Olancha, California
Encyclopedia
Olancha is a census-designated place
in Inyo County
of the U.S. state
of California
. Olancha is located on U.S. Route 395 in California
, 37 miles (60 km) south-southeast of Independence
, at an elevation of 3658 feet (1115 m). As of the 2010 census, the population was 192, up from 134 at the 2000 census.
Located in the Owens Valley
next to the now mostly dry Owens Lake
, the arid settlement is home to a major bottled water plant for Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water.http://www.clui.org/clui_4_1/lotl/lotlsu99/flow.htmlhttp://www.crystalgeyserasw.com/faq/
on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range at the elevation of 3650 feet (1,112.5 m), in Inyo County, California. It is on US Highway 395 near the junction of State Route 190, approximately 200 miles (321.9 km) northeast of Los Angeles
. Owens Lake
- a dry saline lakebed - lies to the northeast of Olancha. Olancha Creek flows from the slopes of nearby Olancha Peak
(12,123 ft), passing near the town of Olancha, and finally towards Owens Lake
. To the east of town lie some sand dunes, as well as a hot spring known as "Dirty Socks".
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.5 km²), over 99% of it land.
ore
in the nearby Coso Range
. The name "Olancha" is believed to be derived from the nearby Yaudanche tribe. For processing the ore, he built a stamp mill
just south of Olancha Creek. The remains of a stone wall from this mill still exists and has been designated as a California Historical Site (marker #796).
The first post office at Olancha opened in 1870.
was 24.4 people per square mile (9.4/km²). The racial makeup of Olancha was 133 (69.3%) White, 0 (0.0%) African American, 4 (2.1%) Native American, 8 (4.2%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 38 (19.8%) from other races
, and 9 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 47 persons (24.5%).
The Census reported that 192 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 78 households, out of which 23 (29.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 44 (56.4%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 1 (1.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 5 (6.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 7 (9.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 0 (0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 22 households (28.2%) were made up of individuals and 6 (7.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46. There were 50 families
(64.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.10.
The population was spread out with 44 people (22.9%) under the age of 18, 9 people (4.7%) aged 18 to 24, 37 people (19.3%) aged 25 to 44, 69 people (35.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 33 people (17.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.2 years. For every 100 females there were 115.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.9 males.
There were 97 housing units at an average density of 12.3 per square mile (4.8/km²), of which 44 (56.4%) were owner-occupied, and 34 (43.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.9%. 108 people (56.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 84 people (43.8%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 134 people, 50 households, and 38 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 18.4 people per square mile (7.1/km²). There were 62 housing units at an average density of 8.5 per square mile (3.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 53.73% White
, 0.75% Native American
, 5.97% from other races
, and 9.70% from two or more races. 37.31% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 50 households out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples
living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 32.1% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,000, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $18,124. There were 4.5% of families and 9.4% of the population living below the poverty line, including 17.2% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.
Olancha is located in the 18th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Roy Ashburn
, and in the 18th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Bill Maze
. Federally, Olancha is located in California's 25th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +7 and is represented by Republican Buck McKeon
.
, starring Ashley Judd
, Michael Shannon
and Harry Connick, Jr.
, was filmed in Olancha. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470705/locations
Other films filmed in or near Olancha include Iron Man
(2008), Panic in Motion (2005), Taxidermist (2008), and Tremors
(1990). http://imdb.com/List?endings=on&&locations=Olancha,%20California,%20USA&&heading=18;with+locations+including;Olancha,%20California,%20USA
The post-punk power quartet The Owl recorded a song titled "Olancha" in 2005 inspired by guitarist Jesse Sateriale's experiences from his early childhood in the town.
Ambient composer Harold Budd
(raised in the desert town of Victorville, CA) recites his "Poem: Distant Lights of Olancha Recede" on the album By the Dawn's Early Light (1991, All Saints). "Olancha Farewell" is a short synthesizer piece on Budd's album Lovely Thunder (1986, Editions EG).
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
in Inyo County
Inyo County, California
-National protected areas:* Death Valley National Park * Inyo National Forest * Manzanar National Historic Site-Major highways:* U.S. Route 6* U.S. Route 395* State Route 127* State Route 136* State Route 168* State Route 178...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Olancha is located on U.S. Route 395 in California
U.S. Route 395 in California
In the U.S. state of California, U.S. Route 395 is a route which traverses from Interstate 15 near the southern city limits of Hesperia, north to the Oregon state line in Modoc County near Goose Lake...
, 37 miles (60 km) south-southeast of Independence
Independence, California
Independence is the county seat of Inyo County, California. Independence is located south-southeast of Bishop, at an elevation of 3930 feet . The population of this census-designated place was 669 at the 2010 census, up from 574 at the 2000 census....
, at an elevation of 3658 feet (1115 m). As of the 2010 census, the population was 192, up from 134 at the 2000 census.
Located in the Owens Valley
Owens Valley
Owens Valley is the arid valley of the Owens River in eastern California in the United States, to the east of the Sierra Nevada and west of the White Mountains and Inyo Mountains on the west edge of the Great Basin section...
next to the now mostly dry Owens Lake
Owens Lake
Owens Lake is a mostly dry lake in the Owens Valley on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada in Inyo County, California. It is located about south of Lone Pine, California...
, the arid settlement is home to a major bottled water plant for Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water.http://www.clui.org/clui_4_1/lotl/lotlsu99/flow.htmlhttp://www.crystalgeyserasw.com/faq/
Geography
Olancha is an unincorporated community located in the Owens ValleyOwens Valley
Owens Valley is the arid valley of the Owens River in eastern California in the United States, to the east of the Sierra Nevada and west of the White Mountains and Inyo Mountains on the west edge of the Great Basin section...
on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range at the elevation of 3650 feet (1,112.5 m), in Inyo County, California. It is on US Highway 395 near the junction of State Route 190, approximately 200 miles (321.9 km) northeast of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Owens Lake
Owens Lake
Owens Lake is a mostly dry lake in the Owens Valley on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada in Inyo County, California. It is located about south of Lone Pine, California...
- a dry saline lakebed - lies to the northeast of Olancha. Olancha Creek flows from the slopes of nearby Olancha Peak
Olancha Peak
Olancha Peak is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The mountain rises to an elevation of on the Tulare-Inyo county line in the South Sierra Wilderness...
(12,123 ft), passing near the town of Olancha, and finally towards Owens Lake
Owens Lake
Owens Lake is a mostly dry lake in the Owens Valley on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada in Inyo County, California. It is located about south of Lone Pine, California...
. To the east of town lie some sand dunes, as well as a hot spring known as "Dirty Socks".
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.5 km²), over 99% of it land.
History
Olancha was established by Minnard Farley, who came to the area in 1860 and discovered silverSilver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
in the nearby Coso Range
Coso Range
The Coso Range of eastern California is located immediately south of Owens Lake , east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and west of the Argus Range. The southern part of the range lies in the restricted Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake...
. The name "Olancha" is believed to be derived from the nearby Yaudanche tribe. For processing the ore, he built a stamp mill
Stamp mill
A stamp mill is a type of mill machine that crushes material by pounding rather than grinding, either for further processing or for extraction of metallic ores. Breaking material down is a type of unit operation....
just south of Olancha Creek. The remains of a stone wall from this mill still exists and has been designated as a California Historical Site (marker #796).
The first post office at Olancha opened in 1870.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Olancha had a population of 192. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 24.4 people per square mile (9.4/km²). The racial makeup of Olancha was 133 (69.3%) White, 0 (0.0%) African American, 4 (2.1%) Native American, 8 (4.2%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 38 (19.8%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 9 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 47 persons (24.5%).
The Census reported that 192 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 78 households, out of which 23 (29.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 44 (56.4%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 1 (1.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 5 (6.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 7 (9.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 0 (0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 22 households (28.2%) were made up of individuals and 6 (7.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46. There were 50 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(64.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.10.
The population was spread out with 44 people (22.9%) under the age of 18, 9 people (4.7%) aged 18 to 24, 37 people (19.3%) aged 25 to 44, 69 people (35.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 33 people (17.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.2 years. For every 100 females there were 115.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.9 males.
There were 97 housing units at an average density of 12.3 per square mile (4.8/km²), of which 44 (56.4%) were owner-occupied, and 34 (43.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.9%. 108 people (56.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 84 people (43.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 134 people, 50 households, and 38 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 18.4 people per square mile (7.1/km²). There were 62 housing units at an average density of 8.5 per square mile (3.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 53.73% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.75% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 5.97% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 9.70% from two or more races. 37.31% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 50 households out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 32.1% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,000, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $18,124. There were 4.5% of families and 9.4% of the population living below the poverty line, including 17.2% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Olancha is located in the 18th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Roy Ashburn
Roy Ashburn
Roy Arthur Ashburn is an American politician from Kern County, California. A Republican, he served as a California State Senator from 2002 to 2010 representing the 18th district. He previously served three terms in the California State Assembly, representing the 32nd district and 12 years on the...
, and in the 18th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Bill Maze
Bill Maze
Bill Maze is an American politician from California and a member of the Republican Party. Maze is the president of Citizens for Saving California Farming Industries, a non-profit dedicated to dividing California into two states....
. Federally, Olancha is located in California's 25th congressional district
California's 25th congressional district
California's 25th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers part of Los Angeles County and extends out to broad stretches of interior California along the Nevada border. It includes the cities of Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster, and the...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +7 and is represented by Republican Buck McKeon
Howard McKeon
Howard Philip "Buck" McKeon is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
.
Olancha in popular culture
Part of the film Bug (2007) directed by William FriedkinWilliam Friedkin
William Friedkin is an American film director, producer and screenwriter best known for directing The French Connection in 1971 and The Exorcist in 1973; for the former, he won the Academy Award for Best Director...
, starring Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd is an American television and film actress, who has played lead roles in films including Ruby in Paradise, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, Where the Heart Is and High Crimes...
, Michael Shannon
Michael Shannon (actor)
Michael Corbett Shannon is an American stage, film, and television actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Revolutionary Road...
and Harry Connick, Jr.
Harry Connick, Jr.
Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. is an American singer, big-band leader/conductor, pianist, actor, and composer. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with...
, was filmed in Olancha. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470705/locations
Other films filmed in or near Olancha include Iron Man
Iron Man (film)
Iron Man is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film stars Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark, an industrialist and master engineer who builds a powered exoskeleton and becomes the technologically advanced superhero, Iron...
(2008), Panic in Motion (2005), Taxidermist (2008), and Tremors
Tremors (film)
Tremors is a 1990 American science fiction horror comedy film directed by Ron Underwood, based on a screenplay by Brent Maddock and S. S. Wilson, and starring Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross and Reba McEntire...
(1990). http://imdb.com/List?endings=on&&locations=Olancha,%20California,%20USA&&heading=18;with+locations+including;Olancha,%20California,%20USA
The post-punk power quartet The Owl recorded a song titled "Olancha" in 2005 inspired by guitarist Jesse Sateriale's experiences from his early childhood in the town.
Ambient composer Harold Budd
Harold Budd
Harold Budd is an American ambient/avant-garde composer and poet. Born in Los Angeles, he was raised in the Mojave Desert, and was inspired at an early age by the humming tone caused by wind blown across telephone wires....
(raised in the desert town of Victorville, CA) recites his "Poem: Distant Lights of Olancha Recede" on the album By the Dawn's Early Light (1991, All Saints). "Olancha Farewell" is a short synthesizer piece on Budd's album Lovely Thunder (1986, Editions EG).