Ione, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ione
City
Main Street in Ione
Location of Ione in Amador County, California
Ione, California Location in California Show map of California Ione, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Amador
Settled	1849
Incorporated	March 23, 1953
Government
Area
• Total	4.63 sq mi (11.98 km2)
• Land	4.58 sq mi (11.86 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2)  0.31%
Elevation	299 ft (91 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,141
• Density	1,110.4/sq mi (429.13/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	95640
Area code(s)	209
FIPS code	06-36672
GNIS feature ID	1658830, 2410110

Ione (/aɪˈoʊn/ eye-OWN) is a small city in Amador County, California. In 2020, about 5,141 people lived there. This number was a bit lower than in 2010.

Ione was once called "Bedbug" and "Freeze Out." It was a very important place during the California gold rush. It served as a supply center for miners heading to the Mother Lode and Southern Mines.

History of Ione

Ione is the traditional home of the Sierra Miwok Indians. In 1840, the land where Ione now stands became part of a large Mexican land grant. This grant was called Rancho Arroyo Seco.

How Ione Got Its Name

The town is in the beautiful Ione Valley. People believe that Thomas Brown named it around 1849. He might have named it after a character in a play called The Last Days of Pompeii. But there are other stories about how the name came to be. During the California gold rush, miners knew the town by the names "Bedbug" and "Freezeout."

Ione's Role in the Gold Rush

Unlike many other towns in Amador County that grew because of gold mining, Ione was different. It was a major supply center for miners. It was also a stop for stagecoaches and trains. Plus, it was a center for farming.

Growth and Development

The first post office in Ione opened in 1852. The town continued to grow after the gold rush.

• The first school was built in 1853.
• The historic Methodist Church was started in 1853. Its building was finished in 1862.
• The first flour mill was built in 1855.
• The first brick building was built by Daniel Stewart in 1855. It was for his general store, the D. Stewart Company Store. This store is still owned by the Stewart family today.

In March 1865, Camp Jackson was built nearby. Soldiers stayed there for three months.

The Centennial Celebration

In 1876, Ione celebrated its 100th anniversary. About 600 people lived there, including about 100 Chinese residents. The town had many businesses:

• One public school
• Four churches
• Four general stores
• A meat market
• A laundry
• A brewery
• A restaurant
• An art gallery
• Six saloons
• A drug store and barber shop

The celebration also marked the completion of the Stockton and Ione Railroad. This railroad connected Ione to Stockton. The railroad stopped running in 1876.

The centennial celebration started a tradition called the Ione Homecoming. This event happens almost every year in May.

Preston School of Industry, also known as Preston Castle

Becoming a City

The City of Ione officially became a city in 1953. This means it gained its own local government.

Historical Landmarks

Ione has many important historical places. Three of them are listed as California Historical Landmarks:

• The Preston School of Industry, also called The Castle. It was built between 1890 and 1894. It was a school for young people sent there by the courts. The Castle is not used anymore, but a group is working to restore it.
• Community Methodist Church of Ione
• D. Stewart Company Store (#788)

Geography of Ione

Ione is located at 38°21′10″N 120°55′58″W / 38.35278°N 120.93278°W / 38.35278; -120.93278. The city covers about 4.8 square miles (11.98 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

Climate in Ione

Ione has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.

People of Ione

Population in 2010

In 2010, Ione had a population of 7,918 people.

• About 73.6% of the people were White.
• About 10.4% were African American.
• About 2.2% were Native American.
• About 1.4% were Asian.
• About 8.6% were from other races.
• About 3.6% were from two or more races.
• About 25.1% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

There were 1,466 households in Ione.

• About 32.9% of households had children under 18.
• The average household had 2.56 people.
• The average family had 2.99 people.

The median age in Ione was 41.5 years old.

• About 13.4% of the population was under 18.
• About 9.9% of the population was 65 or older.

Most homes were owned by the people living in them (70%). About 30% of homes were rented.

Population in 2000

In 2000, Ione had 7,129 people living in 1,081 households.

• About 57.9% of the people were White.
• About 17.8% were Black or African American.
• About 2.3% were Native American.
• About 1.7% were Asian.
• About 18.1% were from other races.
• About 2.0% were from two or more races.
• About 20.2% of the population was Hispanic.

The median age was 34 years.

• About 17.8% of the population was under 18.
• About 5.6% of the population was 65 or older.

The average income for a household was $40,625. About 11.0% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Notable people from Ione

• Tiny Bonham, a baseball player
• Dave Brubeck, a famous jazz pianist, grew up in Ione
• Justin Grant, a racing driver
• Merle Haggard, a well-known singer and songwriter
• Eliza Withington (1825–1877), a photographer

See also

In Spanish: Ione (California) para niños