Mountain Communities of the Tejon Pass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mountain Communities of the Tejon Pass
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Sign listing six of the Mountain Communities (2008)
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Counties | Kern, Los Angeles, and Ventura |
| Principal communities |
List
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| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 7,391 |
The Mountain Communities of the Tejon Pass are a group of small towns and areas located in the San Emigdio Mountains of California. People often call them the Frazier Mountain Communities too. These communities are found near the Tejon Pass, which is an important route connecting Southern California with the San Joaquin Valley.
The main communities include Frazier Park, Pine Mountain Club, Lebec, Lake of the Woods, Pinon Pines, Gorman, and Lockwood Valley. These areas are spread across three different counties: Kern, Los Angeles, and Ventura.
Even though they are in different counties, these communities work together. They share a local newspaper called the Mountain Enterprise and have a Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce. There is also a Ridge Route Communities Museum and Historical Society that helps preserve their history. All these communities are "unincorporated areas," meaning they don't have their own city government. Instead, county agencies like sheriff's departments and fire departments provide services.
Contents
Who Lives in the Mountain Communities?
In 2000, about 6,066 people lived in the main Mountain Communities. Frazier Park was the largest with 2,348 residents, followed by Pine Mountain Club with 1,600. Lebec had 1,285 people, and Lake of the Woods had 833.
How Old Are the Residents?
The people living here were generally a bit older than the average person in the U.S. at that time. Pine Mountain Club had the oldest residents, with a median age of 45 years. This means half the people were older than 45 and half were younger. Lebec had the youngest median age at 36 years.
What About Different Backgrounds?
Most residents in the Mountain Communities are white. For example, 91% of people in Pine Mountain Club were white. People of Latino or Hispanic background made up a smaller part of the population, ranging from 9% in Pine Mountain Club to 20% in Lebec.
How Do People Live?
Many houses in the Mountain Communities are used as second homes or vacation spots, especially in areas with higher elevations that get more snow. For example, in Pine Mountain Club, which is at 5,554 feet, 62% of the houses were empty during the 2000 census because they were vacation homes. In Lebec, which is lower at 3,481 feet, only 12% of homes were vacant.
Most people in Pine Mountain Club own their homes (84%). In Frazier Park and Lebec, about 70% of residents own their homes, while in Lake of the Woods, it's 69%. The rest of the homes are rented.
| 2000 Facts | Pine Mountain Club | Lake of the Woods | Frazier Park | Lebec |
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| Elevation | 5,554 feet | 5,121 feet | 4,767 feet | 3,481 feet |
| Population | 1,600 | 833 | 2,348 | 1,285 |
| Median Age | 45 | 40 | 38 | 36 |
| White Residents | 91% | 87% | 88% | 79% |
| Hispanic/Latino Residents | 9% | 11% | 12% | 20% |
| Median Home Value | $144,500 | $69,700 | $96,800 | $163,600 |
| Vacancy Rate | 62% | 27% | 23% | 12% |
Note: "Median Home Value" is the middle value of single-family houses. "Vacancy Rate" shows how many homes were empty in March 2000. Some numbers are rounded.
Learning and Schools
El Tejon Unified School District
The El Tejon Unified School District serves most of the Mountain Communities. This includes students from Lockwood Valley, even though it's in Ventura County. Students from Gorman can also attend the high school with special permission.
- Frazier Park Elementary School teaches children from kindergarten through third grade.
- El Tejon Middle School in Lebec is for students from fourth through eighth grade.
- Frazier Mountain High School, also in Lebec, opened in 1995 for ninth through 12th graders.
Gorman Joint School District
Children from Gorman and nearby areas attend the small Gorman Elementary School. This school teaches students from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Homeschooling in the Area
Homeschooling is quite popular in the Mountain Communities. A report from 2008 suggested that the area might have one of the highest rates of homeschooling in California. Some estimates said that between 8% and 30% of children in the area were homeschooled.
There was also a branch of the Charter Oaks Community Charter School in Frazier Park. This school helped parents who chose to homeschool their children by providing support and resources.
