Kensington, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kensington
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Blake Garden, Kensington
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Location in Contra Costa County and the state of California
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| Country |  United States |
| State | California |
| County | Contra Costa |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.956 sq mi (2.48 km2) |
| • Land | 0.947 sq mi (2.45 km2) |
| • Water | 0.009 sq mi (0.02 km2) 0.97% |
| Elevation | 587 ft (179 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 5,077 |
| • Density | 5,311/sq mi (2,050.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
94707, 94708
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| Area code | 510, 341 |
| GNIS ID | 1658891, 2408472 |
| FIPS code | 06-38086 |
Kensington is a small, friendly community located in the beautiful Berkeley Hills, near the San Francisco Bay Area in California. It's not officially a city, but it's a special place known for its quiet neighborhoods and lovely views. Even though it's in Contra Costa County, it shares some things with nearby Berkeley, like its house numbering and zip codes.
About 5,000 people live in Kensington. Many residents are highly educated and successful professionals. It's known as one of the safest and cleanest places in the United States. It also has one of the best public elementary schools in the country. Famous people, including University of California, Berkeley professors and even Nobel Prize winners, have lived here. One very famous resident was Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist who led the team that developed the atomic bombs during World War II.
Contents
History of Kensington
Early Days and Land Ownership
The area where Kensington is now was originally home to the Huchiun band of the Ohlone Indigenous people. They lived throughout the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1772, an expedition led by Pedro Fages explored this land.
Later, in 1823, the Republic of Mexico granted a large piece of land called Rancho San Pablo to Francisco María Castro. This land included what is now Kensington. His youngest son, Victor Castro, inherited the southern part of this ranch in 1831.
In 1892, a man named Anson Blake bought a large section of Castro's land. Most of this land eventually became Kensington.
How Kensington Got Its Name
Around 1911, land development companies bought most of the Kensington area. That same year, the land was surveyed for the first time. A surveyor named Robert Brousefield, who had once lived in the South Kensington area of London, England, decided to name the new community "Kensington."
The first neighborhoods built here were Kensington Park and Berkeley Park. Many of their streets were named after places in England. Another area, Berkeley Highlands, had streets named after famous colleges and universities.
Growth and Development
Farmers in Kensington did not want to join the city of El Cerrito when it became a city in 1917. Since then, people living in Kensington have voted several times against becoming an official city themselves.
In the 1920s, the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) built an aqueduct through the Berkeley Hills. This aqueduct carries water from the San Pablo Reservoir to a pumping station in Kensington. This station is still used today to send water to different parts of the East Bay.
Kensington's population grew quite a bit during the 20th century. In 1920, there were only 226 people. By 1950, the population had grown to over 6,600.
Famous Residents and Transportation
During World War II, J. Robert Oppenheimer lived in Kensington. He was a very important scientist who worked on the top-secret atomic bomb project. His house was at 10 Kenilworth Court. Later in his life, Oppenheimer lived at 1 Eagle Hill, also in Kensington.
Until 1948, a streetcar line called #7 connected Kensington to Berkeley. This streetcar ran along Arlington Avenue. After 1948, buses replaced the streetcars. The streetcar service was very important for Kensington's growth. It was connected by many pedestrian paths that cut through the neighborhoods. Many of these paths are still used today, making it easy to walk around Kensington.
A local historian named Louis Stein Jr. lived and worked in Kensington. He owned a pharmacy at the corner of Amherst and Arlington Avenue. For many years, he kept a very old horsecar in his yard. This horsecar is now at the Western Railway Museum.
Geography of Kensington
Kensington covers about one square mile of land. It is mostly made up of single-family homes.
Location and Nearby Areas
Kensington is surrounded by other cities and parks. To the south, it borders Berkeley and Albany. To its west and north, it borders El Cerrito. To the east, you'll find beautiful natural areas like Wildcat Canyon Regional Park and Tilden Regional Park.
Shopping Areas
Kensington has two small areas where you can find shops and businesses. One is located on Arlington Avenue, near Amherst Avenue. The other is centered around the Colusa Circle, which is a round intersection.
People of Kensington
Kensington is a community with a diverse population. In 2010, there were 5,077 people living here. Most residents are White, but there are also significant Asian and African American communities. About 5% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
Kensington is known for its highly educated residents. Many people who live here work in professional jobs. The community is mostly made up of families living in single-family houses.
Education in Kensington
Kensington has a great library branch, the Kensington Branch Library of the Contra Costa County Library. It's very popular and has one of the highest rates of books checked out per person in the county.
For younger students, Kensington Hilltop Elementary School serves children from Kindergarten to 6th grade. Kensington is part of the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Some children also attend private schools in nearby cities.
Religious Institutions
Kensington is home to a few different religious centers. There are two churches: the Arlington Community Church (United Church of Christ), which was finished in 1948, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley. The Unitarian Universalist Church moved to Kensington in 1961.
You can also find a Tibetan Buddhist meditation center and a Carmelite monastery located next to Blake Garden.
Points of Interest
- Blake Garden is a beautiful public garden that is part of the University of California, Berkeley. It's a great place to visit and enjoy nature.
See also
In Spanish: Kensington (California) para niños
