Kirkwood, California

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kirkwood is a census-designated place in Alpine County, California, United States. The population was 96 at the 2000 census. Kirkwood's main attraction is the Kirkwood Mountain Ski Resort. The town is accessible by California State Route 88.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 External links
5 Reference

[edit] History

Zack Kirkwood, a cattle rancher who had settled in the area, opened an inn, named Kirkwood's, in 1863 with the opening of the Amador/Nevada Wagon Toll Road, the primary route through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The following year, Alpine County was created and the redrawing of the county borders placed the inn at the convergence of Alpine, El Dorado, and Amador counties (the borders were later changed so the inn is no longer in El Dorado County, but the original signpost marking the intersection of the three is still in the building). Eventually, the inn became a fashionable summer resort.

After Zack's death, the inn stayed in the family and continued to operate until 1966, when it was sold to an investment group, who then converted it into the present-day Kirkwood Mountain Ski Resort.

The original building (still standing) is registered as California Historical Landmark #40.

[edit] Geography

Kirkwood is located at 38°41′18″N, 120°3′19″W (38.688329, -120.055160)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.2 km² (3.2 mi²). 5.7 km² (2.2 mi²) of it is land and 2.5 km² (0.9 mi²) of it (30.06%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 96 people, 19 households, and 4 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 16.8/km² (43.5/mi²). There were 82 housing units at an average density of 14.3/km² (37.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.50% White, 2.08% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 1.04% Pacific Islander, and 7.29% from two or more races. 5.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 19 households out of which 5.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 21.1% were married couples living together, and 78.9% were non-families. 5.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 5.05 and the average family size was 2.75.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 7.3% under the age of 18, 62.5% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 5.2% from 45 to 64, and 1.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 255.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 256.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $46,250, and the median income for a family was $0. Males had a median income of $17,917 versus $11,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $14,853. There were no families and 47.9% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.