Wasco, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
City of Wasco
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Water tower in Wasco
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| Motto(s):
"Grow With Us"
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Location in Kern County and the state of California
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 Wasco, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Kern |
| Incorporated | December 22, 1945 |
| Named for | Sources unclear, either Wasco County, Oregon or Western American Sugar Company |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.39 sq mi (24.32 km2) |
| • Land | 9.39 sq mi (24.32 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 328 ft (100 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 27,047 |
| • Density | 2,880.4/sq mi (1,112.13/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
93280
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| Area code | 661 |
| FIPS code | 06-83542 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1661652 |
Wasco is a city in the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California, United States. It was once known as Dewey and Deweyville. Wasco is about 24 miles (39 km) northwest of Bakersfield. It sits at an elevation of 328 feet (100 meters) above sea level. In 2010, the city had a population of 25,545 people. This was an increase from 21,263 people in 2000.
Wasco is also the main home for the Tejon Indian Tribe of California. This tribe is officially recognized by the government. It includes people from the Kitanemuk, Yokuts, and Chumash Indigenous people of California.
Contents
History of Wasco
The name "Dewey" was chosen to honor Admiral George Dewey. He was a hero during the Spanish–American War. The Deweyville post office opened in 1899. Later, in 1907, its name changed to Wasco.
There are two main ideas about where the name Wasco came from:
- Some believe it came from the "Western American Sugar Company."
- Others think a resident from Wasco County, Oregon named it.
Wasco is also where the Fourth Home Extension Colony was started. This group was founded in 1907 by the American Home Extension Association.
Geography and Climate
Wasco is located on the flat land of the San Joaquin Valley. It is where two major California roads meet: California State Route 43 (running north-south) and California State Route 46 (running east-west).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of 9.4 square miles (24.3 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Wasco's Climate
Wasco has a semi-arid climate. This means it has very hot and dry summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. The average yearly temperature in Wasco is about 66.0°F (18.9°C).
| Climate data for Wasco, California (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1901–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 81 (27) |
86 (30) |
100 (38) |
102 (39) |
109 (43) |
113 (45) |
116 (47) |
115 (46) |
113 (45) |
110 (43) |
92 (33) |
85 (29) |
116 (47) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 70.6 (21.4) |
76.0 (24.4) |
83.4 (28.6) |
92.2 (33.4) |
100.1 (37.8) |
106.3 (41.3) |
107.6 (42.0) |
107.3 (41.8) |
104.1 (40.1) |
94.8 (34.9) |
80.1 (26.7) |
70.9 (21.6) |
109.5 (43.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 58.5 (14.7) |
65.1 (18.4) |
71.3 (21.8) |
77.2 (25.1) |
86.0 (30.0) |
93.9 (34.4) |
100.0 (37.8) |
98.8 (37.1) |
93.5 (34.2) |
82.4 (28.0) |
68.5 (20.3) |
58.6 (14.8) |
79.5 (26.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 47.6 (8.7) |
52.5 (11.4) |
57.8 (14.3) |
63.2 (17.3) |
71.6 (22.0) |
77.6 (25.3) |
83.4 (28.6) |
81.6 (27.6) |
77.6 (25.3) |
66.8 (19.3) |
55.1 (12.8) |
47.2 (8.4) |
66.0 (18.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 36.6 (2.6) |
40.0 (4.4) |
44.2 (6.8) |
49.2 (9.6) |
57.3 (14.1) |
61.3 (16.3) |
66.8 (19.3) |
64.4 (18.0) |
59.8 (15.4) |
51.1 (10.6) |
41.7 (5.4) |
35.7 (2.1) |
50.7 (10.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 28.2 (−2.1) |
30.7 (−0.7) |
35.2 (1.8) |
38.9 (3.8) |
45.6 (7.6) |
50.7 (10.4) |
58.7 (14.8) |
57.3 (14.1) |
52.1 (11.2) |
40.7 (4.8) |
31.3 (−0.4) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 12 (−11) |
18 (−8) |
20 (−7) |
21 (−6) |
33 (1) |
32 (0) |
46 (8) |
40 (4) |
33 (1) |
25 (−4) |
17 (−8) |
13 (−11) |
12 (−11) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.29 (33) |
1.16 (29) |
1.37 (35) |
0.63 (16) |
0.27 (6.9) |
0.13 (3.3) |
0.01 (0.25) |
0.02 (0.51) |
0.03 (0.76) |
0.51 (13) |
0.58 (15) |
1.11 (28) |
7.11 (180.72) |
| Average precipitation days | 6.9 | 6.2 | 5.6 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 3.3 | 5.1 | 34.3 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Wasco
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1950 | 5,592 | — | |
| 1960 | 6,841 | 22.3% | |
| 1970 | 8,269 | 20.9% | |
| 1980 | 9,613 | 16.3% | |
| 1990 | 12,412 | 29.1% | |
| 2000 | 21,263 | 71.3% | |
| 2010 | 25,545 | 20.1% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 28,710 | 12.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
In 2010, Wasco had a population of 25,545 people. The city had about 2,710 people per square mile (1,046 per square kilometer).
The population was made up of many different groups:
- White: 49.2%
- African American: 7.6%
- Native American: 1.1%
- Asian: 0.7%
- Pacific Islander: 0.0%
- Other races: 38.0%
- Two or more races: 3.2%
About 76.7% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
Most people (77.6%) lived in regular homes. About 22.4% lived in places like prisons or other institutions.
There were 5,131 households in Wasco.
- 61.3% of these homes had children under 18.
- 56.4% were married couples.
- 19.3% had a female head of household with no husband.
- 9.4% had a male head of household with no wife.
The average household had 3.86 people. The average family had 4.11 people.
The ages of people in Wasco were:
- Under 18: 28.8%
- 18 to 24: 14.4%
- 25 to 44: 33.7%
- 45 to 64: 18.0%
- 65 or older: 5.1%
The average age was 28.3 years. For every 100 females, there were about 160 males.
Population in 2000
In 2000, Wasco had 21,263 people living in 3,971 households. The population density was about 2,796 people per square mile (1,080 per square kilometer).
The racial makeup of the city was:
- White: 34.64%
- Black or African American: 10.27%
- Native American: 1.02%
- Asian: 0.67%
- Pacific Islander: 0.15%
- Other races: 50.46%
- Two or more races: 2.78%
About 66.72% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Of the households, 55.1% had children under 18. Most (62.3%) were married couples. The average household size was 3.79 people. The average family size was 4.07 people.
The median income for a household was $28,997. For families, it was $30,506. About 27.5% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Wasco's Economy
One of the most important parts of Wasco's economy is agriculture. The city is especially known for growing roses. A huge number of roses, about 55% of all roses grown in the United States, come from Wasco or nearby areas.
Besides farming, getting oil and gas from the ground is also a big part of the local economy. The large Semitropic Oil Field is located about 7 miles (11 km) west of Wasco. This area used to mainly produce gas, but now it mostly produces oil. Vintage Production, a company owned by Occidental Petroleum, is a main operator there.
The Wasco Oil Field was first found in April 1938 by the Continental Oil Company.
Sports in Wasco
The Wasco Reserve was a professional baseball team. They played in the independent Pecos League. This league is not connected to Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. The team played their home games at Wasco Athletic Park until 2021. In their final season in 2022, they shared Sam Lynn Ballpark in Bakersfield.
Transportation
The Amtrak train service, called the San Joaquins, has a stop at the Wasco station. This station has one platform next to the train track. The original station building was taken down in 2021.
Wasco is also on the route for the high-speed rail project. However, the high-speed train will not stop in Wasco. City officials are worried that the Amtrak service might stop because of this. As of August 2020, no decision has been made about the Amtrak service.
The construction of the high-speed rail has affected the city. For example, a housing complex for workers had to be left empty and torn down. There is a disagreement about who should pay for removing asbestos from that site. The city wants the rail authority to pay for it.
Notable People from Wasco
- Pablo Garza: An American mixed martial artist.
- Suzanne Lacy: An artist, teacher, and activist.
- Aaron Merz: A former American football player.
- Jim Napier: A former minor league baseball catcher and manager.
- Manuel Quezada: A professional boxer.
- Carl Smith: An American football coach.
Gallery
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Amtrak station, January 2014
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City Hall, December 2010
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The Wasco Union High School Auditorium is on the National Register of Historic Places.
See also
In Spanish: Wasco (California) para niños
