Comptche, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Comptche
Census-designated place
Location in Mendocino County and California
Comptche Location in California Show map of California Comptche Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Mendocino
Area
• Total	1.15 sq mi (3.0 km2)
• Land	1.15 sq mi (3.0 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation	187 ft (57 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	167
• Density	144.71/sq mi (55.87/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	95427
Area code(s)	707
GNIS feature IDs	255911; 2628722

Comptche is a small, quiet place in Mendocino County, California, United States. It's known as an unincorporated community, which means it's not officially a city or town with its own local government. It's also a census-designated place (CDP), which is a special area the government uses to collect information about people.

The name Comptche comes from the Pomo people's word Compatche. This word means "In the valley among the hills." Comptche is located about 17 miles (27 km) southeast of Fort Bragg. It sits at an elevation of 187 feet (57 meters) above sea level.

Even though it's small, Comptche has a few important things. There's a primary school for younger kids (kindergarten to third grade). You can also find a small store with a gas pump, a post office, and a church. In 2020, about 167 people lived in Comptche.

Where is Comptche Located?

Comptche is in the western part of Mendocino County. Its exact location is 39°15′54″N 123°35′28″W / 39.26500°N 123.59111°W / 39.26500; -123.59111. It uses the ZIP code 95427.

Roads and Rivers

Comptche is at a spot where three smaller roads meet.

• The Comptche–Ukiah Road goes west from Comptche for 15 miles (24 km). It leads to Mendocino on State Route 1.
• To the east, Orr Springs Road stretches about 30 miles (48 km) to Ukiah. Ukiah is on U.S. 101. Along this road, you'll pass Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve.
• Flynn Creek Road goes south from Comptche for about 8 miles (13 km). It connects to State Route 128. This is near the town of Navarro in Navarro River Redwoods State Park.

These roads are important. Flynn Creek Road and the western part of Comptche–Ukiah Road offer another way to travel. They connect Mendocino and the Anderson Valley. This route is especially useful during winter storms. Sometimes, the Navarro River floods Route 128, making it impassable.

Comptche covers an area of about 1.2 square miles (3.1 square kilometers). All of this area is land. The Albion River flows along the southern edge of the community. This river travels west and eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean at Albion.

A Look Back in Time

The Comptche post office first opened in 1877. It closed later that same year but then reopened in 1879. The exact reason for the town's name isn't fully known. However, there was a village of the Pomo people nearby called Komacho. This suggests the name might have come from them.

Who Lives in Comptche?

In 2010, the population of Comptche was 159 people. By 2020, it had grown slightly to 167 people. Most people in Comptche live in family homes.

Learning in Comptche

Students in Comptche attend schools that are part of the Mendocino Unified School District.

See also

In Spanish: Comptche para niños