Grass Valley, California

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Grass Valley, California
settlement_type = City


imagesize =
image_caption = The historic Holbrooke Hotel and Restaurant
image_

---

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location in Nevada County and the state of California


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_name1 = California
subdivision_name2 = Nevada
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
established_date =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 10.6
area_total_sq_mi = 4.1
area_land_km2 = 10.6
area_land_sq_mi = 4.1
area_water_km2 = 0
area_water_sq_mi = 0
elevation_ft = 2411
elevation_m = 735
population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_total = 18,271
population_metro =
population_density_km2 = 1030.4
population_density_sq_mi = 2663.9
timezone = Pacific (PST)
utc_offset = -8
latd = 39 |latm = 13 |lats = 9 |latNS = N
longd = 121 |longm = 3 |longs = 30 |longEW = W
timezone_DST = PDT
utc_offset_DST = -7
postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 95945, 95949
area_code = 530
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 06-30798
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0277525
footnotes =
website =

Grass Valley (originally Centreville) is a city in Nevada County, California, United States. The population was 14,922 at the 2006 census.

Geography

Grass Valley is located at coor dms|39|13|9|N|121|3|30|W|city (39.219215, -121.058414)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

"Note: Current estimates on population are ~11,100. (May 2007)"

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 10,922 people, 5,016 households, and 2,678 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,660.2 people per square mile (1,026.0/km²). There were 5,266 housing units at an average density of 1,282.6/sq mi (494.7/km²).

The racial makeup of the city was 91.91% White, 6.56% Hispanic, or Latino, 3.71% from two or more races, 0.27% Black or African American, 1.34% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, and 1.66% from other races Grass Valley also has a strong connection to Cornish culture and ancestry, since many people from Cornwall in the United Kingdom emigrated here in the 18th and 19th centuries (see Cornish emigration).

Out of the 5,016 households, 46.6% were non-families, 39.1% of all households were made up of individuals, 32.4% were married couples living together, 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, and 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.80 people.

The population was spread out with 23.3% under age 18, 9.3% ages 18 to 24, 25.1% ages 25 to 44, 20.3% ages 45 to 64, and 22.0% age 65 and older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 81.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.1 males.

The median household income was $28,182, while the median family income was $33,220. The median income for males was $32,568 compared to $21,915 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,877. About 12.9% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

In the state legislature Grass Valley is located in the 4th Senate District, represented by Republican Sam Aanestad, and in the 4th Assembly District, represented by Republican Ted Gaines. Federally, Grass Valley is located in California's 4th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of R +11 [cite web | title = Will Gerrymandered Districts Stem the Wave of Voter Unrest? | publisher = Campaign Legal Center Blog | url=http://www.clcblog.org/blog_item-85.html | accessdate = 2007-10-20] and is represented by Republican John Doolittle.

Transportation

Grass Valley is at the intersection of State Route 49 and State Route 20. Public transportation is served by the Gold Country Stage [http://new.mynevadacounty.com/transit/] and is limited to the urban areas.

History

Grass Valley dates from the California Gold Rush, as does nearby Nevada City. It was originally named Centreville when a post office was established in 1851, but renamed Grass Valley the following year. The town incorporated in 1860.cite book |title=California's Gold Country: Includes Mariposa, Tuolumne, Calaveras, Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sierra & Nevada Counties |last=Durham |first=David L. |year=2000 |publisher=Quill Driver Books |location=Clovis, Calif. |isbn=188499525X |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=3UzX2WzeX0IC&pg=PA133&lpg=PA133&dq=%22grass+valley%22+centreville&source=web&ots=Smwgd1X6x7&sig=--41DYEszwJYi-ZGu0Xx-uIt0aA&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result |pages=p.133]

Grass Valley is the location of the Empire Mine, one of the richest mines in California. Many of those who came to settle in Grass Valley were tin miners from Cornwall. They were attracted to the California gold fields because the same skills needed for deep tin mining were needed for hardrock (deep) gold mining. Many of them specialized in pumping the water out of very deep mining shafts. This coincided with a glut in Cornish tin mining.

Grass Valley still holds on to its Cornish heritage, with events such as its annual Cornish Christmas and St Piran's Day celebrations. [cite news |url=http://theunion.com/article/20080310/NEWS/940777161 |title=Flight of the pasty |last=Moberly |first=Greg |date=2008-03-10 |publisher=The Union |accessdate=2008-03-12] Pasties are a local favorite dish with a few restaurants in town specializing in recipes handed down from the original immigrant generation.

There was formerly a Roman Catholic diocese of Grass Valley. [cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=D2oQAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA294&lpg=PA294&dq=orphanage+%22grass+valley%22&source=web&ots=rX1zdoOilH&sig=kdJ_pNfskBAxscilUGvsXFayWjg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result |title=The Catholic Encyclopedia |accessdate=2008-08-01 |last=Herbermann |first=Charles George |pages=294 |date=1913 |work= |publisher=Universal Knowledge Foundation]

Notable residents

* Gallant Bess, a horse rescued by a U.S. Navy sailor during World War II, whose account was turned into a movie of the same name.
* Hunter Burgan bassist of the band AFI
* Lotta Crabtree 19th century actress
* Jonathan Dayton director "Little Miss Sunshine"
*Lyman Gilmore became the first person to fly a powered airplane (a steam-powered glider). Lyman Gilmore Middle School is located in Grass Valley and listed as a Historical site.
*Fred Hargesheimer, former World War II pilot, philanthropist
* Bill Hotchkiss, college professor, poet, and novelist, author of "Medicine Calf," based on the life of Jim Beckwourth.
* Lola Montez 19th century dancer
* Hans Ostrom, writer and professor.
* Jim Pagliaroni, former professional baseball player, catcher of a perfect game pitched by Jim "Catfish" Hunter.
* Mike Pinder, keyboard player, song writer, singer and founder of the Moody Blues.
* Dennis Richmond, retired Oakland television news anchor.
* John Rollin Ridge (1827-1867), Native American writer, is buried in Grass Valley.
* Josiah Royce philosopher
* Chris Senn professional skateboarder
* Jeremy Sisto actor
* Wallace Stegner (1903-1993) set his Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel "Angle of Repose" (1971) in Grass Valley.
* John Thomson author
* Jim Tucker, a guitarist for the group, The Turtles.
* Chuck Yeager, an ace fighter pilot and the first man to break the speed of sound in the Bell X-1.
* Ricky Williams, professional American football player for the Miami Dolphins of the NFL, yoga teacher.

Economy

The Grass Valley Group is a research and development company founded in the city in 1958, specializing in video amplifiers and television switchers. Some of its technology appeared on-screen in the 1977 film "". The company is now a subsidiary of Thomson SA. [ [http://www.thomsongrassvalley.com/ Thomson Grass Valley official site] ]

Designated historical landmarks

* Empire Mine State Historic Park (CHL#298)
* Grass Valley Public Library (NRHP#92000267)
* Holbrooke Hotel (CHL#914)
* Home of Lola Montez (CHL#292)
* Home of Lotta Crabtree (CHL#293)
* Mount Saint Mary's Convent and Academy (CHL#855)
* North Star Mine Powerhouse (CHL#843)
* Overland Emigrant Trail (CHL#799)
* Site of the First Discoveries of Quartz Gold in California (CHL#297)

Town Twinning

*flagicon|United Kingdom Bodmin, United Kingdom

References

External links

* [http://www.theunion.com/ The Union - Local newspaper]
* [http://www.cityofgrassvalley.com/ City of Grass Valley Official Site]