Mountain Ranch, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mountain Ranch
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Location in Calaveras County and the state of California
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 Mountain Ranch, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Calaveras |
| Area | |
| • Total | 41.244 sq mi (106.822 km2) |
| • Land | 41.188 sq mi (106.677 km2) |
| • Water | 0.056 sq mi (0.145 km2) 0.14% |
| Elevation | 2,123 ft (647 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 1,628 |
| • Density | 37.7/sq mi (14.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
95246
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| Area code(s) | 209 |
| FIPS code | 06-49628 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 229196, 2408882 |
| Official name: El Dorado | |
| Reference #: | 282 |
Mountain Ranch is a small community in Calaveras County, California, United States. It's known as a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's a special area defined by the government for counting people.
In 2010, about 1,628 people lived here. Mountain Ranch is also a registered California Historical Landmark. This shows its importance in the state's history. The main part of town is quite small. Most people live in the areas around it.
Contents
A Look Back: Mountain Ranch History
Mountain Ranch began during the exciting California Gold Rush. This was a time when many people came to California hoping to find gold.
Post Office History
The town got its first post office in 1858. Later, in 1868, the post office moved. It went to a nearby place called El Dorado Camp. This was because there was already another El Dorado post office in California. So, El Dorado Camp became known as Mountain Ranch.
Today, Mountain Ranch has three post office buildings. One was built in 1956. Another, built in 1923, was once called the world's smallest post office!
School Days and Changes
The original spot of Mountain Ranch also has a special historical marker. A bell on this marker was used in the local school for many years. It rang for students from 1885 to 1953. The school started as Cave City School District in 1855. It later joined with another district to form the El Dorado Union Elementary School District.
Over time, Mountain Ranch saw many changes. The last gold mines closed in 1942. Later, in the 1970s, local sawmills also closed. A cement company closed in 1983. These changes affected the town's economy.
The Butte Fire
In 2015, a large wildfire called the Butte Fire affected the town. Many homes on the edges of Mountain Ranch were damaged. But brave firefighters and local ranchers worked hard. They managed to save most of the downtown area.
Exploring Mountain Ranch: Geography
Mountain Ranch covers an area of about 41.2 square miles (106.8 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. Only a very small part is water.
Who Lives in Mountain Ranch: Demographics
In 2010, the population of Mountain Ranch was 1,628 people. Most people lived in family homes.
Community Makeup
- About 90% of the people were White.
- There were also people of African American, Native American, and Asian backgrounds.
- About 7.6% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Homes and Families
There were 748 homes in Mountain Ranch.
- About 15% of these homes had children under 18.
- Many homes (54.8%) were married couples living together.
- About 28% of homes had just one person living there.
- About 12% of homes had someone living alone who was 65 or older.
The average home had about 2.18 people. The average family had about 2.60 people.
Age Groups
The community has people of all ages:
- About 13% were under 18 years old.
- About 5% were aged 18 to 24.
- About 12% were aged 25 to 44.
- About 44% were aged 45 to 64.
- About 26% were 65 or older.
The average age in Mountain Ranch was about 55 years old.
Famous People from Mountain Ranch
See also
In Spanish: Mountain Ranch para niños
