Occidental, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Occidental Howards
census-designated place
Occidental, California, post office
Location in Sonoma County and the state of California
Occidental, California Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Sonoma
Area
• Total	4.966 sq mi (12.862 km2)
• Land	4.966 sq mi (12.862 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation	594 ft (181 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,132
• Density	227.95/sq mi (88.01/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP code	95465
Area code(s)	707
FIPS code	06-53266
GNIS feature ID	277568

Occidental is a small community in Sonoma County, California, in the United States. It's called a "census-designated place" (CDP) because it's a special area defined for counting people. In 2020, about 1,132 people lived there. This was a small increase from the 1,115 people counted in 2010.

History of Occidental

Occidental, 1902

Occidental was founded in 1876. It became an important stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad. This railway connected the town of Cazadero to a ferry in Sausalito.

A local landowner named "Dutch Bill" Howards gave land for the railroad to pass through. In return, he received a free lifetime pass to ride the train. Because of this, the train station was named after him.

The railway helped the timber industry grow very quickly. By 1877, there were six sawmills in the Occidental area. The trains also brought many vacationers from San Francisco to visit the town.

Today, you can still find a restaurant called Howard’s Station Cafe in downtown Occidental. It is located at the site of the old narrow gauge railroad stop.

Geography and Location

Occidental covers a total area of about 4.97 square miles (12.86 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no large bodies of water.

Climate and Weather

Occidental has cool and wet winters. Its summers are warm and dry. This type of weather is common in many parts of California.

Temperature Ranges

In January, the average temperatures are between 41.8°F (5.4°C) and 54.5°F (12.5°C). In July, the average temperatures are between 51.4°F (10.8°C) and 77.9°F (25.5°C).

The hottest temperature ever recorded was 103°F (39°C) on July 22, 2006. The coldest temperature recorded was 28°F (-2°C) on March 11, 2006. On average, there are about 13 days a year when the temperature reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher. There are only about 2 mornings a year when the temperature drops to 32°F (0°C) or lower.

Rainfall and Snowfall

Occidental receives a lot of rain, with an average of 55.19 inches (1402 mm) per year. The wettest year on record was from July 1997 to June 1998, when 102.89 inches (2614 mm) of rain fell. The driest year was from July 2000 to June 2001, with only 29.84 inches (758 mm).

The most rain in one month was 36.62 inches (930 mm) in January 1995. The most rain in a single day was 8.51 inches (216 mm) on January 5, 1966. Snowfall is very rare in Occidental, with an average of only 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) per year. The most snowfall recorded was 11.0 inches (28 cm) in January 1974.

Population and Demographics

Downtown Occidental, 2008

In 2010, Occidental had a population of 1,115 people. Most of the people living there were White (89%). A smaller number of residents were Asian, Native American, African American, or from other backgrounds. About 7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average household in Occidental had about 2.10 people. Many households were families, including married couples and single-parent families. About 17% of the population was under 18 years old. The median age in Occidental was 48.5 years, meaning half the people were older and half were younger than this age.

Most people in Occidental owned their homes (about 68.6%). The rest lived in rented homes.

Economy and Local Businesses

Occidental is known for its many craft breweries and wineries nearby. These businesses attract both local people and tourists. Places like Barley and Hops Tavern and Sonoma Fine Wine store are popular spots in downtown Occidental.

A company that makes tool-belts, called Occidental Leather, started in a barn in Occidental. It later moved to the downtown area.

The Occidental Arts and Ecology Center (OAEC) is a non-profit group located close to Occidental. It is on an 80-acre nature preserve near the Russian River. OAEC works with local communities to help restore and protect different types of plants, animals, and cultures.

Notable People

Many interesting people have connections to Occidental, including:

• Les Claypool, a musician
• Nick Gravenites, a musician
• Mickey Hart, a musician
• Alicia Bay Laurel, an artist, author, and musician
• Terence McKenna, an ethnobotanist (someone who studies how people use plants)
• Robert Nichols, an actor
• Max Thieriot, an actor who grew up in Occidental
• Kitaro, a musician
• Tom Waits, a musician

See also

In Spanish: Occidental (California) para niños