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Esparto, California facts for kids

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Esparto
The Esparto Fire Department station in downtown.
The Esparto Fire Department station in downtown.
Nickname(s): 
E-Town
Location in Yolo County and the state of California
Location in Yolo County and the state of California
Country  United States
State  California
County Yolo
Area
 • Total 11.917 km2 (4.601 sq mi)
 • Land 11.917 km2 (4.601 sq mi)
 • Water 0 km2 (0 sq mi)
Elevation
58 m (190 ft)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 3,108
 • Density 260.80/km2 (675.51/sq mi)
Time zone UTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP codes
95627
Area code(s) 530
FIPS code 06-22846
GNIS feature ID 0277508

Esparto is a community in Yolo County, California, United States. It is called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it is a place that the government counts as a community for population surveys, but it is not officially a city or town with its own local government.

The name Esparto comes from the Spanish word for "Halfah grass" or "feather grass." In 2010, about 3,108 people lived there. Esparto is part of the larger Sacramento metropolitan area.

History of Esparto

Rumsey Branch of SP 1905
A train track in the Esparto area in 1905.

The area was first named Esperanza in 1888 by railroad officials. Esperanza means "hope" in Spanish. However, the name had to be changed because another place in California already had that name. So, in 1890, the name Esparto was chosen instead. This name refers to a type of grass.

In 1888, train tracks were built in Esparto by the Vaca Valley Railroad. These tracks later became part of the Southern Pacific Railroad. They connected Esparto to a place called Rumsey.

Esparto got its own high school, Esparto High School, in 1893. It was the second high school in Yolo County. The actual school building was finished much later, in 1918.

Train service from Esparto to Rumsey stopped in 1941. Passenger train service to Elmira ended in 1957. In 1959-1960, voters decided to create a new school district for the area. Later, in 1999, the community successfully raised money to build the Esparto Regional Library Branch.

In 2009, the TV show MythBusters used a local quarry in Esparto for an experiment. They tested a myth using a large explosion. This event caused some discussion in the community.

Schools in Esparto

Esparto has four schools for students of different ages.

  • Esparto Elementary School
  • Esparto Middle School
  • Esparto High School
  • Madison High School

Geography of Esparto

Esparto is located at 38°41′35″N 122°01′08″W / 38.69306°N 122.01889°W / 38.69306; -122.01889. It is in Yolo County.

The United States Census Bureau says that Esparto covers about 4.6 square miles (11.9 square kilometers). All of this area is land. There are no large bodies of water within the community.

Population and People

In 2010, Esparto had a population of 3,108 people. This was a big increase from its population of 1,858 in the year 2000.

Most people in Esparto lived in family homes. About 59.7% of the people were White, and 49.5% were of Hispanic or Latino background. There were also people of African American, Native American, and Asian backgrounds living in Esparto.

About 43.2% of the homes had children under 18 living there. The average household had about 3.19 people. The average family size was about 3.63 people.

The median age in Esparto was 33.1 years old. This means half the people were younger than 33.1, and half were older. About 28.6% of the population was under 18 years old. About 10.2% of the population was 65 years or older.

Most homes in Esparto were owned by the people living in them. About 70.7% of homes were owner-occupied. The rest were rented.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Esparto (California) para niños

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