Davenport, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Davenport
census-designated place
Shark Tooth Rock & Davenport Beach
Location of Davenport in Santa Cruz County, California.
Davenport, California Location in California
Country	United States
State	California
County	Santa Cruz
Area
• Total	2.85 sq mi (7.37 km2)
• Land	2.85 sq mi (7.37 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0.37%
Elevation	259 ft (79 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	388
• Density	136.38/sq mi (52.66/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Code	95017
Area code(s)	831
GNIS feature ID	2582991

Davenport is a small town in Santa Cruz County, California. It's called a census-designated place (CDP) because it's a community that the U.S. Census Bureau defines for gathering population data, even though it's not officially a city. Davenport is about 259 feet (79 meters) above sea level. In 2020, about 388 people lived there.

Where is Davenport?

Davenport is located right along the Pacific Ocean coast. It's about 9 miles (14 km) north of Santa Cruz. You can find it on Highway One, a famous road that runs along the coast. The town started near San Vicente Creek but grew northward over time.

Today, Davenport is known for its amazing cliffs and bluffs overlooking the Pacific. It also has beautiful beaches, great spots for surfing, and used to be home to a large cement plant. The company Odwalla, which makes fruit juices, also had its main office here.

A Look Back: Davenport's History

St. Vincent de Paul Church.

Historic Davenport jail, now a museum

The story of Davenport began in 1867 when a whaling captain named John Pope Davenport settled nearby. He built a long pier, about 400 feet (122 meters) long, at the mouth of Agua Puerca Creek. This pier was used to load lumber from the hills onto ships heading to Santa Cruz. A small village grew around this port and was called Davenport Landing.

However, Agua Puerca Creek, whose name means "muddy water," brought down so much mud that the port became too shallow for ships. Captain Davenport faced financial problems and eventually moved away. The original post office closed in 1889.

Later, in 1905, a businessman bought a lime quarry south of Davenport Landing. The next year, a large cement factory was built nearby. The old Davenport Landing post office reopened in this new settlement, using just the name "Davenport." That's how the town got its current name!

Today, Davenport has a few restaurants, two art galleries, a store, a post office, and the Pacific School. The local ZIP Code is 95017, and the area code 831 serves the community.

Cool Places to Visit

Shark Fin Cove, a noted photographers spot along the coast of Davenport.

American Abalone

Davenport is home to American Abalone, a farm that raises California red abalone. Abalone is a type of sea snail that is eaten as seafood. This farm is special because its abalone is considered a good choice for people who care about the environment by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sea Watch program.

The Old Cement Plant and CEMEX Redwoods

The cement plant was built in 1906 and operated for many years under different companies. It was eventually bought by a company called CEMEX in 2005. The plant stopped working in 2010.

Now, the huge 8,500-acre area where the plant was located is called the CEMEX Redwoods. There are plans to turn this beautiful land into a park for everyone to enjoy. It has been renamed the San Vicente Redwoods.

Davenport Jail

The historic Davenport Jail is a really interesting spot. It was built in 1914 and only had two cells. Believe it or not, it was only used twice before it was closed in 1936! Today, it's a museum that shares the history of the coast. Volunteers from the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History help run it.

Saint Vincent DePaul Church

The St. Vincent DePaul Church in Davenport was built in 1914. What's unique about it is that it was made entirely from cement from the local cement factory! A famous photographer named Ansel Adams even took a well-known picture of this church.

Southern Pacific Freight Line

An old train line, once part of the Ocean Shore Railroad, ran between Davenport and Santa Cruz from 1907 to 1920. Today, the Southern Pacific freight line is still used to move goods between the two towns.

Davenport's Geography

Davenport Beach

Davenport is located at 37°00′42″N 122°11′27″W / 37.011667°N 122.190833°W / 37.011667; -122.190833. According to the United States Census Bureau, the area of Davenport is about 2.8 square miles (7.4 square kilometers). Almost all of this area is land, with a very small amount of water.

Weather in Davenport

Davenport has nice, mild weather all year round. It has a Mediterranean climate, which means it has cool, wet winters and warm, mostly dry summers. Because it's close to Monterey Bay, it often gets fog and cloudy skies in the mornings, especially during the summer.

Who Lives in Davenport?

In 2010, the population of Davenport was 408 people. Most residents were White, but there were also people of African American, Native American, and Asian backgrounds. A good number of residents were also of Hispanic or Latino heritage.

Famous People From Davenport

• Joe Brovia, a professional baseball player
• Olga Najera-Ramirez, an anthropologist (someone who studies human societies and cultures)
• Marcel Soros, a professional surfer

See also

In Spanish: Davenport (California) para niños