Caliente, Nevada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Caliente, Nevada
City
The historic Caliente Railroad Depot, January 2007
Nickname(s):  City of Roses
Location of Caliente, Nevada
Caliente, Nevada Location in Nevada Show map of Nevada Caliente, Nevada Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Nevada
County	Lincoln
Area
• Total	53.02 sq mi (137.33 km2)
• Land	53.02 sq mi (137.33 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	4,406 ft (1,343 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	990
• Density	18.67/sq mi (7.21/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP code	89008
Area code(s)	775
FIPS code	32-08500
GNIS feature ID	0847266

Caliente /kæliˈɛnti/, formerly known as Culverwell and Calientes, is a city in Lincoln County, Nevada, United States. Its elevation is 4,300 feet (1,300 m). The population was 1,130 at the 2010 census, making it the least populated incorporated city in Nevada. The city's name originated from the nearby hot springs, as "caliente" is the Spanish word meaning "hot".

History

Caliente was founded in 1901 on Culverwell Ranch (or just "Culverwell"), built on land owned by William and Charles Culverwell. The town was initially given the name of "Calientes", due to the hot springs present in the area, but later in the year a post office was erected and workers removed the "s" from the name of the town. In 1905, the Union Pacific Railroad was completed, followed by the construction of the train depot in the style of Spanish mission architecture. The train depot, built in 1923, is now home to some city and county offices and a museum that exhibits historical information. Caliente once reached a peak of over 5,000 residents, but declined in the late 1940s as a result of rail dieselization.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,123 people, 408 households, and 241 families residing in the city. The population density was 603.7 inhabitants per square mile (233.1/km²). There were 479 housing units at an average density of 257.5 per square mile (99.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.27% White, 1.96% Black or African American, 3.03% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 3.56% from other races, and 3.47% from two or more races. 7.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino or of any type of race.

There were 408 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 39.1% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 17.5% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,833, and the median income for a family was $38,667. Males had a median income of $39,500 versus $24,688 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,555. About 17.3% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 17.9% of those age 65 or over.

Geography and climate

South along U.S. Route 93 in Caliente, January 2015

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 54.8 square miles (141.9 km²), all of it land.

Caliente has a high-desert climate typical for a location around 4,000 feet (1,200 m) in elevation. Winters are chilly, but only moderately cold. Summers are characterized by blazing sunshine, long days, cool nights, and high diurnal temperature range. January highs average in the mid 40s, while July averages mid 90s.

A majority of precipitation occurs in the winter months (Nov - March) due to the yearly dip of the jetstream bringing Pacific storms. Temperatures in summer are very warm to hot. The July average of 95.4 °F (35.2 °C) means that 100-degree days are a common occurrence in a typical summer. The elevation, aridity, and clear skies allow intense radiative cooling, even in midsummer. This means hot days are followed by mild evenings. Southerly monsoon rains from mid-July through September bring thunderstorms, increased dew points, and flash flooding.

Attractions

• Caliente is located near Kershaw–Ryan State Park. This park contains hiking trails, campgrounds, volleyball courts, picnic pavilions, horseshoe pits, a playground, and a small natural swimming pool.
• The Caliente Railroad Depot is a two-story Union Pacific Railroad depot next to the rail line. It houses the city's offices, a library, and a gallery.

Outdoor recreation

Caliente is home to extensive outdoor recreation opportunities. As of mid-2020, there are approximately 30 miles of purpose-built singletrack mountain bike trail in and around town, bringing mountain bikers from across the country to enjoy the wild, isolated Nevada desert. There are thousands of miles of motorized off-road track and trail, and several large motorized races and events are hosted in Caliente each year. Rainbow Canyon and Big Rocks Wilderness offer a wide variety of rock climbing routes, while nearby Eagle Valley Reservoir boasts fishing and boating.

See also

In Spanish: Caliente (Nevada) para niños