Knightsen, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Knightsen
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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 | 8.455 sq mi (21.899 km2) |
| • Land | 8.366 sq mi (21.669 km2) |
| • Water | 0.089 sq mi (0.230 km2) 1.05% |
| Elevation | 30 ft (9 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 1,568 |
| • Density | 185.45/sq mi (71.601/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
94548
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| Area code(s) | 925 |
| FIPS code | 06-38772 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1658916, 2408496 |
Knightsen is a small community in Contra Costa County, California. It's called a census-designated place (CDP) because it's a community that the government counts for population, but it's not officially a city. In 2010, about 1,568 people lived there. This was a big jump from 861 people in 2000!
Contents
History of Knightsen
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Knightsen is a small place in eastern Contra Costa County, California. It's close to Oakley, California. The community was named after George W. Knight and his wife, Christina Christensen. Knightsen is special because it has the oldest 4-H Club chapter in California. The 4-H Club helps young people learn new skills.
People in Knightsen are a bit worried about "urban sprawl." This means that cities like Oakley are growing and building more houses, which could take away from the open land in Knightsen. However, a lot of Knightsen's land is protected for farming.
Early Settlers and Farming
In the 1880s, people started moving to Knightsen. They planted the first almond trees and set up dairies for milk. Other crops like apricots, grapes, and alfalfa also grew well. Before railroads, farmers sent their crops by boat from Babbes Landing.
The Railroad Arrives
Knightsen was officially founded in 1898. This happened when the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad (Santa Fe Railway) planned to build train tracks through the area. The railroad wanted to call the community "Meganos." But local settlers wanted to keep the name Knightsen.
George Knight worked with officials in Washington, D.C. to make sure the community was named Knightsen. A post office was set up with the name Knightsen in 1899, and George Knight became the first postmaster. He then built the first grocery store in Knightsen in 1900, which also held the post office.
Growth and Industry
The first buildings in Knightsen were for the Santa Fe railroad. After Knight's grocery store, the Lyon Brothers opened an asparagus plant. They could ship huge amounts of asparagus by train every day. The railroad made it much easier for farmers to send their crops to other places.
Soon, six dairies were shipping about 2,500 gallons of milk daily. In the 1920s, Knightsen was one of the biggest places for shipping milk in California.
Water and Community Life
In 1920, people voted to create the Knightsen Irrigation District. This district helped bring water to 10,000 acres of farmland. This was a big project that cost $650,000. Even before it was finished, a larger water district took it over.
Getting water for farming changed things a lot. The Knightsen Farm Bureau was started in 1918. They built a hall in 1922 that has been used for many community events. These include school graduations, dances, weddings, and even a safe place during floods.
A man named John N. Kristich also built a factory in Knightsen. His company made concrete pipes and became one of the largest pipe producers in California in the 1920s.
Today, Knightsen is still mostly a farming community. They grow almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. You can also find "U-pick" stands where you can pick your own fruits and vegetables. Knightsen is also home to many horse ranches. Some reports say there are almost as many horses (1,500) as people (1,568) in the community!
Geography
Knightsen covers about 8.5 square miles (22 square kilometers). Almost all of this area is land.
Population Facts
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 Census
In 2010, Knightsen had 1,568 people. This means there were about 185 people per square mile. Most of the people were White (80.9%). About 29% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
There were 531 homes in Knightsen. About 73% of these homes were owned by the people living in them. The rest were rented.
Notable Residents
- Jeremy Newberry: A former player in the NFL.
See also
In Spanish: Knightsen para niños
