West Point, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
West Point
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Location in Calaveras County and the state of California
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 West Point, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Calaveras |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.719 sq mi (9.632 km2) |
| • Land | 3.719 sq mi (9.632 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 2,769 ft (844 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 688 |
| • Density | 185.00/sq mi (71.43/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
95255
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| Area code(s) | 209 |
| FIPS code | 06-84732 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 255226, 2409563 |
| Reference #: | 268 |
West Point is a small community in Calaveras County, California. It is called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's a special area the government uses to collect information about people. In 2020, about 688 people lived there. West Point is also known as California Historical Landmark #268. Every year, the community hosts a fun event called West Point Lumberjack Days.
Contents
History of West Point
West Point got its name from a camp set up by a famous scout named Kit Carson. He was exploring the Sierra Nevada mountains looking for a way through.
The town was first started in 1852. It was called Indian Gulch back then. In 1854, its name was changed to West Point. The first post office opened in 1856. The name changed to Westpoint in 1895, but then changed back to West Point in 1947.
Long ago, West Point was a busy trading post. This was even before gold was found in the area. People would travel there to buy and sell goods. A well-known writer, Bret Harte, lived in West Point for a while.
Geography of West Point
West Point covers an area of about 3.7 square miles (9.6 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Climate in West Point
West Point has a type of weather called a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. It's similar to the climate found around the Mediterranean Sea.
People of West Point
This section shares information about the people who live in West Point. This data comes from government counts called censuses.
Population Numbers
In 2010, West Point had a population of 674 people. This was a little less than the 746 people counted in 2000.
Most people in West Point are White. In 2010, about 83.5% of the population was White. About 6.4% were Native American. Around 9.9% of the people identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Age and Households
In 2010, about 19.7% of the people were under 18 years old. About 24.2% were 65 years old or older. The average age in West Point was 50 years.
There were 308 homes, or households, in West Point in 2010. About 22.7% of these homes had children under 18 living there. Many homes were made up of individuals living alone.
See also
In Spanish: West Point (California) para niños
