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Georgetown, California

Coordinates: 38°54′25″N 120°50′19″W / 38.90694°N 120.83861°W / 38.90694; -120.83861
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Georgetown
Unincorporated Community
Census Designated Place
1891 Sanborn insurance map of Georgetown
1891 Sanborn insurance map of Georgetown
Location in El Dorado County and the state of California
Location in El Dorado County and the state of California
Georgetown is located in the United States
Georgetown
Georgetown
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 38°54′25″N 120°50′19″W / 38.90694°N 120.83861°W / 38.90694; -120.83861
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyEl Dorado
Area
[1]
 • Total
15.132 sq mi (39.193 km2)
 • Land15.128 sq mi (39.182 km2)
 • Water0.004 sq mi (0.011 km2)  0.03%
Elevation
[2]
2,654 ft (809 m)
Population
 (2020)[3]
 • Total
2,255
 • Density150/sq mi (58/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
95634
Area code530
FIPS code06-29350
GNIS feature ID1658606[2]
Reference no.484

Georgetown (formerly Growlersburg)[4] is a census-designated place (CDP) in El Dorado County, California, United States. It is the northeasternmost town in the California Mother Lode.[5] The population was 2,255 in the 2020 census,[6] up from 2,367 in 2010, and 962 in 2000. The town is registered as California Historical Landmark #484.[7]

History

[edit]

Founded August 7, 1849, by George Phipps and party, Georgetown was nicknamed "Growlersburg" due to the heavy, gold-laden quartz rocks that "growled" in the miners' pants as they walked around town.[8] Georgetown is named for George Washington.[9] The first post office was established in 1851.[4]

After a disastrous fire in 1852, the old town was moved from the canyon in lower Main Street to its present site, and, unique in early-day planning, Main Street was laid out 100 feet (30 m) wide, with side streets 60 feet (18 m). After this new reconstruction, the residents of the city proclaimed their town as the "Pride of the Mountains".

The hub of an immensely rich gold mining area, Georgetown had a population of about three thousand from 1854 to 1856. As a gold rush camp, the community outlasted many other towns, because the gold found nearby was solid primary deposits, as opposed to placer deposits. Gold production continued until after the turn of the 20th century.[5]

During the Civil War the people of the town wanted to show their support for the Union. They raised the Stars and Stripes with the inscription "Justice and Equality" on July 4, 1861.[10]

Armory building constructed in Georgetown in 1862, during the American Civil War

Geography

[edit]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 15.1 square miles (39 km2), of which over 99% is land.

For the 2000 census, the CDP's area was smaller. It had a total area of 4.1 square miles (11 km2), of which 4.1 square miles (11 km2) was land and 0.24% was water.

Climate

[edit]

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Georgetown has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.[11] Due to orographic lifting, Georgetown gets about four times the amount of precipitation as the western valley locations. A small amount of it falls as snow that melts quickly due to the above freezing temperatures, but for no more than four inches a year. The high precipitation allows for vegetation to flourish, but when a lot of it becomes dry during the hot and dry summers, wildfires become a prominent risk.

Climate data for Georgetown, California, 1981–2010 normals
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 76
(24) 		78
(26) 		88
(31) 		88
(31) 		101
(38) 		104
(40) 		107
(42) 		106
(41) 		111
(44) 		100
(38) 		84
(29) 		79
(26) 		111
(44)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 66
(19) 		69
(21) 		72
(22) 		80
(27) 		87
(31) 		96
(36) 		99
(37) 		100
(38) 		97
(36) 		88
(31) 		75
(24) 		64
(18) 		100
(38)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 52.5
(11.4) 		54.1
(12.3) 		58.0
(14.4) 		64.0
(17.8) 		71.2
(21.8) 		81.7
(27.6) 		90.6
(32.6) 		90.7
(32.6) 		85.4
(29.7) 		73.9
(23.3) 		58.3
(14.6) 		50.8
(10.4) 		69.3
(20.7)
Daily mean °F (°C) 44.2
(6.8) 		44.8
(7.1) 		48.1
(8.9) 		52.4
(11.3) 		59.1
(15.1) 		68.7
(20.4) 		76.5
(24.7) 		76.3
(24.6) 		71.2
(21.8) 		61.5
(16.4) 		49.2
(9.6) 		43.1
(6.2) 		57.9
(14.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 35.9
(2.2) 		35.6
(2.0) 		38.1
(3.4) 		41.1
(5.1) 		46.9
(8.3) 		55.7
(13.2) 		62.4
(16.9) 		62.0
(16.7) 		56.9
(13.8) 		49.2
(9.6) 		39.9
(4.4) 		35.2
(1.8) 		46.6
(8.1)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 24
(−4) 		26
(−3) 		27
(−3) 		30
(−1) 		35
(2) 		41
(5) 		50
(10) 		50
(10) 		43
(6) 		35
(2) 		28
(−2) 		25
(−4) 		21
(−6)
Record low °F (°C) 11
(−12) 		15
(−9) 		15
(−9) 		19
(−7) 		26
(−3) 		31
(−1) 		39
(4) 		39
(4) 		31
(−1) 		23
(−5) 		21
(−6) 		9
(−13) 		9
(−13)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 8.95
(227) 		8.81
(224) 		8.30
(211) 		4.29
(109) 		2.22
(56) 		.69
(18) 		.03
(0.76) 		.07
(1.8) 		.50
(13) 		2.78
(71) 		6.05
(154) 		8.30
(211) 		50.99
(1,296.56)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 2.5
(6.4) 		3.5
(8.9) 		1.9
(4.8) 		0.5
(1.3) 		0.1
(0.25) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.3
(0.76) 		2.9
(7.4) 		11.7
(29.81)
Source: [12]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
2000962—
20102,367146.0%
20202,255−4.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1860–1870[14][15] 1880-1890[16]
1900[17] 1910[18] 1920[19]
1930[20] 1940[21] 1950[22]
1960[23] 1970[24] 1980[25]
1990[26] 2000[27] 2010[28]

Georgetown first appeared as a census designated place in the 2000 U.S. Census.[27]

2020

[edit]

The 2020 United States census reported that Georgetown had a population of 2,255. The population density was 149.1 inhabitants per square mile (57.6/km2). The racial makeup of Georgetown was 81.6% White, 1.8% African American, 1.7% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.5% from other races, and 10.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.3% of the population.[29]

The census reported that 95.0% of the population lived in households, 0.5% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 4.5% were institutionalized.[29]

There were 874 households, out of which 23.1% included children under the age of 18, 53.0% were married-couple households, 8.8% were cohabiting couple households, 20.4% had a female householder with no partner present, and 17.8% had a male householder with no partner present. 22.7% of households were one person, and 12.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.45.[29] There were 596 families (68.2% of all households).[30]

The age distribution was 17.9% under the age of 18, 5.1% aged 18 to 24, 20.8% aged 25 to 44, 30.0% aged 45 to 64, and 26.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.9 males.[29]

There were 1,028 housing units at an average density of 68.0 units per square mile (26.3 units/km2), of which 874 (85.0%) were occupied. Of these, 79.4% were owner-occupied, and 20.6% were occupied by renters.[29]

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 43.0% of the population were foreign-born. Of all people aged 5 or older, 24.5% spoke only English at home, 74.0% spoke Spanish, 1.2% spoke other Indo-European languages, 0.1% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 0.2% spoke other languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 60.5% were high school graduates and 8.8% had a bachelor's degree.[31]

The median household income was $63,082, and the per capita income was $22,985. About 14.8% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line.[32]

Politics

[edit]

In the state legislature, Georgetown is in the 1st senatorial district, represented by Republican Megan Dahle,[33] and the 5th Assembly district, represented by Republican Joe Patterson.[34]

Federally, Georgetown is in California's 4th congressional district, represented by Democrat Mike Thompson.[35]

Education

[edit]

The Black Oak Mine Unified School District, headquartered in Georgetown,[36] serves Georgetown.[37]

Notable people

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Georgetown, California
  3. ^ "US Census Bureau". www.census.gov. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, California: Word Dancer Press. p. 490. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  5. ^ a b Varney, Philip (2001). Ghost Towns of Northern California. St. Paul, MN: Voyageur Press. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-89658-442-6.
  6. ^ "Georgetown CDP, California - Census Bureau Profile". data.census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  7. ^ "Georgetown". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  8. ^ https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/listedresources/Detail/484
  9. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 136.
  10. ^ Mountain Democrat, 6 July 1861
  11. ^ Climate Summary for Georgetown, California
  12. ^ "Georgetown, CA Climate Summary". xmacis.rcc-acis.org/.
  13. ^ "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  15. ^ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  16. ^ "1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  17. ^ "1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  18. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  19. ^ "1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  20. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  21. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  22. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  23. ^ "1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  24. ^ "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  25. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  26. ^ "1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  27. ^ a b "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  28. ^ "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  29. ^ a b c d e "Georgetown CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  30. ^ "Georgetown CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  31. ^ "Garnet CDP, California; CP02: Comparative Social Characteristics in the United States - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  32. ^ "Garnet CDP, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  33. ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  34. ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  35. ^ "California's 4th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
  36. ^ "Welcome to the Black Oak Mine Unified School District Archived February 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine." Black Oak Mine Unified School District. Retrieved on October 27, 2010.
  37. ^ Home page. Black Oak Mine Unified School District. July 20, 2002. Retrieved on October 27, 2010.
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