Boron, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Boron
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Location in Kern County and the state of California
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 Boron, California
Location in the United States
Boron, California
Location in California
Boron, California
Location in southern California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Kern |
| Area | |
| • Total | 13.72 sq mi (35.54 km2) |
| • Land | 13.71 sq mi (35.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) 0.15% |
| Elevation | 2,520 ft (770 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,086 |
| • Density | 152.12/sq mi (58.73/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
93516, 93596
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| Area codes | 442/760 |
| FIPS code | 06-07568 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2407886 |
Boron is a small community in Kern County, California, United States. It used to be known by other names like Amargo or Baker. Boron is located about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Red Rock Mountain. It sits at an elevation of about 2,467 feet (752 m).
In 2020, about 2,086 people lived in Boron. The town is named after the element boron. It is famous for having the world's largest source of boric acid, which is a compound made from boron.
Boron is a community located on the western edge of the Mojave Desert. From here, you can easily visit some amazing places. These include the highest point in the United States (Mount Whitney) and the lowest point (Death Valley). You can also see the world's oldest trees, the bristlecone pine. Big cities like Los Angeles and Las Vegas are also just a few hours away.
Boron is home to the U.S. Borax Boron Mine (35°2′34.44″N 117°40′45.41″W / 35.0429000°N 117.6792806°W). This is California's largest open-pit mine. It is also the biggest borax mine in the world.
Contents
Where is Boron Located?
Boron is located right on the border between Kern and San Bernardino Counties. It is along State Route 58. The town is about 65 miles (105 km) north of Palmdale. It's also about 85 miles (137 km) east of Bakersfield. To the west, it's about 40 miles (64 km) from Barstow. Boron is part of the Antelope Valley area in California's Mojave Desert.
The total area of Boron is about 13.82 square miles (35.8 km2). Almost all of this area is land.
Who Lives in Boron?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 2,086 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–1870 1880-1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 |
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Population in 2010
The 2010 United States Census counted 2,253 people living in Boron. Most residents, about 77.5 percent, were White. About 7.2 percent were African American. Native Americans made up 2.2 percent of the population. About 2.1 percent were Asian.
Around 18 percent of the people identified as Hispanic or Latino. All 2,253 people lived in homes.
There were 892 households in Boron. About 33.1 percent of these households had children under 18. The average household had 2.53 people. The average family size was 3.21 people.
The population included 621 young people under 18 years old. There were 173 people aged 18 to 24. About 472 people were between 25 and 44. The largest group, 691 people, were aged 45 to 64. There were 296 people who were 65 years or older. The average age in Boron was 39.3 years.
More than half of the homes, about 56.6 percent, were owned by the people living in them. The rest were rented.
A Look at Boron's Past
The mineral colemanite, a type of borate, was first found in Boron in 1913. This happened when people were drilling a water well. A company called Pacific Coast Borax Company bought the land. They started mining colemanite in 1925. In the 1920s and 1930s, borates were mined from the Baker and West Baker mines.
Boron got its first post office in 1938.
What Industries are in Boron?
A very large deposit of borax was found in 1925. Soon after, the mining town of Boron was created. This borax deposit is now the biggest borax mine in the world. It is owned by Rio Tinto Minerals. This company used to be called U.S. Borax.
The mine is an open-pit mine. This means it's a large hole dug into the ground to get minerals. It's the biggest open-pit mine in California. This mine provides almost half of the world's supply of refined borates. Rio Tinto Minerals is the main employer in Boron. It provides jobs for over 800 people.
Workers at Rio Tinto are part of a union called Local 30 Mine, Mineral and Processing Workers. This union is part of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. In 2010, the workers and Rio Tinto had a disagreement. The workers were not allowed to work for 107 days. But with support from the community, they were able to agree on new terms.
About Six miles (9.7 km) east of Boron, there was once the world's largest solar power plant. This plant was called Kramer Junction Company (KJC). It had five large solar facilities. These facilities made enough electricity to power 30,000 to 40,000 homes during the day. They did this without using fossil fuels.
Fun Things to See and Do
- Saxon Aerospace Museum: This museum celebrates the history of aviation. It focuses on the nearby Edwards Air Force Base and its flight test centers.
- Borax Visitor Center: Located at the Rio Tinto Borax Mine, this center teaches you about borax. You can learn how it's mined and what it's used for.
- Twenty Mule Team Museum: Next to the Saxon Aerospace Museum, this museum tells the story of the Twenty-mule teams. These teams used to haul borax a long time ago.
- Boron Chamber Weather Station: This is a funny weather forecast and a well-known landmark in town.
Community Services
Keeping the Community Safe
The Kern County Sheriff's Department provides law enforcement services in Boron. From 1933 to 1954, officers from a nearby town helped keep Boron safe. In 1963, the sheriff's office opened its own building in Boron. It even had a small jail.
Fire Protection
In 1969, a new fire station, Boron station 17, opened. The Kern County Fire Department operates this station.
Schools in Boron
Boron's schools are part of the Muroc Joint Unified School District. The local schools include West Boron Elementary School for grades K-6. Boron High School teaches students from 7th to 12th grade. The mascot for Boron High School is the Bobcat. The first school in Boron, Gephart School, was built in 1929. It unfortunately burned down in 1994.
Churches in Boron
Boron's first church building was for the First Baptist Church in 1940. Today, Boron has eight churches. These include the Assembly of God Church, Boron Bible Church, and St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
Famous People from Boron
- "Walking George" Swain: George Swain was a chemist at the borax plant. He was known as "Walking George" because he never owned a car or a house. He always walked everywhere. People said he lived in a hole in the desert and kept warm with newspapers. George played the piano for fun and taught piano to children. He was even featured in the Los Angeles Times and on a TV show called Real People. He passed away in 2000.
- Pancho Barnes: Pancho Barnes was a famous air race and stunt pilot in the 1920s and 1930s. She was also known for her club, the Happy Bottom Riding Club. She moved to Boron in 1966 and lived there until 1975. She died in Boron in 1975.
Boron in Movies
The movie Erin Brockovich (2000), starring Julia Roberts, was filmed in Boron. Many local residents even appeared as extras!
Other movies and shows filmed in or near Boron include:
- Locked Out (2010)
- Gentleman Don La Mancha (2004)
- Gridiron Gang (1993) (TV show)
- Neon Signs (1996)
- Death Valley Days (1952–1975) (TV show)
- The Carpetbaggers (1964)
Images for kids
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Old Town Boron sign
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Old Ore Truck on display at the Borax Visitor Center
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Colemanite from the Boron mine. Size: 6.9 x 5.4 x 5.4 cm.
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Rio Tinto Boron mine and plant, 2012
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Boron (right center) and the Rio Tinto Borax mine from the International Space Station, 2013
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Saxon Aerospace Museum
See also
In Spanish: Boron (California) para niños
