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Chowchilla is a city in Madera County,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...
, United States. The city's population was 19,039 at the 2020 census. Chowchilla is located northwest of Madera, at an elevation of . The city is the location of two prisons: Central California Women's Facility and Valley State Prison.


Etymology

The name "Chowchilla" is derived from the indigenous American tribe of Chaushila (the spelling is inconsistent in reference guides), a
Yokut The Yokuts (previously known as MariposasPowell, 1891:90–91.) are an ethnic group of Native Americans native to central California. Before European contact, the Yokuts consisted of up to 60 tribes speaking several related languages. ''Yokuts ...
Indian tribe which once lived in the area. The name evidently translates as "murderers" and is apparently a reference to the warlike nature of the Chaushila tribe. It is also to be known among the Yokuts tribes later on to be associated with "bravery". The Chaushila Indians were inadvertently responsible for the first white men "discovering"
Yosemite Valley Yosemite Valley ( ; ''Yosemite'', Miwok for "killer") is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of Central California. The valley is about long and deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as ...
, which occurred when they were being pursued by a band of whites. References to the tribe still abound in Chowchilla, and until 2016 the town's high school used the moniker "Redskins" as their mascot.


History

The first post office at Chowchilla opened in 1912 and the city incorporated eleven years later, in 1923.


1976 bus kidnapping

Chowchilla made national news on July 15, 1976, when 26 children and their school bus driver were kidnapped and held in a buried moving van at a quarry in
Livermore, California Livermore (formerly Livermorès, Livermore Ranch, and Nottingham) is a city in Alameda County, California. With a 2020 population of 87,955, Livermore is the most populous city in the Tri-Valley. It is located on the eastern edge of Californ ...
. The driver and some of the children were able to escape and notify the quarry guard. All the victims returned unharmed. The quarry owner's son and two friends were convicted and sentenced to life in prison.


Geography

Chowchilla is located in California's Central Valley at . Via California Route 99, it is northwest of Madera, the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
, and southeast of Merced. It is northwest of
Fresno Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...
and north of Downtown Los Angeles.Bartholomew, Dana.
Last woman convicted in Missy Avila murder released from prison on Monday
" Last woman convicted in Missy Avila murder released from prison on Monday]." ''
Los Angeles Daily News The ''Los Angeles Daily News'' is the second-largest-circulating paid daily newspaper of Los Angeles, California. It is the flagship of the Southern California News Group, a branch of Colorado-based Digital First Media. The offices of the ''D ...
''. December 10, 2012. Retrieved on June 20, 2013.
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 An economy is an area of th ...
, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.41%, are water. Ash Slough, a tributary of the Fresno River, runs along the northern edge of the city.


Demographics

Official population figures include inmates of two prisons. Chowchilla is part of the Madera
metropolitan statistical area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
.


2000

At the 2000 census there were 11,127 people in 2,562 households, including 1,908 families, in the city. The population density was . There were 2,711 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 63.46% White, 10.26% Black or African American, 2.60% Native American, 1.32% Asian, 0.26% Pacific Islander, 16.16% from other races, and 5.94% from two or more races. Of the population, 28.20% were
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race. Of the 2,562 households 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families; 21.9% of households were one person and 12.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.42. The age distribution was 22.2% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 42.8% from 25 to 44, 16.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 51.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 39.8 males. The median household income was $30,729 and the median family income was $35,741. Males had a median income of $32,306 versus $20,538 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,927. About 16.5% of families and 19.2% 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 27.1% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.


2010

At the 2010 census Chowchilla had a population of 18,720, including the prisons' inmates. The population density was . The racial makeup of Chowchilla was 11,533 (61.6%) White, 2,358 (12.6%) African American, 376 (2.0%) Native American, 395 (2.1%) Asian, 37 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 3,313 (17.7%) from other races, and 708 (3.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7,073 persons (37.8%). The census reported that 11,311 people (60.4% of the population) lived in households, 6 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 7,403 (39.5%) were institutionalized. There were 3,673 households, 1,693 (46.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,932 (52.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 586 (16.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 260 (7.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 275 (7.5%)
unmarried opposite-sex partnerships POSSLQ ( , plural POSSLQs) is an abbreviation (or acronym) for "Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters", a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of ...
, and 24 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 721 households (19.6%) were one person and 293 (8.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.08. There were 2,778 families (75.6% of households); the average family size was 3.52. The age distribution was 3,583 people (19.1%) under the age of 18, 2,048 people (10.9%) aged 18 to 24, 7,343 people (39.2%) aged 25 to 44, 4,429 people (23.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,317 people (7.0%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 34.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 42.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 33.3 males. There were 4,154 housing units at an average density of 542.2 per square mile, of the occupied units 1,966 (53.5%) were owner-occupied and 1,707 (46.5%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 6.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.9%. 5,920 people (31.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,391 people (28.8%) lived in rental housing units.


Climate

The climate of Chowchilla is
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on th ...
. It receives an average of about 12 inches of precipitation per year. The wettest months are December, January, and February, with January being the wettest. Chowchilla has dry, hot summers, and mild to cool, rainy winters. Chowchilla experiences frequent fog from November to March and overcast days are common, especially in January. In 2005, Chowchilla had 20 consecutive cloudy, rainy days. There are days with moderate to heavy rain during the winter months. In January, the high temperature may drop as low as 45 °F (7 °C). During the summer, when there is usually no rain, the temperature may reach as high or higher than 110 °F (43 °C). Snow in Chowchilla is rare.


Government

The city is the location of two California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities, the Central California Women's Facility and Valley State Prison. Central California Women's houses the state's female death row.History of Capital Punishment in California
."
California Department of Corrections The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is the penal law enforcement agency of the government of California responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. Its headquarters are in Sacrame ...
. Retrieved on August 16, 2010. "All male prisoners on condemned status are housed at a maximum-security custody level in three units at San Quentin State Prison. Females are housed in a maximum-security unit at Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla."


Politics

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 Legislatur ...
, Chowchilla is in , and in . 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 chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...
, Chowchilla is in .


Education

Three public school districts serve the residents of Chowchilla and the surrounding area, as well as one private school. Chowchilla Elementary School District (Grades K to 8th) and Chowchilla Union High School District (9th to 12th grade) make up the local public school system of the city proper.
Alview-Dairyland Union School District Alview-Dairyland Union School District is a school district headquartered in the campus of Dairyland Elementary School, located in Dairyland, an unincorporated community in Madera County, California, near Chowchilla. In addition to Dairyland Ele ...
(Grades K to 8th) serves nearby rural communities including Dairyland. Chowchilla Elementary School District is made up of five school campuses and typically enrolls city residents, as well as residents from the nearby community of Fairmead. The Alview-Dairyland Union School District is composed of two rural area school campuses, and serves residents that reside outside of town. Upon completing 8th grade, students from both elementary districts are enrolled in the town's comprehensive high school, Chowchilla Union High School. The Chowchilla Union High School District also operates Gateway Continuation school and an Independent Study program. The Chowchilla Elementary School District operates five schools, with student population distributed by grade level. Stephens School indergarten Fuller School rades 1 and 2 Ronald Reagan School rades 3 and 4 and Fairmead School rades 5 and 6are elementary schools, and Wilson School rades 7 and 8is the middle school. Alview-Dairyland Union School District operates Alview Elementary School rades K through 3and Dairyland Elementary School rades 4 through 8 There is also a private school, Chowchilla Seventh Day Adventist, serving K-8, located south of town.


Transportation


Airport

The Chowchilla Airport, a municipal airport used for
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation service ...
, is located southeast of the main part of the city.


Roads

Chowchilla is located along the Golden State Highway ( California State Route 99 R 99, which runs northwest–southeast, just northeast of the main part of the city. The community is also served by California State Route 233 (Robertson Boulevard), which runs southwest from SR 99 for nearly to end at California State Route 233 (which runs east–west about south of Chowchilla).


Bus

Public transportation within the city of Chowchilla is provided by Chowchilla Area Transit (CATX), which is a dial-a-ride demand-responsive service with no fixed routes. CATX operates on weekdays with the exception of selected holidays. Inter-city connections are provided by the county via
Madera County Connection Madera County Connection (MCC) is the primary bus agency providing intercity services within Madera County, California. It is operated by the County Department of Public Works and offers four fixed routes connecting the cities of Chowchilla and M ...
, which operates one fixed route connecting Chowchilla with the county seat in Madera.


High-speed rail

Chowchilla
Wye Wye may refer to: Place names *Wye, Kent, a village in Kent, England ** Wye College, agricultural college, part of University of London before closure in 2009 **Wye School, serving the above village ** Wye railway station, serving the above villa ...
is planned to be the point where the California High-Speed Rail's main spine splits into two northern branches: one traveling to the
San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Gov ...
, and the other continuing north to
Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
.


Notable people

* Henry Farrell, screenwriter and novelist best known for '' What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' and '' Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte'' *
Ronald D. Moore Ronald Dowl Moore (born July 5, 1964) is an American screenwriter and television producer. He is best known for his work on ''Star Trek''; on the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'' television series, for which he won a Peabody Award and an Em ...
, screenwriter and television producer best known for his work on ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vario ...
'' and the reimagined '' Battlestar Galactica'' television series * Cameron Worrell, former
NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
player for the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...


Economy

Chowchilla commonly produces
peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non- ...
es and other soft fruits and vegetables. On September 29th and/or 30th, 2020, three (''
Bactrocera ''Bactrocera'' is a large genus of tephritid fruit flies, with close to 500 species currently described and accepted. Name The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek ''bakter'' "rod" and ''kera'' "horn". Systematics Prior to the 1990s, almo ...
zonata Zonata was a Swedish power metal band originating from Borås. They formed in 1998 and recorded three albums with label Century Media before calling a split up in 2003. Their lyrics draw heavily on mythology and life struggles. They are known by ...
'' Saunders) were trapped here. This presents a tremendous hazard not only to the area but to the state, and indeed the entire country. Because the pest may spread from here to other countries, trading partners including the EU and
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
are also concerned. They are considering restricting importation of fruits and vegetables from the state. As a result the Secretary of CDFA, Karen Ross has declared a
biosecurity Biosecurity refers to measures aimed at preventing the introduction and/or spread of harmful organisms (e.g. viruses, bacteria, etc.) to animals and plants in order to minimize the risk of transmission of infectious disease. In agriculture, thes ...
emergency and eradication efforts using methyl eugenol lures are underway. Especially an immediate concern are California's $2.10b citrus-, $875m stonefruit-, and $1.19b tomato- industries. The ('' Amyelois transitella'') is present here. The (''
Goniozus ''Goniozus'' is a genus of parasitic wasps in the family Bethylidae. There are at least 20 described species in ''Goniozus''. Species These 23 species belong to the genus ''Goniozus'': * ''Goniozus akitsushimanus'' Terayama, 2006 * ''Goniozus a ...
legneri'') is a parasitoid that was introduced to the state to control it, and is now widespread including in this area. The same goes for '' Pentalitomastix plethoricus'' for the (''
Ectomyelois ceratoniae ''Ectomyelois ceratoniae'', the locust bean moth, more ambiguously known as " carob moth", is a moth of the family Pyralidae. It has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution. Adults have forewings with a pale brown pattern, and plain white hindwings. ...
''), but it is also helping with NOW. The combination of both wasps here is producing greater NOW mortality than with either alone.


See also

*
List of municipalities in California California is a state located in the Western United States. It is the most populous state and the third largest by area after Alaska and Texas. According to the 2020 United States Census, California has 39,538,223 inhabitants and of land. C ...


References


External links

*
''From Sun to Darkness'' — The Chowchilla Kidnapping

''Madera Online - News for Madera & Chowchilla''

Madera Values Quarterly
{{authority control Cities in Madera County, California Incorporated cities and towns in California 1923 establishments in California Populated places established in 1923