Greenville, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Greenville, California
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Location in Plumas County and the state of California
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 Greenville, California
Location in California
Greenville, California
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Plumas |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.992 sq mi (20.699 km2) |
| • Land | 7.992 sq mi (20.699 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 3,586 ft (1,093 m) |
| Population
(2022)
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| • Total | 1,026 |
| • Density | 128.38/sq mi (49.568/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
95947
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| Area code | 530 |
| FIPS code | 06-31162 |
| GNIS ID | 1658666 |
Greenville is a small town in Plumas County, California, United States. It is located in the beautiful Indian Valley. Most of Greenville's buildings were sadly destroyed by a huge wildfire called the Dixie Fire in August 2021.
In 2010, about 1,129 people lived in Greenville. The United States Census Bureau counts Greenville as a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's a special area used for gathering statistics, but it's not officially a city or town. The area of Greenville is about 8 square miles (20.7 square kilometers), and it's all land.
Contents
History of Greenville
For many centuries, the Maidu people lived in the valley where Greenville is now. English-speaking settlers arrived in the 1850s during the California Gold Rush. This was a time when many people came to California hoping to find gold.
One of the first buildings in the area was a boarding house run by a family named Green. The community was named after Mr. Green, who died in a dam collapse. In 1862, Henry C. Bidwell opened a trading post, and more businesses moved to Greenville.
For a long time, the main jobs in Greenville were mining for gold and cutting down trees (logging). Later, logging and ranching (raising animals like cattle) became the most important industries. In the late 1800s, the U.S. government gave the Maidu tribe over 200 acres of land. A boarding school was built there, but it burned down in the 1920s. This land later became a Rancheria, which is a type of Native American settlement.
The Cheney Lumber Company also built a wood mill near Greenville, which helped with the logging industry.
Fires in Greenville's Past
Greenville has faced fires before. In 1881, a fire destroyed many buildings, but they were quickly rebuilt. By 1882, about 500 people lived in Greenville.
On August 4, 2021, a very large wildfire called the Dixie Fire swept through Greenville. About 75% of the town's buildings were destroyed. This fire was the biggest single wildfire in California's history. Fire officials reported that the library, fire department, and most homes in the downtown area were burned.
Even though the damage was huge, it was reported that no one died in the fire in Greenville itself. A firefighter involved in the incident later died from health problems related to COVID-19. Many people and organizations have promised money to help rebuild Greenville.
Greenville's Geography and Weather
Greenville's Climate
Greenville has a climate with hot, dry summers and cold, sometimes wet winters. Summer temperatures can reach as high as 108°F (42°C). In winter, it can get as cold as -14°F (-26°C).
Greenville's climate is known as a "warm-summer Mediterranean climate." This means it has dry summers and wet winters. The difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures can be quite large, especially in the summer.
| Climate data for Greenville | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 70 (21) |
69 (21) |
77 (25) |
89 (32) |
98 (37) |
99 (37) |
105 (41) |
106 (41) |
108 (42) |
90 (32) |
77 (25) |
70 (21) |
108 (42) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 45.6 (7.6) |
50.8 (10.4) |
55.3 (12.9) |
63.2 (17.3) |
70.3 (21.3) |
79.2 (26.2) |
89 (32) |
88.1 (31.2) |
81.9 (27.7) |
70.3 (21.3) |
55.9 (13.3) |
46.6 (8.1) |
66.35 (19.08) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 22 (−6) |
24.6 (−4.1) |
27.6 (−2.4) |
30.6 (−0.8) |
35.2 (1.8) |
39.5 (4.2) |
42.7 (5.9) |
40.8 (4.9) |
36.5 (2.5) |
31.5 (−0.3) |
27.1 (−2.7) |
21.1 (−6.1) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −14 (−26) |
−11 (−24) |
3 (−16) |
16 (−9) |
20 (−7) |
24 (−4) |
24 (−4) |
20 (−7) |
16 (−9) |
10 (−12) |
6 (−14) |
−4 (−20) |
−14 (−26) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 8.2 (210) |
6.1 (150) |
5.3 (130) |
2.6 (66) |
1.6 (41) |
0.8 (20) |
0.3 (7.6) |
0.3 (7.6) |
0.8 (20) |
2.3 (58) |
4.7 (120) |
6.2 (160) |
39.3 (1,000) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 19.7 (50) |
10.6 (27) |
9.9 (25) |
2 (5.1) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
1.8 (4.6) |
7.8 (20) |
52.5 (133) |
| Average precipitation days | 10 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 72 |
People Living in Greenville
Greenville is counted as a "census-designated place" (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau. This helps them collect information about the population.
Greenville's Population in 2010
In 2010, Greenville had a population of 1,129 people. Most of the people were White, and about 11.8% were Native American. About 9.7% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
There were 496 households in Greenville. A household is a group of people living together in one home. About 28% of these households had children under 18. The average household had about 2.28 people.
The age of people in Greenville varied. About 22.7% were under 18 years old, and 16.8% were 65 or older. The average age was about 45.4 years.
Greenville's Population in 2000
In 2000, Greenville had 1,160 people. The population density was about 145 people per square mile. Most people were White (84.05%), and about 9.31% were Native American.
There were 496 households, and about 27.4% of them had children under 18. The average household size was 2.30 people.
Education in Greenville
Students in Greenville attend the Indian Valley Elementary School and Greenville Junior/Senior High School. These schools are part of the Plumas County Board of Education and the Plumas Unified School District. The elementary school's mascot is the 'Wolf Pack,' and the Junior/Senior High School's mascot is the 'Indians.'
Greenville's Roads
California State Route 89, an important road, passes through Greenville.
Famous People from Greenville
- James Marsters (born 1962), an actor and musician.
- Marie Mason Potts (1895–1978), a journalist and activist from the Mountain Maidu tribe. She went to the Greenville Indian School for a few years.
- Bill Wattenburg (1936–2018), an inventor, author, and radio talk show host.
See also
In Spanish: Greenville (California) para niños
