subdivision

-Browns Mountain Road, Bucktail Drive, Salmon Drive, Steelhead Circle-
Residents who seek easy river access but eschew the historical trappings of old town have chosen to settle in this tiny enclave a few miles west of the town center. Two inlets, one off Lewiston Road, the other from the direction of Brown's Mountain, on the opposite side of the Trinity River, allow easy access to this small concentration of tract homes.

• Lewiston Historic District (Old Town)

-Deadwood Road, Lew. Turnpike Road, Schoolhouse Road, Viola Lane, (Old) Lewiston Road-
Much of Lewiston's Gold Rush past can be traced to this small patch of land by the Trinity River where B. F. Lewis and Tom Palmer planted their roots in the early-1850s, true Trinity County pioneers both. Several of the town's original structures still stand today, which include inhabited private homes as well as active business locales.

• Pine Cove

-Trinity Dam Blvd. (north of Lewiston)-
Consisting of a marina and an attached RV park, this lakeside resort community lies about six miles north of town and is home to many retirees, commuters and the occasional “snowbird.”

• Salt Flat

-Salt Flat Road, Upper Salt Flat, Chief George Meadow-
A series of newer homes numbering in the teens dot the hillside just across the river in this secluded, and well-shaded neighborhood.

• Mountain View

-Mountain View Drive, several smaller roads-
Overlooking the Lewiston Subdivision, and one of the first inhabited areas of Lewiston that one encounters when entering the town from the south, this quiet neighborhood is accessible only from Trinity Dam Blvd.

• Upper Deadwood

-Deadwood Road (east of Lewiston)-
This mostly-gravel and at-many-points-treacherous-in-winter-months inlet was the town's very first connector road to points east during Lewiston's formative years. It passes through nearby Deadwood, a bonafide California ghost town not far from the dormant Brown Bear Mine.

• Mud Ranch

-Lewiston Road, Baker Road-
From the historic Baker House on Lewiston Road to the tiny residential neighborhood nestled in the woods just a few blocks to the north of there lies the erstwhile ranch in its entirety, all surrounded by acre upon acre of pasture land that makes up the bulk of the Lewiston Valley, along a stretch of roadway where some of the town's earliest settlers built their homes.

• Grass Valley

-Coffin Lane, Wellock Road, Ponderosa Pines, Lowden View-
Once home to Lewiston founder, B. F. Lewis, just prior to his family's exodus to Oregon in the 1870s, this quaint, woodsy neighborhood northwest of town lies at the base of Ohio Hill.

• Lowden Ranch

-Lewiston Road, Lowden Bridge Road (defunct)-
-GONE- (See the Trinity County Historical Record for information about this historic site.)

Significant sites and events

• Lewiston is home to California's third largest reservoir the Trinity Dam
• The Trinity River flows through the heart of Lewiston, directly under the Old Lewiston Bridge
• Lewiston Lake is located along Trinity Dam Boulevard and is considered primarily a fishing and camping area, only ventured into as a swimming destination for those that can withstand the frigid water.
• Just above Lewiston Lake and Trinity Dam, Trinity Lake is located. It is a popular summer time destination, great for fishing, camping, boating, and swimming.
• Every November, after Thanksgiving, the town hosts a Holiday Bridge Lighting where there is a fireworks display, the bridge is adorned in Christmas lights, there are booths from local vendors and school fundraisers, and Santa crosses the bridge allowing youngsters to take their picture with him.
• Official Website of Lewiston: www.oldlewistonschoolhouse.org

Cell Phone Coverage

Currently lacking cell towers, Lewiston is one of the many cellular dead zones found in this remote mountain terrain, quickly discovered by drivers who turn off of Highway 299 and enter any of the numerous smaller mountain roads throughout the area. The town does have two known hot spots for cellular phone connectivity, however. One of the publicly-accessible “phone booths” consists of a gravel-covered turnout on Trinity Dam Boulevard, near the Mountain View turnoff, just south of town. The other hot spot is more like a “hot strip”, and can be found at numerous places along a short stretch of Lewiston Road, between the Lewiston Elementary School and the Baker Road turnoff, about two blocks west of the campus. A wide turnout nearby, where drivers can “park and dial”, is a godsend for travelers visiting Lewiston who find themselves in need of telephone service.

References