Cottonwood is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
(CDP) in
Shasta County
Shasta County (), officially the County of Shasta, is a county in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its population is 182,155 as of the 2020 census, up from 177,223 from the 2010 census. The county seat is Redding.
Shasta ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, United States. Its population is 6,268 as of the 2020 census, up from 3,316 from the 2010 census. Cottonwood was a stagecoach town where a settlement was established in 1849. The first Post Office was opened in 1852. Cottonwood is equidistant between
Redding and
Red Bluff Red Bluff(s) may refer to several places in North America:
Places
Canada
*Red Bluff, British Columbia, a community near Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada
** Red Bluff First Nation, a First Nations band government headquartered near Quesnel, ...
, in either direction. It is south of
Anderson
Anderson or Andersson may refer to:
Companies
* Anderson (Carriage), a company that manufactured automobiles from 1907 to 1910
* Anderson Electric, an early 20th-century electric car
* Anderson Greenwood, an industrial manufacturer
* Anderson ...
.
In the spring of 1997 Hollywood came to this small, quiet town to film ''
Almost Heroes
''Almost Heroes'' is a 1998 American adventure comedy Western film directed by Christopher Guest, narrated by Guest's friend and frequent collaborator Harry Shearer, and starring Chris Farley and Matthew Perry. It was Farley's last leading film ...
'' starring
Matthew Perry
Matthew Langford Perry (born August 19, 1969) is an American-Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004).
As well as starring in the short-lived television series ''Stud ...
and
Chris Farley
Christopher Crosby Farley (February 15, 1964 – December 18, 1997) was an American actor and comedian. Farley was known for his loud, energetic comedic style, and was a member of Chicago's Second City Theatre and later a cast member of the ...
. It was Farley's last film.
In the summer of 1961, parts of ''
Hell Is for Heroes'', starring
Steve McQueen
Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1 ...
, were shot in and around Cottonwood.
Bob Newhart
George Robert Newhart (born September 5, 1929) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery style. Newhart came to prominence in 1960 when his album of comedic monologues, ''The Button-Down Mi ...
made his debut appearance in this film.
Geography
![Map of Rancho Buena Ventura (modern day Redding, California)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Map_of_Rancho_Buena_Ventura_%28modern_day_Redding%2C_California%29.png)
Cottonwood is located at (40.388953, −122.281823).
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.
Cottonwood is located on the north and south bank of
Cottonwood Creek, for which it is named.
Demographics
2010
The
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
reported that Cottonwood had a population of 3,316. The population density was . The racial makeup of Cottonwood was 2,844 (85.8%)
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 4 (0.1%)
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 99 (3.0%)
Native American, 108 (3.3%)
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 2 (0.1%)
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 120 (3.6%) from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 139 (4.2%) from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 352 persons (10.6%).
The Census reported that 3,316 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,200 households, out of which 500 (41.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 591 (49.3%) were
opposite-sex married couples living together, 200 (16.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 102 (8.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. 240 households (20.0%) were made up of individuals, and 80 (6.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76. There were 893
families
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideall ...
(74.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.14.
The population was spread out, with 950 people (28.6%) under the age of 18, 299 people (9.0%) aged 18 to 24, 805 people (24.3%) aged 25 to 44, 910 people (27.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 352 people (10.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
There were 1,306 housing units at an average density of , of which 759 (63.3%) were owner-occupied, and 441 (36.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%. 2,093 people (63.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,223 people (36.9%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 2,960 people, 1,068 households, and 776 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 1,131 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.32%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.24%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 3.21%
Native American, 3.04%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.03%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 3.34% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 3.82% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 9.39% of the population.
There were 1,068 households, out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 32.1% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,191, and the median income for a family was $31,808. Males had a median income of $31,161 versus $20,755 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the CDP was $11,778. About 12.0% of families and 18.3% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
In the
state legislature Cottonwood is located in , and .
Federally, Cottonwood is in .
Proposed incorporation
A number of residents in Cottonwood have expressed interest in
incorporation. Not only would it allow the town to have stricter building codes, but it would stop the
City of Anderson from further
annexation
Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...
of the surrounding areas.
Cottonwood is one of five CDPs in Shasta County that have expressed interest in incorporating. The other towns are
Burney,
Shingletown,
Fall River Mills, and
McArthur McArthur may refer to:
People
* McArthur (surname)
Geography
* McArthur, Arkansas, an unincorporated town in Desha County
* McArthur, California, in Shasta County
* McArthur, Modoc County, California
* McArthur, Ohio
* McArthur Basin, a large int ...
. Fall River Mills and McArthur would incorporate as one city together.
A suggestion for combining the new Sunset Hills and Sun City Tehama subdivisions across the
Tehama County
Tehama County ( ; Wintun for "high water") is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,829. The county seat and largest city is Red Bluff.
Tehama County comprises th ...
line with the current CDP would be currently unworkable since the California constitution prohibits incorporated cities and towns from crossing county lines.
Education
Cottonwood has one high school, one junior high school, two elementary schools.
West Valley High School (9–12), with an enrollment of approximately 900 students.
West Cottonwood Junior High School (5–8)
North Cottonwood (k–4)
Cottonwood Creek Charter (K-8) with an approximate enrollment of 250 students.
There are three elementary schools, Cottonwood Creek Charter for K-8 and North Cottonwood Elementary for 3–5 on the Shasta side, and Evergreen Elementary on the Tehama side.
There are two public middle schools, West Cottonwood Jr High on the Shasta side and Evergreen Middle on the Tehama side.
A school that was recently added as a charter school is Cottonwood Creek Charter.
Notable residents
* Norm Stephens, world-famous guitar player who played with Merle Haggard, Lefty Frizzell, and Hank Thompson, was a long-time resident.
*
Tom Hubert
Tom Hubert (born August 6, 1964) is an American road course racer.
Hubert was born in Cottonwood, California. He most recently worked as a rear tire changer and a mechanic for Bill Davis Racing's #22 Sprint Cup team, before the team closed down, ...
, former NASCAR driver and current crew member for Bill Davis Racing (born in Cottonwood).
*
Nicole Teter
Nicole Teter (born November 8, 1973 in San Diego, California) is an American middle distance runner, who specialized in the 800 metres. She is a three-time U.S. indoor champion (2002, 2003, and 2008), and a two-time Olympian (2004 and 2008). She a ...
, 800 meter runner: Three-time USA Indoor champion ('02, '03, '08); American record holder at indoor 800m – 1:58.71; 2004 Olympic Trials runner-up; 2008 Olympic competitor; 2002 USA Outdoor Champion; 2003 U.S. Outdoor runner-up; 1991 USA Junior champion.
USA Track & Field: Nicole Teter
/ref> Graduated from West Valley High School (located in Cottonwood, California).
Image gallery
Image:Cottonwood_Post_Office.jpg, Cottonwood Post Office
Image:Cottonwood_North_Side_Front_St.jpg, North side of Front Street
Image:Cottonwood_Fire_Dept.jpg, Cottonwood Fire Dept.
References
External links
Historical Information on Cottonwood
(archive.org version o
this page
.
{{authority control
Census-designated places in Shasta County, California
Populated places established in 1882
Census-designated places in California