Delano, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Delano, California
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| City of Delano | ||
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Delano entry signage on State Route 99
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Location of Delano in Kern County, California.
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 Delano, California
Location in California
Delano, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  California |
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| County | Kern | |
| Founded | 1873 | |
| Incorporated | April 13, 1915 | |
| Named for | Columbus Delano | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 14.77 sq mi (38.25 km2) | |
| • Land | 14.72 sq mi (38.11 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.05 sq mi (0.14 km2) 0.35% | |
| Elevation | 315 ft (96 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 51,428 | |
| • Density | 3,494.70/sq mi (1,349.29/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) | |
| ZIP codes |
93215, 93216
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| Area code(s) | 661 | |
| FIPS code | 06-18394 | |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1652697, 2410317 | |
Delano is a city in Kern County, California, in the United States. It is located about 30 miles (48 km) north of Bakersfield. The city sits at an elevation of 315 feet (96 meters) above sea level. In 2020, Delano had a population of 51,428 people. It is the second-largest city in Kern County, after Bakersfield.
Agriculture is the main industry in Delano. The area is especially known for growing table grapes. Delano is also home to two California state prisons: North Kern State Prison and Kern Valley State Prison. The city has its own police department. Fire and emergency medical services are also provided locally.
Contents
History of Delano
Delano was founded on July 14, 1869. It started as a railroad town because the railroad coming from San Francisco ended there. The Southern Pacific Railroad officially named the town after Columbus Delano. He was the Secretary of the Interior for the U.S. government from 1870 to 1875. The first post office opened in 1874, and Delano became an official city in 1913.
The town grew quickly when the railroad arrived. Delano became a busy center for workers building the railroad. It also became a hub for moving goods. Products were brought in by wagons pulled by oxen or mules. Delano was also the starting point for passenger stages heading south to Bakersfield and Los Angeles.
Delano played a big role in the farm worker movement and Chicano political efforts. Filipino immigrants Philip Vera Cruz and Larry Dulay Itliong were very important in leading farm worker groups in the 1950s.
On September 8, 1965, Larry Itliong and other Filipino leaders started the "Delano grape strike." They were part of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC). Their goal was to get better pay and working conditions for farm workers. The National Farm Workers' Association (NFWA), led by Cesar Chavez, joined the strike soon after. During the strike, these two groups combined to form the United Farm Workers of America (UFW). By 1970, the UFW successfully won a contract with many grape growers across California.
Economy and Jobs
Delano's economy is largely based on farming. Major farm employers include Wonderful Citrus, Columbine Vineyards, Munger Farms, Lucich Farms, and Hronis. Other large employers are Adventist Health Hospital Delano, Walmart, The Home Depot, and Vallarta Supermarkets. The local school districts also provide many jobs.
Top Employers in Delano
Here are some of the biggest employers in the city:
| # | Employer | Number of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kern Valley State Prison | 1,670 |
| 2 | North Kern State Prison | 1,396 |
| =3 | Delano Union Elementary School District | 900 |
| =3 | Paramount Citrus | 900 |
| 5 | Adventist Health Delano | 670 |
| 6 | Delano Joint Union High School District | 475 |
| 7 | Walmart | 300 |
| 8 | Vallarta Supermarkets | 255 |
| 9 | City of Delano | 210 |
| 10 | Delano District Skilled Nursing Facility | 184 |
Geography and Climate
Delano covers a total area of about 14.4 square miles (37.3 square kilometers). Almost all of this area is land.
Delano's Climate
| Weather chart for Delano, California | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1.4
56
36
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1.4
63
40
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1.4
69
43
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0.6
77
48
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0.3
85
54
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0.1
93
60
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0
98
65
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0
97
64
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0.1
91
59
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0.4
82
50
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0.8
67
41
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1.1
56
35
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| temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches source: Climate-Data.org (temperature), Western Regional Climate Center (precipitation) |
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Metric conversion
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Delano has a climate typical of the San Joaquin Valley. It has hot, dry summers and cool, damp winters. Most of the city's 7.51 inches (19.1 cm) of rain falls in the winter. Sometimes, a thick winter fog called tule fog can make it hard to see. Temperatures can range from a high of 116°F (47°C) to a low of 14°F (-10°C).
| Climate data for Delano, California, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 2000–present | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 76 (24) |
86 (30) |
91 (33) |
97 (36) |
105 (41) |
109 (43) |
116 (47) |
108 (42) |
108 (42) |
100 (38) |
85 (29) |
82 (28) |
116 (47) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 68.7 (20.4) |
75.5 (24.2) |
81.7 (27.6) |
89.3 (31.8) |
98.5 (36.9) |
105.5 (40.8) |
106.5 (41.4) |
104.7 (40.4) |
101.8 (38.8) |
91.8 (33.2) |
80.0 (26.7) |
68.1 (20.1) |
107.9 (42.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 56.0 (13.3) |
62.8 (17.1) |
69.2 (20.7) |
75.0 (23.9) |
83.1 (28.4) |
92.2 (33.4) |
97.3 (36.3) |
96.5 (35.8) |
90.7 (32.6) |
79.6 (26.4) |
66.3 (19.1) |
57.2 (14.0) |
77.2 (25.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 46.9 (8.3) |
51.9 (11.1) |
57.0 (13.9) |
62.1 (16.7) |
69.3 (20.7) |
77.0 (25.0) |
82.5 (28.1) |
81.0 (27.2) |
76.1 (24.5) |
66.1 (18.9) |
54.4 (12.4) |
47.0 (8.3) |
64.3 (17.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 37.7 (3.2) |
40.9 (4.9) |
44.8 (7.1) |
49.1 (9.5) |
55.5 (13.1) |
61.8 (16.6) |
67.6 (19.8) |
65.5 (18.6) |
61.6 (16.4) |
52.6 (11.4) |
42.5 (5.8) |
36.7 (2.6) |
51.4 (10.8) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 29.9 (−1.2) |
32.8 (0.4) |
35.5 (1.9) |
39.1 (3.9) |
47.5 (8.6) |
52.2 (11.2) |
60.7 (15.9) |
59.7 (15.4) |
52.3 (11.3) |
43.5 (6.4) |
33.4 (0.8) |
28.2 (−2.1) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 20 (−7) |
25 (−4) |
28 (−2) |
33 (1) |
38 (3) |
47 (8) |
43 (6) |
51 (11) |
46 (8) |
35 (2) |
24 (−4) |
21 (−6) |
20 (−7) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.40 (36) |
1.32 (34) |
1.39 (35) |
0.62 (16) |
0.38 (9.7) |
0.09 (2.3) |
0.04 (1.0) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.04 (1.0) |
0.37 (9.4) |
0.67 (17) |
1.19 (30) |
7.51 (191.4) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 6.8 | 6.1 | 5.6 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 5.9 | 35.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 2006–2020) | |||||||||||||
Population Facts
In 2010, Delano had a population of 53,041 people. About 79.5% of the population lived in homes. The remaining 20.2% were in institutions like prisons.
The city is very diverse. In 2010, about 36.4% of the population was White, 7.9% African American, and 12.7% Asian. A large part of the population, 71.5%, was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in Delano was 28.5 years. About 28.4% of the people were under 18 years old.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 2,632 | — | |
| 1940 | 4,573 | 73.7% | |
| 1950 | 8,717 | 90.6% | |
| 1960 | 11,913 | 36.7% | |
| 1970 | 14,559 | 22.2% | |
| 1980 | 16,491 | 13.3% | |
| 2000 | 38,824 | — | |
| 2010 | 53,041 | 36.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Education in Delano
Delano has several schools for students of all ages. The Delano Union School District runs eight elementary schools and three middle schools. The Delano Joint Union High School District has three main high schools, one alternative high school, and an adult education center.
Elementary Schools
- Albany Park Elementary School
- Del Vista Math and Science Academy
- Fremont Elementary School
- Harvest Elementary School
- Morningside Elementary School
- Nueva Vista Language Academy
- Pioneer School
- Princeton Street Elementary School
- Terrace Elementary School
Middle Schools
- Almond Tree Middle School
- Cecil Avenue Math and Science Academy
- La Vina Middle School
High Schools
- Delano High School
- Cesar E. Chavez High School
- Robert F. Kennedy High School
- Valley High School
- Delano Adult School
College Opportunities
Bakersfield College, a community college, has a satellite campus in Delano. This campus serves students in northern Kern and southern Tulare counties. It is about 35 miles (56 km) north of the main campus in Bakersfield, California.
Getting Around Delano
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Bus Services
The Delano Area Rapid Transit (DART) provides bus services. They have fixed routes and also offer a "Dial-A-Ride" service. This helps people get around Delano and the nearby county areas.
Delano Municipal Airport
The Delano Municipal Airport is a public airport with a 5,651-foot (1,723-meter) runway. It does not have scheduled airline flights. However, it is used by military planes, air charters, air ambulances, and other flying services.
Fun Events in Delano
Delano hosts several exciting events throughout the year.
- Cinco De Mayo Fiesta: This four-day celebration honors Mexican culture. It features live entertainment and a carnival at Memorial Park.
- Annual Philippine Weekend: This festival celebrates Filipino culture. It includes performing arts, cultural activities, and aims to preserve Filipino art and history. You can find a pork adobo cook-off, a grand parade, cultural shows, and more.
- September 16 Celebration: This event includes a golf tournament, softball tournament, and a 10K run. There's also a barbecue and a Kiddie Parade where young children can be the stars.
- Harvest Holidays: This four-day event ends with carnival rides, games, food, and music at Memorial Park.
- Christmas Parade: A festive parade to celebrate the holiday season.
Recreation and Parks
Delano and its surrounding areas offer many places for outdoor fun. The nearby Sequoia National Forest has huge Giant Sequoia trees, impressive rock formations, and beautiful canyons. The Tule Elk State Reserve protects the Tule elk, which were once in danger.
Lake Woollomes is a popular spot. The Kern National Wildlife Refuge is also nearby. For winter sports, Shirley Meadows Ski Area is on Greenhorn Mountain. The Kern River and Isabella Lake are popular for summer activities.
Community Parks in Delano
The city of Delano has twelve parks for families and children to enjoy:
- Albany Park
- Cecil Park
- Cesar Chavez Park
- Delano Soccer Park
- Delano Skate Park
- Jefferson Park
- Kalibo Park
- Morningside Park
- Martin Luther King Jr. Park
- Veneto Park
- Heritage Park
- Memorial Park
Famous People from Delano
Many notable people have connections to Delano:
- Cesar Chavez, a famous activist for farm workers' rights.
- Larry Itliong, another important activist in the farm worker movement.
- Harold H. Kelley, a well-known Professor of Psychology at UCLA.
- Leamon King, an Olympic runner.
- Sam Nakagama, a businessman and economist.
- Dack Rambo, an actor.
- Lon Spurrier, an Olympic runner.
- Luis Valdez, a film director known for La Bamba.
- Benita Valente, a classical singer.
Sister Cities
Delano has four sister cities around the world:
Arida, Japan
Asti, Italy
Jacona, Michoacan, Mexico
Kalibo, Philippines
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See also
In Spanish: Delano (California) para niños
