kids encyclopedia robot

Ahwahnee, California facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Ahwahnee, California
Aerial view of Ahwahnee
Aerial view of Ahwahnee
Ahwahnee, California is located in California
Ahwahnee, California
Ahwahnee, California
Location in California
Ahwahnee, California is located in the United States
Ahwahnee, California
Ahwahnee, California
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  California
County Madera
Area
 • Total 11.54 sq mi (29.90 km2)
 • Land 11.54 sq mi (29.90 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation
2,326 ft (709 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,296
 • Density 198.91/sq mi (76.80/km2)
Time zone UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP Code
93601
Area code(s) 559
GNIS feature IDs 256142;
2628702
FIPS code 06-00478

Ahwahnee is a small community in Madera County, California, United States. It is a "census-designated place" (CDP), which means it's an area the U.S. Census Bureau defines for collecting statistics. Ahwahnee is located about 5.25 miles (8.45 km) west of Yosemite Forks. It sits at an elevation of 2,326 feet (709 meters) above sea level.

Ahwahnee is a hilly area found within the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The community uses the ZIP Code 93601 and is part of the 559 area code. It is also considered part of the larger MaderaChowchilla Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2020, the population of Ahwahnee was 2,296 people.

History of Ahwahnee

The first post office in Ahwahnee opened in 1893, but it closed a few years later in 1896. The name "Ahwahnee" comes from the Southern Sierra Miwok language. The word awwo means "mouth" in English.

In 1900, the Gertrude post office was moved to Ahwahnee and renamed. It closed again in 1907 but reopened in 1917.

The Harlow Fire of 1961

A very large wildfire, known as the Harlow Fire, swept through Ahwahnee in 1961. This fire caused a lot of damage, destroying 50 out of the 60 buildings in the community.

While the community worked hard to rebuild and recover, the fire was very dangerous. Sadly, two residents lost their lives while trying to escape the fire when their car got stuck on a road.

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
2020 2,296
U.S. Decennial Census

Ahwahnee is home to a diverse group of people. The population figures are collected during the U.S. Census, which happens every ten years.

2010 Census Details

According to the 2010 census, Ahwahnee had a population of 2,246 people. Most of the residents, about 91.9%, identified as White. There were also people who identified as African American, Native American, Asian, and from other races. About 8.7% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The census also showed that nearly everyone, about 99.7% of the population, lived in family homes. There were 898 households in total. Many of these households, about 60.2%, were made up of married couples. The average household had about 2.49 people living in it.

The ages of people in Ahwahnee varied. About 18.7% of the population was under 18 years old. Around 24.8% of the residents were 65 years old or older. The median age, which is the middle age of all residents, was 49.4 years.

Most homes in Ahwahnee were owned by the people living in them. About 79.2% of the occupied homes were owner-occupied, while 20.8% were rented.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Ahwahnee para niños

kids search engine
Ahwahnee, California Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.