Beckwourth, California

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Beckwourth is a census-designated place (CDP) in Plumas County, California, United States. The population was 342 at the 2000 census. During the Nineteenth Century westward expansion of immigrants, Beckwourth was known as the first town west of the Rocky Mountains where an African American could buy provisions. According to the USGS National Geographic Names Database, a variant (mis-)spelling was Beckwith and its name comes from an early explorer:

Named for James P. Beckwourth (d.1867), adventurer and trapper, who discovered the gap in 1851; he also built the first house in the Sierra Valley, and operated an inn and trading post there. During the 1850's, the gap served as an important immigrant route, and later, as the route of the Sierra Valley & Mohawk Railroad.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

Beckwourth is located at 39°49′39″N, 120°24′13″W (39.827528, -120.403710)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 30.3 km² (11.7 mi²), all land.

Nervino Airport (FAA identifier: O02 or oh-zero-two) is plotted three quarters of a mile east of Beckwourth along State Route 70 on the Reconnaissance Peak, California 7.5 minute quadrangle. It has a 4,600 foot runway and is located at 39°49′05″N, 120°21′20″W.^[1] The US Geological Survey says variant names for the airport are Beckwourth Airport and Plumas County Airport. ^[2]

State facilities in the town may include a State of California, Department of Water Resources maintenance yard and a CalTrans Maintenance Station. These appear to be collocated, (at the same site).

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 342 people, 147 households, and 108 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 11.3/km² (29.3/mi²). There were 225 housing units at an average density of 7.4/km² (19.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.86% White, 2.05% Native American, 0.88% Pacific Islander, 1.46% from other races, and 1.75% from two or more races. 2.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 147 households out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.0% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.67.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 19.0% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 33.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $47,813, and the median income for a family was $52,031. Males had a median income of $49,219 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,928. None of the families and 2.8% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 4.8% of those over 64.