Wawona, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wawona
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The Wawona Hotel
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 Wawona
Location in California
Wawona
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Mariposa |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.076 sq mi (2.79 km2) |
| • Land | 1.076 sq mi (2.79 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 3,999 ft (1,219 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 111 |
| • Density | 103.2/sq mi (39.83/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
95389
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| Area code | 209 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1652868, 2583183 |
Wawona is a small community in Mariposa County, California, United States. In 2020, about 111 people lived there. It has had other names in the past, like Big Tree Station and Clark's Station.
Wawona is special because it is completely inside Yosemite National Park. It was a settlement even before the park was officially created. During busy tourist times, many more people come to Wawona because of the many rental cabins available. It is located about 20 miles north of Oakhurst and 26 miles south of the main Yosemite Valley. Wawona sits at an elevation of about 3,999 feet (1,219 meters). The local ZIP Code is 95389, and the phone Area code is 209.
Contents
Wawona's Past: A Look at Its History
Wawona was known to the local Native American Miwok people as Pallachun, which meant "a good place to stay." The exact meaning of the word Wawona is not fully known. A popular story says it was a Miwok word for "big tree" or for the "hoot of an owl." Owls were seen as spiritual protectors of the sequoia trees.
Early Settlers and the Wawona Hotel
Galen Clark was a person who helped protect the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias and what later became Yosemite National Park. He settled in the Wawona area in 1855. In 1856, he started a small place for tourists to rest and a ranch.
Clark sold his property to the Washburn brothers in 1874. These brothers built a much larger hotel in 1876 and added more parts to it later. In 1883, the hotel owner, Jean Bruce Washburn, officially named the resort Wawona.
The historic Wawona Hotel was built by the Washburns in 1876. More buildings were added to it in the early 1900s. This hotel is a classic example of Victorian architecture and was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
The first US Post Office in the area opened in 1878 and was called Clark's Station. Its name was changed to Wawona in 1883.
Wawona's Location and Natural Beauty
Wawona is located in a large, flat area at a medium elevation. The beautiful Wawona Meadow is right in the middle of it. The community is in the southwest part of Yosemite National Park. It sits along the South Fork of the Merced River at about 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level.
You can reach Wawona by driving on State Route 41, which is the main highway from Fresno to Yosemite Valley. Wawona is the closest town to Chilnualna Falls and the amazing Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia trees. It is also the main starting point for exploring the southern Yosemite wilderness, with many hiking trails beginning here.
The Wawona area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, covers about 1.08 square miles, and all of it is land.
Who Lives in Wawona?
According to the 2010 United States Census, Wawona had a population of 169 people. Most of the residents were White (81.7%). There were also small numbers of African American, Native American, and Asian residents. About 7.1% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
Most people (96.4%) lived in homes, while a small number (3.6%) lived in group housing. There were 71 households in total. About 22.5% of these households had children under 18 living in them. The average household had 2.30 people.
The population included people of all ages. About 18.9% were under 18, and 8.9% were 65 or older. The average age was 43.6 years.
Fun Places to Visit in Wawona
There are several interesting places to visit in and around Wawona:
- Camp Wawona
- Chilnualna Falls
- Wawona Hotel
- Wawona Tunnel Tree
- Pioneer Yosemite History Center
See also
In Spanish: Wawona (California) para niños
