Pescadero, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pescadero
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Downtown Pescadero, looking north on Stage Road
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Location within San Mateo County
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 Pescadero
Location in California
Pescadero
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Mateo |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.035 sq mi (10.449 km2) |
| • Land | 4.026 sq mi (10.426 km2) |
| • Water | 0.009 sq mi (0.022 km2) 0.21% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 595 |
| • Density | 147.46/sq mi (56.94/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
94060
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| Area code(s) | 650 |
Pescadero is a small town in San Mateo County, California. Its name means "Fishmonger" in Spanish. It's located about 2 miles (3 km) east of State Route 1 and Pescadero State Beach. The town is about 14.4 miles (23.2 km) south of Half Moon Bay. In 2020, about 595 people lived here.
Contents
About Pescadero
Pescadero is a community known for farming, tourism, and ranching. It's close to the Pescadero Marsh, which is a special place for wildlife. Pescadero Creek, the longest stream in San Mateo County, flows into the Pacific Ocean near the town. Many buildings in Pescadero are very old, dating back to the 1800s. The town is located near the Pacific Ocean, about 17 miles (27 km) south of Half Moon Bay. It's also about 34 miles (55 km) north of Santa Cruz.
Pescadero is a popular spot for tourists, especially in the summer. People visit for its beautiful beaches and parks like Memorial Park and Butano State Park. The Pigeon Point Lighthouse and its hostel are also nearby. The area has many rural roads perfect for biking and trails for hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Pescadero also has successful farms that sell fresh produce and other goods throughout San Mateo County.
The town hosts the yearly Pescadero Art and Fun Fair (PAFF) every August. A bicycle race called the Pescadero Coastal Classic Road Race also takes place here in early summer.
Pescadero has its own schools: Pescadero Middle and High School, which opened in 1922. The high school teams are called the Vikings, and the middle school teams are the Panthers. Pescadero Elementary School is just north of the downtown area.
Local non-profit groups are very important to Pescadero. Puente de la Costa Sur is a community center that helps farmworkers and other residents. Educational groups like Pie Ranch also work to help people get land for farming and promote regenerative agriculture.
Pescadero also has its own community radio station, KPDO, at 89.3 FM.
Pescadero Marsh: A Wildlife Haven
The Pescadero Marsh is where Pescadero Creek and Butano Creek meet. For many years, it has been a busy home for both migrating and local wildlife. It's a safe place for birds in winter. It's also a very important area for young coho salmon, steelhead trout, and other fish. Many threatened or endangered animals, like the tidewater goby, also live here.
However, the health of Pescadero Marsh has been declining. Sometimes, the water doesn't have enough oxygen. This can cause many young fish and crabs to die. When water levels change, some animals get cut off from their homes. This harms the entire natural system.
Since 1998, people and wildlife groups have asked California State Parks to help. The Parks department has asked for more studies. Meanwhile, the number of native animals in the marsh has become very low. For example, in 1985, about 10,000 steelhead trout lived in the lagoon. By 2008, only 750 were counted in the same area.
Fun Things to Do in Pescadero
Nature and Outdoors
- Butano State Park: Offers hiking trails and campsites.
- Pescadero Creek: A beautiful creek flowing to the ocean.
- Pescadero State Beach: A popular beach on Highway 1.
- Pescadero Marsh: A great place for wildlife viewing.
- Portolá Expedition Camp: A historical landmark.
Local Farms and Dairies
- Harley Farms Goat Dairy
- Blue House Farm
- TomKat Ranch
- Simms Organic
- Fifth Crow Farm
- R & R Herbs
Historic Buildings
- Dickerman Barn: An old dairy barn that is now a historic landmark.
- First Congregational Church of Pescadero: A historic church listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Pigeon Point Lighthouse: A famous lighthouse located near Pescadero.
Pescadero's Location
Pescadero covers an area of about 4.0 square miles (10.4 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
Pescadero's Weather
Pescadero has cool, wet winters and mild, mostly dry summers. Fog and clouds are common all year, especially in summer. Strong winds sometimes blow from the Pacific Ocean. December is the coolest month, with temperatures usually between 39°F (4°C) and 59°F (15°C). August is the warmest month, with temperatures usually between 51°F (11°C) and 75°F (24°C). It rarely freezes in winter, and summer temperatures rarely go above 90°F (32°C). Because it's on the coast, Pescadero's temperatures are mild and steady.
The town gets about 29.52 inches (750 mm) of rain each year. Snow is very rare on the coast.
| Climate data for Pescadero, California | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 59.6 (15.3) |
61.3 (16.3) |
63.0 (17.2) |
65.3 (18.5) |
68.0 (20.0) |
71.5 (21.9) |
74.3 (23.5) |
74.8 (23.8) |
74.6 (23.7) |
71.1 (21.7) |
64.2 (17.9) |
59.3 (15.2) |
67.3 (19.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 39.2 (4.0) |
40.6 (4.8) |
41.4 (5.2) |
42.4 (5.8) |
45.9 (7.7) |
48.3 (9.1) |
50.9 (10.5) |
51.2 (10.7) |
49.1 (9.5) |
45.6 (7.6) |
41.5 (5.3) |
38.9 (3.8) |
44.6 (7.0) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 6.04 (153) |
5.93 (151) |
5.23 (133) |
1.99 (51) |
0.82 (21) |
0.24 (6.1) |
0.12 (3.0) |
0.15 (3.8) |
0.39 (9.9) |
1.62 (41) |
3.98 (101) |
4.44 (113) |
30.95 (786) |
Pescadero's History
The town of Pescadero is located on land that was once part of a Mexican land grant called Rancho Pescadero. This land was given to Juan José Gonzalez in 1833. In 1853, an American pioneer named Alexander Moore built his home in the Pescadero Valley. The valley's rich soil attracted many settlers. By the 1860s, Pescadero was a busy town with farms and lumber mills.
A story says that after a shipwreck in 1853, a lot of white paint washed ashore from the clipper ship Carrier Pigeon. The people of Pescadero used this paint to cover all their buildings. Since then, they have kept the tradition of painting their houses white. Another story says the paint came from a different shipwreck in 1896.
Another interesting tale is about a stagecoach from the Carrier Pigeon shipwreck. Workers managed to pull it up the cliffs and put it into use within a week. This stagecoach carried people and goods for the Wells Fargo Company for 40 years. It was considered a very valuable item by the company.
Famous People from Pescadero
- Steve Blank (born 1953): An entrepreneur and professor.
- Jessica Dubroff (1988–1996): A young pilot trainee.
- Dee Hock (1929-2022): The person who started and led the Visa credit card company.
- Gordon Moore (1929–2023): He helped start Intel Corporation and created Moore's law. He grew up in Pescadero until he was about 10 years old. His childhood home and the barn he played in are still there.
- Heinz von Foerster (1911–2002): A scientist who lived in the Pescadero hills until he passed away.
See also
In Spanish: Pescadero (California) para niños
