California is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Moniteau County,

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 4,498. It is the largest city in Moniteau County and the third largest city in the Jefferson City metropolitan area.

History

The City of California was established in 1834. The seat of justice of Moniteau County was originally known as Boonesborough. When Moniteau County was organized in 1845, it was decided that Boonsborough would become the county seat. Because the county court was unwilling to pay for land in Boonsborough, a site was selected one-mile (1.6 km) west which became the new county seat. In 1846, the Postal Service required a new name to be selected for Boonsborough since there was already a Boonsborough in Missouri. The city was renamed to California on January 25, 1847, for the

territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, belonging or connected to a particular country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually a geographic area which has not been granted the powers of self-government, ...

on the West Coast that was just then drawing attention due to progress of the overland railroad. That same year, a courthouse was erected on the square. California was incorporated in 1848 and elected its first city officials in 1858, 10 years later. The ''Weekly California News'' printed its first edition on September 18, 1858, and is Moniteau County's oldest established business still in operation. Today, it is known as the ''

California Democrat The ''California Democrat'' is an American weekly newspaper published in California, Missouri. It is owned by WEHCO Media, WEHCO Media, Inc. References External links Official web site

''. By the end of the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, California's population was around 1,000. The city had ten dry goods stores, two drug stores, a tobacco factory, a large steam flouring mill and

carding In Textile manufacturing, textile production, carding is a mechanical process that disentangles, cleans and intermixes fibres to produce a continuous web or sliver (textiles), sliver suitable for subsequent processing. This is achieved by passi ...

machine, a high school, a printing office, and a bank. In 1867, money was appropriated for a new courthouse, which was completed in 1868 and is still in use today.

Geography

California is located in central Moniteau County. Missouri Route 87 passes through the center of the city as Oak Street, leading north to Jamestown and south to Eldon.

U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic ...

bypasses the city to the south, while its former route passes through the center of town as Buchanan Street. US 50 leads east to

Jefferson City Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of Missouri. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 United States census, ranking as the List of cities in Missouri, 16th most popu ...

, the state capital, and west to Sedalia. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.36%, are water. The city sits atop a ridge which drains south to North Moreau Creek, a tributary of the Moreau River, which continues east to the

Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...

, and north to East Brush Creek, a tributary of Moniteau Creek, another tributary of the Missouri. The easternmost part of the city drains to Little Moniteau Creek.

Climate

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 4,278 people, 1,727 households, and 1,096 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 1,909 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.8%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 5.7% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 10.4% of the population. There were 1,727 households, of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.5% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age in the city was 36.6 years. 26.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 21.7% were from 45 to 64; and 17.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.8% male and 53.2% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 4,005 people, 1,632 households, and 1,068 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,766 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.58%

, 0.65%

, 0.20% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 4.07% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 7.57% of the population. The Hispanic population is a fast-growing group in California. There were 1,632 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were

living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.95. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $31,736, and the median income for a family was $39,221. Males had a median income of $25,880 versus $21,494 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $17,533. About 9.6% of families and 12.0% 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 ...

, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

California R-1 School District operates three schools in California and serves 1,357 students. * California Elementary School, located at 101 South Owen Street, serves 586 students in Kindergarten through fifth grades. * California Middle School, located at 211 South Owen Street, serves 298 students in sixth through eighth grades. * California High School, located at 1501 West Buchanan Street, serves 472 students in ninth through twelfth grades. The California R-1 School District is unique in that swimming is included in the K-5 curriculum. It is also a part of the physical education courses in the middle and high schools. Swimming has been a part of the curriculum since the school district constructed an indoor

olympic-size swimming pool An Olympic-size swimming pool is a swimming pool which conforms to the regulations for length, breadth, and depth made by World Aquatics (formerly FINA) for swimming at the Summer Olympics and the swimming events at the World Aquatics Champions ...

in 1976. In December 2007, due to funding cuts for public schools, the city of California took over control of the swimming pool. In an agreement worked out between the city and the school district, the school will continue to use the pool during the school year for the students of the California R-1 School District. Aurora Montessori School serves pre-K and Kindergarten students. The Diocese of Jefferson City operated a catholic school, Annunciation School, in California until the school was destroyed by fire in 1982. There are seven post-secondary institutions located within of California.

Transportation

Roads

California is served by

and Missouri Route 87.

Railroad

The '' Missouri River Runner'' Amtrak service runs through California but does not make stops in the city. The closest station to the east is in Jefferson City, while to the west the next station is in Sedalia.

Industry

California is home to several industries and currently 40% of the jobs in town are in manufacturing. These include Burgers' Smokehouse, which cures and processes hams, turkeys, and other speciality meats for shipment all over the world; Honeysuckle White, a division of Cargill Inc., which produces poultry; Tana Wire Marker, which produces the brightly colored balls affixed to electrical wires to warn aircraft of their presence; Arkansas Valley Feather, which processes and markets feather products; Racker's Manufacturing (steel fabrication); Mo-Wood (cabinets and wood products); and California Manufacturing (coats and jackets).California at a crossroads: Manufacturing-friendly town adapts to change (''Columbia Business Times'')
/ref>

Historic places of interest

Cultural Heritage Center

Located at 201 North High Street in downtown California, the Cultural Heritage Center served as the old post office. Today, it houses the Moniteau County Historical Society, museum, information center, gift shop, and genealogical library.California Chamber of Commerce

Eitzen Mansion

Built in 1898 by Charles A. Eitzen, the Eitzen Mansion has 19 rooms and 9 fireplaces and includes the original slate roof. The carriage house and stable, with a room for the coachman, are still standing on the property, which takes up an entire city block. The home remained in the Eitzen family until 1952. Since then, it has been used as a nursing home, restaurant, and bed and breakfast successively. Through all of those changes, the original fireplaces, woodwork, and main staircase with its ornate woodwork remained intact. Today, the mansion serves as a private residence.

Finke Opera House/Ritz Theatre

Located at 312 North High Street in downtown California, the Finke Opera House/Ritz Theatre was built in 1885. The building was designed by Jerome Bibb "J.B." Legg, a well-known

St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...

architect. Legg was also responsible for designing many Missouri courthouses, opera houses, theaters, churches, schools, and public buildings, and he remodeled the

Missouri State Capitol The Missouri State Capitol is the home of the Missouri General Assembly and the Executive (government), executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Missouri. Located in Jefferson City, Missouri, Jefferson City at 201 West Capitol Avenue, ...

in 1887. The theater was named to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

for its significance in the area of entertainment and recreation in 2004. The two-story brick building was California's only opera house and theater and therefore was the main entertainment center for the community. From 1885 to 1897, it was known as the California Opera House and then the Finke Opera House from 1897 to 1922. While it was the opera house, the building was home to stage shows, plays, musical and school performances. Blind Boone played the piano at the opera house in 1893.

Cole Younger Thomas Coleman Younger (January 15, 1844 – March 21, 1916) was an American Confederate guerrilla during the American Civil War and later an outlaw leader with the James–Younger Gang. He was the elder brother of Jim, John and Bob Younge ...

, an associate of

Jesse James Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, Bank robbery, bank and Train robbery, train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the "Little Dixie (Missouri), Little Dixie" area of M ...

, lectured at the opera house in 1909. From 1922 to 1937, it was known as Finke Theater and featured vaudeville and motion pictures. In 1937, it was renovated from its Victorian style to an

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

style and became known as the Ritz Theatre, from 1937 to 1978. It has been known as the Finke Theater since the theater opened for the 2009–10 season on September 26, 2009. The opera house/theatre was recently renovated by California Progress, Inc., along with the adjacent Finke Building, to save this historical landmark.National Register of Historic Places
/ref>

Gray-Wood Buildings

Located at 401-407 North High Street in downtown California, the Gray-Wood Buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 for their architectural significance. Built in 1869, they consist of a complex of four storefronts, constructed of brick with a stone foundation and a flat roof. Each building features differing design details including decorative cast metal columns and brick columns with vermiculated bases and caps.

Moniteau County Courthouse

Built in 1867, the Moniteau County Courthouse is one of the oldest courthouses in Missouri. The semicircular front portico and the square mounted abaci on top of the brick columns resemble those of the former State Capitol built in 1840. The courthouse square has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1970. The first floor of the courthouse features several museum displays.

Rice House

The Rice House was built in 1867 by Niles Rice. This

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literatur ...

mansion has ceilings, six-foot hallways, and 36 narrow seven-foot windows. Just like the Eitzen Mansion, the Rice House also is currently a private residence.

Wood Place Public Library

Located in the historic Ehrhardt Building, the Wood Place Public Library was constructed in 1864 and was home to the J. G. Ehrhardt Mercantile Company. The building was purchased by California Progress, Inc. in 1995 and restored to preserve a historical landmark in the community. The library moved into the building in August 1998.

Old Barnhill Building

Built in 1892, the Old Barnhill Building is a two-story,

Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style combined its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century It ...

style red brick historic commercial building. It measures 25 feet by 60 feet and has a flat roof and features

cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content of more than 2% and silicon content around 1–3%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloying elements determine the form in which its car ...

embellishments.

Old California City Hall and Fire Station

Built in 1982, Old California City Hall and Fire Station is a two-story,

style red brick building that serves as a historic

city hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...

and

fire station __NOTOC__ A fire station (also called a fire house, fire hall, firemen's hall, or engine house) is a structure or other area for storing firefighting apparatuses such as fire apparatus, fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equ ...

. It has two one-story brick additions and features decorative brickwork at the roof line, arched window and door openings and an ornamental

balcony.

Arts and culture

Loran Creech, a nationally renowned watercolorist and Best of Missouri Hands juried artist, calls California home. His historic two-story home in California serves as his gallery and guests are welcome. Creech's work has been featured in galleries all across the U.S. The Finke Theatre hosts regular performances throughout the year. The Cultural Heritage Center houses several wall murals depicting area history. California has a Community Band, which performs at several events around the community. There is an art studio in downtown California with art classes and the California Parks and Recreation Department offers an art camp in the summer.

Parks and recreation

The city of California maintains four parks, the California Sports Complex, and an indoor olympic-size swimming pool. The swimming pool was acquired from the California R-1 Public School District in 2007. *Proctor Park is the largest park in California. This park features a stocked fishing lake, walking trails, tennis courts, disc golf course, sand volleyball court, shelter houses and playgrounds. *City Park is the oldest park in California. It features basketball and tennis courts and a playground. *Railroad Park is located just north of the City Hall along the Union Pacific Railroad. This park is located where the railroad depot was once located. The open-air shelter is a replica of the old depot. *Smith-Burke Park, located just west of the City Hall, stands where the old Union Pacific Railroad Hotel once stood. *The California Sports Complex features four lighted baseball/softball fields, a soccer field and sand volleyball court. *The California Municipal Pool is an indoor olympic-sized swimming pool with an outdoor splash deck. The city is also home to a semi-private nine-hole golf course, Double X Speedway (featuring street stocks, winged sprints, and hobby stocks races May–September), and the California Shooter's Club (which has shotgun and archery ranges). California boasts a strong recreation program, serving children in the California area year-round. Also located in California are an airport (used for recreational flying), a 10-lane bowling alley, a roller rink, a dance studio, and some gyms.

Events

In 2011, the Moniteau County Fair celebrated its 145th anniversary. The Fair began in 1866 and is believed to be the oldest continuous fair west of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. Events at the fair include the tractor pull, demolition derby, Tuff Truck competition, figure 8 race, horse show, battle of the bands, Miss Moniteau County Queen contest, baby show, and rodeo. This annual event is held during the first full week of August at the Moniteau County Fairgrounds. Referenced in ''Missouri Roadsides: The Traveler's Companion'' by Bill Earngey. The Ozark Ham & Turkey festival, held annually on the third Saturday in September, is a one-day festival designed to showcase two of the major industries in both California and Moniteau County. Billed as having "something for everyone", this festival has activities throughout town. A Cinco de Mayo Festival is held in downtown on the first Saturday of May. It features, food, crafts, entertainment and more. It celebrates California's large Hispanic population. A Farmer's Market is held every Friday afternoon/evening from April to October near Smith-Burke Park. The California Balloon Invitational is a hot air balloon race in California held on the third Saturday of July. Approximately 20 hot air balloons participate in a hare-and-hounds hot air balloon race. Christmas California Style is held the first Friday and Saturday of December. Events include business open houses, a lighted Christmas parade, and more.

In popular culture

Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

singer-songwriter and California, Missouri native Kassi Ashton references the town in her song "California, Missouri".

References

External links

*
California Chamber of Commerce

California Democrat

California Public Schools
* Historic maps of California in th
Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection
at the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou or MU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri, United States. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Univers ...

{{authority control Cities in Moniteau County, Missouri County seats in Missouri Jefferson City metropolitan area Cities in Missouri