Gorda, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gorda
Unincorporated community
Gorda, California.
Gorda Location in California
Country	United States
State	California
County	Monterey County
Elevation	148 ft (45 m)
ZIP code	93920
Area code	805
GNIS feature ID	271364

Gorda is a tiny community in Monterey County, California. Its name means "Fat" in Spanish. It is about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Cape San Martin. Gorda sits 148 feet (45 m) above sea level.

It is one of three small places along Highway 1 in Big Sur. These places offer gas stations, restaurants, and motels. The ZIP Code is 93920, but mail goes to Big Sur. The phone area code is 805.

History of Gorda

View of the Pacific Ocean at Gorda, California.

Fresh springs in Gorda were once used by Native American tribes. By 1878, when the first Europeans arrived, the Native Americans were no longer there.

Gorda grew during the gold rush in nearby Manchester in the 1880s. A stop for stagecoaches was built. A post office operated in Gorda from 1893 to 1923. It moved locations in 1910. From 1962 to 1968, a hippie commune was located in Gorda on land owned by Amelia Newell.

Services in Gorda

Gorda offers several services for travelers along Highway 1. These include a small hotel, cottages, a restaurant, and a gas station. There is also a deli, an espresso bar, and a convenience store.

In 1979, a company called Kidco Limited Ventures bought most of the land in Gorda. This company was owned by four young children from Ramona, California. They were heirs to the family that owned the Cessna Aircraft company. The children invested $500,000 to buy the town's land. At the time, Dickie Cessna was 14 years old. His siblings were June (16), Bette (13), and Nene (11).

Mud Creek Landslide

The Mud Creek slide on May 22, 2017, covered Highway 1 for over a quarter-mile.

On May 20, 2017, a huge landslide happened at Mud Creek. This was the biggest slide in the history of the Big Sur Coast Highway. It buried more than a quarter-mile (0.4 km) of Highway 1. This spot is about 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of Gorda.

The highway was closed for over a year. This closure greatly hurt tourism and businesses between Monterey and Morro Bay. CalTrans, the state's transportation agency, decided to rebuild the highway over the slide. This project cost $54 million. Highway 1 finally reopened on July 18, 2018.

High Fuel Prices

Gorda is known for having some of the highest gasoline prices in the United States. This is partly because a diesel generator provides electricity to the gas station and the town. Also, there are not many other places to get fuel nearby.

Fuel suppliers have to deliver gas to Gorda from far away. They come from places like Santa Maria and Paso Robles. These cities are 80 to 100 miles (130 to 160 km) away. In 2008, gas cost $6.70 per gallon. By October 2021, prices were $7.59 for regular unleaded and $8.49 for premium gas.

Climate in Gorda

Gorda has a "dry-summer subtropical" climate. This type of climate is often called "Mediterranean." The warmest months have an average temperature above 50°F (10°C). The coldest months average between 27°F and 64°F (-3°C and 18°C). Summers are usually dry, with much less rain than in winter. A summer month typically gets less than 1.2 inches (30 mm) of rain.

Weather Details

See also

In Spanish: Gorda (California) para niños