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Tuolumne County, California facts for kids

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Tuolumne County, California
County of Tuolumne
2009-0724-CA-TuolumneCtyCt.jpg
Columbia California.jpg
Tuolumne Meadows Sunset.jpg
Images, from top down, left to right: the Old Tuolumne County Courthouse in Sonora, a shop in Columbia State Historic Park, Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park
Flag of Tuolumne County, California
Flag
Official seal of Tuolumne County, California
Seal
Location in the state of California
Location in the state of California
Country United States
State California
Regions Sierra Nevada, Gold Country
Incorporated February 15, 1850
County seat Sonora
Largest city Sonora
Government
 • Type Council–Administrator
 • Body Board of Supervisors
Area
 • Total 2,274 sq mi (5,890 km2)
 • Land 2,221 sq mi (5,750 km2)
 • Water 54 sq mi (140 km2)
Highest elevation
13,114 ft (3,997 m)
Population
 • Total 55,620
 • Density 24.459/sq mi (9.4437/km2)
GDP
 • Total $2.884 billion (2022)
Time zone UTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Congressional district 5th
Gold-rar09-mf07a
This is a very nice piece of gold, likely from Tuolumne County. It was sold for $65 in the 1950s and later for $12,500.

Tuolumne County (Listeni/tuˈɒləmi/) is a county in the state of California. As of 2020, about 55,620 people live here. The main city and county seat is Sonora. It is the only city in the county.

Tuolumne County is part of the Sonora, California, Micropolitan Statistical Area. This area is in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The northern part of Yosemite National Park is also located in the eastern part of the county.

City of Sonora in Tuolumne County
City of Sonora in Tuolumne County, California.

What's in a Name? The Meaning of Tuolumne

The name Tuolumne comes from Native American languages. It has a few possible meanings. Some say it means "Many Stone Houses." Others believe it means "The Land of Mountain Lions."

One idea from William Fuller, a Native American Chief, is that it means "Straight Up Steep." A report from Mariano Vallejo to the first California State Legislature said the word comes from talmalamne. This word means "cluster of stone wigwams." It might also mean "people who live in stone houses," like caves.

A Look Back: The History of Tuolumne County

Tuolumne County was one of California's first 27 counties. It was officially formed in 1850. Before it got its official name, people sometimes called it Oro County.

The first borders of Tuolumne County changed over time. In 1854 and 1855, a part of the county in the west became Stanislaus County. Later, in 1864, some land from Tuolumne and other counties helped create Alpine County. By 1872, the county's borders were mostly set as they are today.

Exploring the Land: Geography of Tuolumne County

Tuolumne County covers about 2,274 square miles (5,890 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 2,221 square miles (5,750 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 54 square miles (140 square kilometers), is water.

A large part of the county includes federal lands. These are areas managed by the U.S. government. They include parts of Yosemite National Park and Stanislaus National Forest. There are also lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and Indian reservations. A well-known landform in the county is Table Mountain.

Neighboring Counties

Tuolumne County shares its borders with several other counties:

Natural Features and Protected Areas

Tuolumne County has many interesting natural features:

The county also has beautiful valleys:

Getting Around: Transportation in Tuolumne County

Main Roads

Several important highways run through Tuolumne County:

  • California 49.svg California State Route 49
  • California 108.svg California State Route 108
  • California 120.svg California State Route 120

Public Transport

Tuolumne County Transit offers bus routes from Sonora to many parts of the county. You can connect to Calaveras County Transit from Columbia. However, there is no public transport that connects Tuolumne County to bigger cities nearby.

During summer, the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) offers one daily trip from Sonora into Yosemite Valley.

Airports

Tuolumne County has two airports for smaller planes:

  • Columbia Airport
  • Pine Mountain Lake Airport

Who Lives Here? Demographics of Tuolumne County

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 8,351
1860 16,229 94.3%
1870 8,150 −49.8%
1880 7,848 −3.7%
1890 6,082 −22.5%
1900 11,166 83.6%
1910 9,979 −10.6%
1920 7,768 −22.2%
1930 9,271 19.3%
1940 10,887 17.4%
1950 12,584 15.6%
1960 14,404 14.5%
1970 22,169 53.9%
1980 33,928 53.0%
1990 48,456 42.8%
2000 54,501 12.5%
2010 55,365 1.6%
2020 55,620 0.5%
2023 (est.) 54,204 −2.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010 2020

The population of Tuolumne County has changed over the years. In 2020, the county had 55,620 people. Most residents are White. About 12.8% of the population is of Hispanic or Latino background.

In 2000, the average age in the county was 43 years old. About 20.7% of the people were under 18. The median income for a household was $38,725. This means half of the households earned more than that, and half earned less. About 11.4% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Places to Live: Communities in Tuolumne County

City

  • Sonora is the main city and the county seat.

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities.

Other Communities

These are smaller areas that are not officially incorporated.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Tuolumne para niños

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