Camp Nelson, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Camp Nelson, California
census-designated place
Location of Camp Nelson in Tulare County, California.
Camp Nelson, California Location in California Show map of California Camp Nelson, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	California
County	Tulare
Area
• Total	1.24 sq mi (3.21 km2)
• Land	1.24 sq mi (3.21 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation	4,898 ft (1,493 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	106
• Density	85.62/sq mi (33.05/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	93265
Area code(s)	559
GNIS feature IDs	1660426; 2585405

Camp Nelson is a small community in Tulare County, California. It is a special type of place called a census-designated place. This means it is a community that the government counts for population, but it is not an official city or town.

Camp Nelson is about 12 miles (19 km) east of Springville. It has its own post office with ZIP code 93208. In 2020, 106 people lived there. This was a small increase from 97 people in 2010. You can reach Camp Nelson from Porterville by driving on California State Route 190. The road is curvy and goes up about 4,439 feet (1,353 meters).

Geography and Climate

Camp Nelson covers about 1.2 square miles (3.2 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area in the community.

What is the Climate Like?

Camp Nelson has a climate known as a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers. The average monthly temperatures are not extremely hot, staying below 71.6 °F (22 °C).

Who Lives in Camp Nelson?

In 2010, 97 people lived in Camp Nelson. Most of the people were White. A small number of people were of Hispanic or Latino background. The population density was about 78 people per square mile.

The average age of people in Camp Nelson in 2010 was about 60 years old. This means many older adults live there. Most people lived in homes that they owned.

History of Camp Nelson

How Camp Nelson Started

In 1886, a man named John Nelson started living on land above Porterville. This land became known as Nelson's Camp. It was a popular stop for people who worked with cattle and sheep. Hunters and fishermen also liked to visit.

John Nelson made his house bigger and turned it into a two-story hotel. Later, more cabins were built. The place became well-known as Nelson's Camp. John Nelson passed away in 1909. His daughter, Emma, and her husband took over the business.

Changes Over Time

In 1922, a road was finished that cars could use to get to the camp. The camp was sold in 1937 and had different owners over the years. Electricity came to Camp Nelson in 1951. In the mid-1960s, the main road was improved so people could use it all year.

From 1976 to 1979, a group called the Civil War Re-Enactment Society held pretend Civil War battles in Nelson Meadow. They also had a "Blue and Grey" ball at the Lodge.

Recent History

The Camp Nelson Lodge changed owners several times. Eventually, it was bought by Steven Huth and Mike Quatacker. Later, Len Aten owned it. He used the Lodge for some special events, but it was not open to everyone.

In 1985, the John M Nelson Conservancy was created. This group wanted to buy the Camp Nelson meadow, which is about six and a half acres. They raised $85,000 from public donations. In December 1997, the Conservancy bought the meadow. Special events are sometimes held there.

In September 2020, Camp Nelson was safe from the Sequoia Complex Fire. This was a large wildfire that affected other communities nearby.

Things to Do in Camp Nelson

Camp Nelson is a place where visitors can enjoy nature.

• The town hosts the annual Mountain Festival in the Camp Nelson Meadow during the summer.
• Visitors can see a beautiful grove of Sequoias near Belknap campground.
• In the past, a small mine for a metal called tungsten operated in the area until the 1950s.

Images for kids

• 

  Camp Nelson in March 2023

See also

In Spanish: Camp Nelson para niños