Shoshone 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

Inyo County Inyo County () is a county in the eastern central part of the U.S. state of California, located between the Sierra Nevada and the state of Nevada. In the 2020 census, the population was 19,016. The county seat is Independence. Inyo County is o ...

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 The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The population was 22 at the 2020 census, down from 31 at the 2010 census. The town was founded in 1910. Although small, it is notable as a southern gateway to

Death Valley National Park Death Valley National Park is an American national park that straddles the California–Nevada border, east of the Sierra Nevada. The park boundaries include Death Valley, the northern section of Panamint Valley, the southern section of Eureka ...

; in addition to being a junction of roads leading from

Baker, California Baker is a census-designated place located in San Bernardino County, California, US. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 735. Baker's ZIP Code is 92309 and the community is within area codes 442 and 760. History Baker wa ...

and

Pahrump, Nevada Pahrump ( ) is an unincorporated town located at the southernmost tip of Nye County, Nevada, United States, about west of Las Vegas, Nevada. Pahrump lies adjacent to the Nevada–California border and the area had a population of 44,738 as of ...

, it has the last services available before the Furnace Creek area in the park. The commercial district of the town, including a post office, gas station, restaurant, bar and coffee house, is just north of the southern intersection of California State Routes 127 and 178. Shoshone has a single 2,380 foot (725 m) airstrip across SR 127 from the commercial district. It is open to the public and gets about 58 flights per month. Shoshone, California, has a history as a railroad town and rich mining district.

Geography

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 , over 99% of it land. It is east of Epaulet Peak, at an elevation of 1585 feet (483 m). Shoshone is at the junction of

California State Route 127 State Route 127 (SR 127) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that connects Interstate 15 in Baker to Nevada State Route 373 at the Nevada state line, passing near the eastern boundary of Death Valley National Park. The entire lengt ...

and

California State Route 178 State Route 178 (SR 178) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that exists in two constructed segments. The gap in between segments is connected by various local roads and State Route 190 through Death Valley National Park. The w ...

Climate

According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Shoshone has a

hot desert climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...

, abbreviated "BWh" on climate maps.

History

Shoshone was founded in 1910 by Ralph Jacobus "Dad" Fairbanks, a Death Valley businessman. The town remains owned by his descendants. A post office operated at Shoshone from 1915, closed for part of 1920. Shoshone was a stop on the

Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad The Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad was a former class II railroad that served eastern California and southwestern Nevada. The railroad was built mainly to haul borax from Francis Marion Smith's Pacific Coast Borax Company mines located just eas ...

which shut down in 1940.

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 Shoshone had a population of 31. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 1.1 people per square mile (0.4/km). The racial makeup of Shoshone was 28 (90.3%)

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 ...

, 1 (3.2%)

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 ...

, 1 (3.2%) Native American, 0 (0.0%)

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 (0.0%)

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 ...

, 0 (0.0%) 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 1 (3.2%) 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 ...

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 0 persons (0.0%). The Census reported that 31 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized. There were 17 households, out of which 2 (11.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4 (23.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2 (11.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 0 (0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 4 (23.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 0 (0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 6 households (35.3%) were made up of individuals, and 4 (23.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.82. There were 6

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. Ideal ...

(35.3% of all households); the average family size was 2.50. The population was spread out, with 3 people (9.7%) under the age of 18, 0 people (0%) aged 18 to 24, 13 people (41.9%) aged 25 to 44, 10 people (32.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 5 people (16.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males. There were 31 housing units at an average density of 1.1 per square mile (0.4/km), of which 17 were occupied, of which 5 (29.4%) were owner-occupied, and 12 (70.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 16.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 20.0%. 9 people (29.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 22 people (71.0%) lived in rental housing units. Shoshone Post Office

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 52 people, 26 households, and 17 families residing in the CDP. The

was 1.8 people per square mile (0.7/km). There were 34 housing units at an average density of 1.2 per square mile (0.5/km). The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.46%

, 5.77% Native American, and 5.77% from two or more races. 7.69% of the population were

of any race. There were 26 households, out of which 15.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.22. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 11.5% under the age of 18, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 38.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 56 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.9 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $66,250, and the median income for a family was $61,750. Males had a median income of $31,406 versus $41,500 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 $27,051. There were no families and 4.8% of the population living 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 no one under 18 and no one over 64.

Government

In the

California State Legislature The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legisla ...

, Shoshone is in , and . In the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

, Shoshone is in .

References

External links

Shoshone Village Website

The Shoshone Museum, Shoshone, CA

Amargosa Conservancy, Shoshone, CA

{{authority control Populated places in the Mojave Desert Census-designated places in Inyo County, California Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad Census-designated places in California