Davis, California
From Freepedia
Davis is a city located in Yolo County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,308 (46,209 in 1990). Davis is well known in the state of California as being a socially and environmentally conscious university town. It is located in the Sacramento Valley, at an elevation of 52 feet.
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History
Davis grew around a Southern Pacific Railroad depot which was built in 1868. At that time it was known as "Davisville" (named for Jerome C. Davis - a prominent local farmer). However, the post office at Davisville shortened the town name to simply "Davis" in 1907. The name stuck, and the city of Davis was incorporated in March of 1917.
From its inception as a farming community, Davis has been known for its contributions to agriculture along with veterinary care and animal husbandry. This has especially been true ever since the University of California decided to build a land grant university there in 1908. Now the city is also known for its contributions in the areas of biotechnology, medicine and other life sciences.
Geography
Davis is located at 38°33'14" North, 121°44'17" West (38.553856, -121.738095)1.The city of Davis is located in Yolo County which is in the Sacramento Valley portion of the Central Valley in Northern California. The city is 11 miles west of Sacramento, 72 miles northeast of San Francisco, 385 miles north of Los Angeles, and Highway 113 is on the west side.
Neighboring towns include Dixon, Winters, and Woodland.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 27.1 km² (10.5 mi²). 27.1 km² (10.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.19% water.
The topography of Davis is very flat, which has helped Davis to become known as a haven for bicyclists. You are here!
Climate
The climate in Davis resembles that of nearby Sacramento. Davis is, however, closer to San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento River Delta, which moderates more extreme temperatures found elsewhere in the Sacramento Valley and nearby San Joaquin Valley. Summers in Davis are dry and warm, while winters are rainy and mild.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 60,308 people, 22,948 households, and 11,290 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,228.2/km² (5,769.2/mi²). There are 23,617 housing units at an average density of 872.6/km² (2,259.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 70.07% White, 2.35% Black or African American, 0.67% Native American, 17.54% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 4.26% from other races, and 4.87% from two or more races. 9.61% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 22,948 households out of which 26.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% are married couples living together, 8.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 50.8% are non-families. 25.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 5.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.50 and the average family size is 3.00.
In the city the population is spread out with 18.6% under the age of 18, 30.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 25 years. For every 100 females there are 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $42,454, and the median income for a family is $74,051. Males have a median income of $51,189 versus $36,082 for females. The per capita income for the city is $22,937. 24.5% of the population and 5.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 6.8% of those under the age of 18 and 2.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Demographics are unusual, even among "college towns". This city of approximately 65,000 people is home to a university campus of 31,000 students.
Sights and Events
Toad Tunnel
Davis' Toad Tunnel has drawn much attention over the years including a mention on The Daily Show. Because of the building of an overpass, animal lovers worried about toads being killed by cars commuting from South Davis to North Davis, since the toads hopped from one side of a dirt lot (which the overpass replaced) to the reservoir at the other end. After much controversy, a decision was made to build a toad tunnel, which runs beneath the Pole Line Road overpass.
The tunnel has created problems of its own. The toads originally refused to use the tunnel and so the tunnel was lighted to encourage its use. The toads then died from the heat of the lamps inside the tunnel. The exit to the toad tunnel has been decorated by the Post-Master to resemble a toad town.
Whole Earth Festival
The Whole Earth Festival aka Hippie Day is a three day music and education festival in the Spring, which usually takes place during Mother's Day Weekend on UC Davis' main quadrangle. It is considered by many to be a must-see Davis event. Every year, thousands of environmentally conscious, politically active and/or music-loving people make the pilgrimage to Davis for this event, for which the UCD quad is littered with hundreds of craft huts, music acts, massage tables and food booths.
A continuous stream of bands, speakers and various workshops occurs throughout the weekend on each of WEF's three stages and other specialty areas.
WEF is organized primarily by UC Davis students, in association with the Associated Students of UC Davis (ASUCD) and the university.
UC Davis Arboretum
The University of California, Davis, Arboretum is a fine arboretum and botanical garden. California natives and desert plants are just two of the different plant types grown there. In addition there is a nice redwood grove at one end of the arboretum. There is a small river running through the arboretum and a very large pond in its center, which is home to many ducks and geese. You can also occasionally see herons, kingfishers, and cormorants. Tours of the arboretum are often held for children who are still in grade school.
Picnic Day
Picnic Day is an annual event held on the University of California, Davis during the month of April and is the largest student-run event in the US. Highlights of the event include the battle of the bands held in the University of California, Davis, Arboretum and the Dachshund races, named the Doxie Derby, held in the Rec Hall. There is also a parade that, though it was once world famous, has deteriorated over the years.
Notable Natives
- DJ Shadow - Musician (born Josh Davis)
- Karen Joy Fowler - Author
- John Lescroart - Author
- Paul Moller - Inventor and professor
- Kim Stanley Robinson - Author
- Stephen Robinson - Astronaut (received Bachelor's degree from UC Davis, 1978)
- Sean Stewart - Author
- Gary Snyder - Author
- Gary Lee Yoder - musician
Colleges and universities
The University of California has a major campus in the city of Davis. UC Davis had an enrollment of 30,065 students as of Fall 2004.
External links
- Official Webpage for Davis
- Davis Wiki - The Wiki for Davis
- Davis Cycling - Cycling in North America's most bike-friendly city
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Local or Yahoo! Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Satellite image from Google Local or Microsoft Virtual Earth
- Aerial photos - From the city webpage
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