Potter Valley, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Potter Valley
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 Potter Valley
Location in California
Potter Valley
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Mendocino |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.055 sq mi (10.50 km2) |
| • Land | 4.027 sq mi (10.43 km2) |
| • Water | 0.028 sq mi (0.07 km2) 0.69% |
| Elevation | 948 ft (289 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 665 |
| • Density | 164.00/sq mi (63.32/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
95469
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| Area code(s) | 707 |
| FIPS code | 06-58506 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 265005; 2628779 |
Potter Valley is a small community in Mendocino County, California, United States. It is known as a census-designated place, which means it's a special area defined by the government for counting people. The valley is located about 18 miles (29 km) north of Ukiah. It sits at an elevation of 948 feet (289 meters) above sea level. The East Fork Russian River begins its journey here. In 2020, about 665 people lived in Potter Valley.
Contents
History of Potter Valley
Early Discoveries and Naming
In 1852, two brothers, William and Thomas Potter, along with Mose Briggs, explored this beautiful valley. They were looking for the start of the Russian River from their home in Sonoma County.
When they arrived, they found three large villages of the Pomo people. Each village had about 500 people. The Pomo people called this area Ba-lo Kai. The explorers also found the headwaters of the Russian River and a very green valley. It was filled with wild oats that grew "stirrup high," meaning they were tall enough to reach a horse rider's stirrups! The Potter brothers later returned to live here, and the valley was named after them.
Community Growth and Famous Residents
Potter Valley got its own post office in 1870, helping the community grow.
A famous painter named Grace Hudson was born in Potter Valley in 1865. She was known for her portraits, especially of the Pomo people.
Another interesting person connected to Potter Valley was Charles S. Howard. He was the owner of the famous racehorse Seabiscuit. Besides his well-known ranch, Howard also owned a ranch in Potter Valley where he raised cattle.
Geography and Landscape
Where is Potter Valley Located?
Potter Valley is located in Mendocino County. It is about 18 miles (29 km) northeast of Ukiah. It is also about 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Lake Mendocino. The valley floor is generally around 950 feet (290 meters) above sea level.
Rivers and Water Diversion
The East Fork Russian River starts in Potter Valley. This area is also part of the Potter Valley Project. This project brings extra water from the Eel River into the Russian River. The water travels through a tunnel in the mountains. This is done using a hydroelectric plant that makes electricity from the water's movement. This water diversion is important because it supplies a lot of water to inland Mendocino and Sonoma counties.
Farming in the Valley
Potter Valley is a very rich farming area. It has excellent soil, perfect for growing crops. Farmers here mostly grow irrigated pasture for animals, wine grapes, and pears. However, many different types of farms and ranches can be found throughout the valley.
The main area of Potter Valley, called the Census Designated Place (CDP), covers about 4.0 square miles (10.4 square kilometers). Most of this area (99.31%) is land, with a small part (0.69%) being water. The entire valley, which is mostly rural, is much larger, covering about 12 square miles (31 square kilometers).
Climate and Weather
Potter Valley has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. This type of climate is common in the interior of Northern California. It means the summers are hot and dry, while the winters are cool and wet. The valley also experiences large daily temperature changes. This is called diurnal temperature variation.
| Climate data for Potter Valley Powerhouse, California (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1937–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 82 (28) |
87 (31) |
90 (32) |
95 (35) |
103 (39) |
110 (43) |
113 (45) |
116 (47) |
113 (45) |
103 (39) |
93 (34) |
83 (28) |
116 (47) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 67.9 (19.9) |
73.3 (22.9) |
80.5 (26.9) |
86.5 (30.3) |
93.1 (33.9) |
100.8 (38.2) |
103.9 (39.9) |
102.9 (39.4) |
101.1 (38.4) |
91.6 (33.1) |
77.7 (25.4) |
65.8 (18.8) |
105.9 (41.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57.4 (14.1) |
61.4 (16.3) |
66.0 (18.9) |
70.7 (21.5) |
78.9 (26.1) |
87.0 (30.6) |
95.0 (35.0) |
94.1 (34.5) |
90.3 (32.4) |
78.9 (26.1) |
64.3 (17.9) |
56.0 (13.3) |
75.0 (23.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 46.1 (7.8) |
48.9 (9.4) |
52.4 (11.3) |
55.8 (13.2) |
62.0 (16.7) |
68.4 (20.2) |
74.7 (23.7) |
73.4 (23.0) |
69.5 (20.8) |
61.1 (16.2) |
51.2 (10.7) |
45.3 (7.4) |
59.1 (15.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 34.9 (1.6) |
36.4 (2.4) |
38.9 (3.8) |
40.8 (4.9) |
45.1 (7.3) |
49.9 (9.9) |
54.4 (12.4) |
52.7 (11.5) |
48.7 (9.3) |
43.3 (6.3) |
38.2 (3.4) |
34.5 (1.4) |
43.2 (6.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 24.0 (−4.4) |
25.8 (−3.4) |
28.7 (−1.8) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
36.0 (2.2) |
40.7 (4.8) |
47.2 (8.4) |
45.9 (7.7) |
40.5 (4.7) |
33.6 (0.9) |
25.9 (−3.4) |
22.8 (−5.1) |
20.9 (−6.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 14 (−10) |
15 (−9) |
20 (−7) |
22 (−6) |
28 (−2) |
32 (0) |
38 (3) |
39 (4) |
33 (1) |
21 (−6) |
19 (−7) |
12 (−11) |
12 (−11) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 8.21 (209) |
7.72 (196) |
6.28 (160) |
3.36 (85) |
1.86 (47) |
0.54 (14) |
0.04 (1.0) |
0.05 (1.3) |
0.30 (7.6) |
1.86 (47) |
5.04 (128) |
9.77 (248) |
45.03 (1,143.9) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 15.7 | 14.0 | 13.4 | 9.0 | 5.9 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 5.2 | 12.3 | 16.1 | 95.5 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Potter Valley
Population Overview
According to the 2010 United States Census, Potter Valley had a population of 646 people. This means there were about 159 people living in each square mile (61 people per square kilometer).
Most of the people living in Potter Valley were White (79.9%). About 2.0% were Native American, and 15.0% were from other racial backgrounds. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 23.8% of the population.
Households and Families
Almost everyone (98.5%) in Potter Valley lived in homes with families or housemates. There were 241 households in total.
- About 30.3% of these households had children under 18 living there.
- Many households (51.9%) were married couples living together.
- Some households had a female head (8.3%) or a male head (6.6%) without a spouse.
The average household size was 2.64 people. For families, the average size was 3.19 people.
Age Distribution
The population of Potter Valley includes people of all ages:
- 22.0% were under 18 years old.
- 8.7% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- 24.1% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- 31.9% were between 45 and 64 years old.
- 13.3% were 65 years or older.
The average age in Potter Valley was 41.6 years. For every 100 females, there were about 105 males.
Housing in the Valley
There were 267 housing units in Potter Valley. About 63.1% of these homes were owned by the people living in them. The other 36.9% were rented. This means that 59.1% of the population lived in homes they owned, and 39.3% lived in rented homes.
See also
In Spanish: Potter Valley (California) para niños
