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Tuolumne City () is an unincorporated town in Tuolumne County,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. A
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), 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 counte ...
(CDP) officially known as Tuolumne also encompasses the town. The population of the CDP was 1,798 at the 2020 census, up from 1,779 at the 2010 census.


History

The area is known for a history of logging operations. Remnants of logging railroads are still present in the area. In the 1970s, Herbert Reichhold planned to open a theme park using narrow gauge live steam railroad equipment left over from the commercial logging operations. He envisioned transforming the town of Tuolumne into a "Railroad Theme Park", and he began purchasing properties in the town. However he abandoned the plans after the death of his wife. In the late 1970s, Glen Bell, the founder of the
Taco Bell Taco Bell Corp. is an American multinational chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired ...
chain, opened the "Westside and Cherry Valley Railroad" in Tuolumne. This ran for about 5 miles from the old lumber mill in the town, into the mountains. It used the track and several gauge locomotives from the logging company. This
tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural beaut ...
lasted for several years, but closed in the mid-1980s.


Communications and facilities

Unlike the rest of Tuolumne County, Tuolumne was not in the Bell System/SBC service area. Tuolumne Telephone Company provided service to this area. Wired telephone numbers in the Tuolumne Central Office follow the pattern (209) 928-xxxx. Tuolumne Telephone is now part of Citizens Telecommunications Company of California, a subsidiary of
Frontier Communications Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. is an American telecommunications company. Known as Citizens Utilities Company until 2000, Citizens Communications Company until 2008, and Frontier Communications Corporation until 2020, as a communications pr ...
. There are three schools: Summerville Elementary with grades K-8, Mother Lode Christian School with grades K-12, and Summerville Union High School with grades 9–12. Summerville High School also hosts Tuolumne County's Connections Arts School for grades 7–12. A logging company town, Tuolumne experienced an economic downturn when the West Side Lumber Company mill closed. For many years the community has struggled to create a new economic base. The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians, a
federally recognized tribe A federally recognized tribe is a Native American tribe recognized by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs as holding a government-to-government relationship with the US federal government. In the United States, the Native American tribe ...
, is headquartered in Tuolumne. In recent years, the tribe has contributed new growth with revenues from nearby Black Oak Casino, which is owned and operated by the Tuolumne Band. A new medical clinic and a new library are a few recent improvements. Another addition has been the renovation of the Tuolumne City Memorial Museum on Carter Street. Once known as the two towns of "Summersville"Tuolumne Memorial Museum Archives in the south and "Carter" in the north, Tuolumne has incorporated them both into one town. A new municipal advisory council has been established to help with this revival. Tuolumne is also the birthplace of the Vaudevillian performer and hipster comedian
Lord Buckley Lord Richard Buckley (born Richard Myrle Buckley; April 5, 1906 – November 12, 1960) was an American stand-up comedian and recording artist, who in the 1940s and 1950s created a character that was, according to ''The New York Times'', "an unl ...
, born Richard Myrle Buckley, April 5, 1906, died November 12, 1960.


Geography

Tuolumne is located at (37.961785, -120.236851). According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the CDP has a total area of , of which, 99.88% of it is land and 0.12% is water.


Demographics


2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Tuolumne City had a population of 1,798. The population density was . The racial makeup of Tuolumne City was 1,403 (78.0%)
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 ...
, 6 (0.3%)
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 ...
, 85 (4.7%) Native American, 14 (0.8%) Asian, 6 (0.3%)
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 ...
, 68 (3.8%) from other races, and 216 (12.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 243 persons (13.5%). The census reported that 1,775 people (98.7% of the population) lived in households, 23 (1.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized. There were 749 households, out of which 219 (29.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 289 (38.6%) were married-couple households, 80 (10.7%) were
cohabiting Cohabitation is an arrangement where people who are not legally married live together as a couple. They are often involved in a romantic or sexually intimate relationship on a long-term or permanent basis. Such arrangements have become incr ...
couple households, 232 (31.0%) had a female householder with no partner present, and 148 (19.8%) had a male householder with no partner present. 242 households (32.3%) were one person, and 127 (17.0%) were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.37. There were 434
families Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...
(57.9% of all households). The age distribution was 404 people (22.5%) under the age of 18, 118 people (6.6%) aged 18 to 24, 464 people (25.8%) aged 25 to 44, 470 people (26.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 342 people (19.0%) who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 41.8years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. There were 838 housing units at an average density of , of which 749 (89.4%) were occupied. Of these, 397 (53.0%) were owner-occupied, and 352 (47.0%) were occupied by renters. In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $60,694, and 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 ...
was $31,932. About 0.0% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line.


2010

At the 2010 census Tuolumne had a population of 1,779. The population density was . The racial makeup of Tuolumne was 1,547 (87.0%) White, 13 (0.7%) African American, 83 (4.7%) Native American, 12 (0.7%) Asian, 1 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 50 (2.8%) from other races, and 73 (4.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 206 people (11.6%). The census reported that 1,768 people (99.4% of the population) lived in households, 11 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized. There were 758 households, 223 (29.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 297 (39.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 95 (12.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 52 (6.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 70 (9.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 6 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 239 households (31.5%) were one person and 107 (14.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.33. There were 444 families (58.6% of households); the average family size was 2.93. The age distribution was 397 people (22.3%) under the age of 18, 161 people (9.1%) aged 18 to 24, 411 people (23.1%) aged 25 to 44, 510 people (28.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 300 people (16.9%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 41.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males. There were 840 housing units at an average density of 355.6 per square mile, of the occupied units 396 (52.2%) were owner-occupied and 362 (47.8%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.7%. 987 people (55.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 781 people (43.9%) lived in rental housing units.


Government

In the
California State Legislature The California State Legislature is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of California, consisting of the California State Assembly (lower house with 80 members) and the California State Senate (upper house with 40 members). ...
, Tuolumne is in , and in . In the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
, Tuolumne is in .


Notable natives

* Bobby Adams, Major League Baseball player, was born in Tuolumme. *
Lord Buckley Lord Richard Buckley (born Richard Myrle Buckley; April 5, 1906 – November 12, 1960) was an American stand-up comedian and recording artist, who in the 1940s and 1950s created a character that was, according to ''The New York Times'', "an unl ...
was born in Tuolumne and worked there as a logger.


In popular culture

In 1951, scenes of the western
High Noon ''High Noon'' is a 1952 American Western (genre), Western film produced by Stanley Kramer from a screenplay by Carl Foreman, directed by Fred Zinnemann, and starring Gary Cooper. The plot, which occurs in Real time (media), real time, centers ...
, starring
Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...
, were filmed in Tuolumne. Cooper's
Will Kane William "Will" Kane is the protagonist of the film ''High Noon'' (1952). He was first played by Gary Cooper, then by Lee Majors in '' High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane'' (1980), and by Tom Skerritt in ''High Noon'' (2000), a remake f ...
went to St. Joseph's Church to solicit help from the townspeople. The town is featured prominently in the
Highway To Heaven ''Highway to Heaven'' is an American fantasy drama television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 1984, to August 4, 1989. The series starred its creator and co-director Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth to help peo ...
1985 TV episode "Plane Death".


California Historical Landmark

Summersville is a
California Historical Landmark A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in the U.S. state of California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance. Criteria Historical significance is determined by meetin ...
. California Historical Landmark number 407 reads: :''NO. 407 SUMMERSVILLE (TUOLUMNE) - The area's first non-Indian settlers, the Franklin Summers family, arrived in 1854 and built a log cabin a half mile west of this spot, the geographical center of East Belt Placer Gold Rush from 1856 to 1857. In 1858, James Blakely discovered the first quartz lode half a mile east of here and named it 'Eureka.' The mine became the nucleus of the town of Summersville, which was later called Carters and finally became Tuolumne. Other mining towns lively in gold rush days were Long Gulch, two miles south, and Cherokee, two miles north. ''californiahistoricallandmarks.com Landmarks chl-407
/ref>


See also

* California Historical Landmarks in Tuolumne County, California * Cherokee, Tuolumne County, California


References


External links


Tuolumne City Sanitary District
{{authority control Census-designated places in California Census-designated places in Tuolumne County, California Populated places in the Sierra Nevada (United States)