Gerber, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerber
|
|
|---|---|
Main Street
|
|
Location of Gerber in Tehama County, California.
|
|
 Gerber, California
Location in California
|
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Tehama |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.923 sq mi (2.390 km2) |
| • Land | 0.923 sq mi (2.390 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 226 ft (69 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 1,044 |
| • Density | 1,131.1/sq mi (436.82/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 2628801 |
Gerber is a small community located in Tehama County, California. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's an area the U.S. Census Bureau uses for collecting statistics. In 2020, about 1,044 people lived in Gerber. The town sits at an elevation of about 226 feet (69 meters) above sea level.
Contents
History of Gerber
Gerber was first planned out in 1910. It was named after the Gerber family, who originally owned the land where the town was built. A post office has been open in Gerber since 1916, helping people send and receive mail.
In its early days, Gerber was an important center for local ranchers and farmers. It especially supported those who grew alfalfa, a plant used to feed livestock.
Railroad's Role in Gerber
For many years, from 1916 to 1965, Gerber was a key spot for the Southern Pacific Railroad. It was a "division point" where the Sacramento and Shasta railway divisions met. This meant trains would stop here for important tasks.
The town was located just two miles north of where two main railway lines joined. One line went to Davis, and the other went to Sacramento through Chico and Marysville.
Train Services and Changes
At Gerber, steam locomotives could get fuel and repairs. Train crews would also change shifts here. The town also had special yards for livestock and a large plant to make ice for refrigerator cars. These cars were used to keep food fresh during transport.
However, things began to change after 1955. The railroad started using diesel locomotives instead of steam engines. Diesel engines needed less maintenance and different types of facilities. Because of this, the operations at Gerber slowly decreased over the next ten years. Eventually, the railroad facilities in Gerber were closed down.
Passenger train service continued in Gerber until 1972. That's when Amtrak's Coast Starlight train stopped making Gerber a regular stop on its route.
Geography of Gerber
According to the United States Census Bureau, the community of Gerber covers an area of about 0.9 square miles (2.4 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no large bodies of water within its boundaries.
People of Gerber (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The 2010 United States Census counted 1,060 people living in Gerber. This means there were about 1,148 people per square mile (443 people per square kilometer).
Most of the population, 1,060 people, lived in regular homes. No one was reported living in group homes or institutions.
Households and Families
There were 367 households in Gerber. About 149 of these households had children under 18 living in them. Many households, 180, were made up of married couples. Some households had a single parent, either a mother or a father.
The average size of a household in Gerber was about 2.89 people. There were 261 families, and the average family size was about 3.41 people.
Age Distribution
The population of Gerber included people of all ages. About 303 people (28.6%) were under 18 years old. There were 111 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24. The largest group, 257 people (24.2%), were between 25 and 44 years old.
About 271 people (25.6%) were aged 45 to 64. Finally, 118 people (11.1%) were 65 years old or older. The median age in Gerber was 34.0 years, meaning half the population was younger and half was older than 34.
Housing in Gerber
There were 420 housing units in Gerber. About 222 of these homes were owned by the people living in them. The other 145 homes were rented. This means that about 57.8% of the people in Gerber lived in homes they owned, and 42.2% lived in rented homes.
