Solvang is a city in
Santa Barbara CountySanta Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, just west of Ventura County. As of 2000 the county had a population of 399,347. The estimated total population of Santa Barbara County as of January 2006 was 421,625, according to...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The city of Solvang is one of the communities that make up the
Santa Ynez ValleyThe Santa Ynez Valley is located in Santa Barbara County, California, between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the San Rafael Mountains. The Santa Ynez River flows through the valley from east to west...
. The population was 5,332 at the 2000
censusA "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.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
.
Solvang was founded in 1911 on 9,000 acres (36 km²) of formerly
SpanishSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
land by a group of Danish educators, who traveled west to escape midwestern winters. The city is home to some bakeries, restaurants, and merchants offering a taste of
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
in California.
Solvang is a city in
Santa Barbara CountySanta Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, just west of Ventura County. As of 2000 the county had a population of 399,347. The estimated total population of Santa Barbara County as of January 2006 was 421,625, according to...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The city of Solvang is one of the communities that make up the
Santa Ynez ValleyThe Santa Ynez Valley is located in Santa Barbara County, California, between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the San Rafael Mountains. The Santa Ynez River flows through the valley from east to west...
. The population was 5,332 at the 2000
censusA "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.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
.
Solvang was founded in 1911 on 9,000 acres (36 km²) of formerly
SpanishSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
land by a group of Danish educators, who traveled west to escape midwestern winters. The city is home to some bakeries, restaurants, and merchants offering a taste of
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
in California. The architecture of many of the buildings follows traditional Danish style. There is a copy of the famous
Little MermaidThe statue of The Little Mermaid sits on a rock in the Copenhagen harbour at Langelinie. This small and unimposing statue is a Copenhagen icon and a major tourist attraction....
statue from
CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
, as well as one featuring the bust of famed Danish fable writer
Hans Christian AndersenHans Christian Andersen was a Danish author and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "The Snow Queen", "The Little Mermaid", "Thumbelina", "The Little Match Girl", and the "The Ugly Duckling".During his lifetime he was acclaimed for having delighted...
. A replica of the Copenhagen observatory
RundetårnThe Rundetårn is a 17th-century tower located in central Copenhagen, Denmark. One of the many architectural projects of Christian IV, it was built as an astronomical observatory. It is most noted for its 7.5-turn helical corridor...
in the scale 1:3 was finished in 1991 and can be seen in the city centre.
Mission Santa InesMission Santa Inés was founded on September 17, 1804 by Father Estévan Tapís, who had succeeded Father Fermín Lasuén as President of the California mission chain...
, one of the California missions (
National Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance. All NHLs are listed in the National Register of Historic Places...
), is located near the center of the town, at the junction of
State Route 246State Route 246 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It runs from Lompoc to Santa Ynez and cuts through the Santa Barbara Wine Country.-Route description:...
and Alisal Road.
Geography
Solvang is located at (34.593793, -120.139656).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe 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. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.4 km²), all of it land.
Solvang actually bears very little resemblance to modern Denmark.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "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.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 5,332 people, 2,185 households, and 1,415 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 2,143.3 people per square mile (826.8/km²). There were 2,288 housing units at an average density of 919.7/sq mi (354.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.24% White, 0.43% African American, 0.66% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.51% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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 4.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 19.86% of the population.
There were 2,185 households out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
The median
incomeIncome is the consumption and savings opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. However, for households and individuals, "income is the sum of all the wages, salaries, profits, interests payments, rents and other forms of earnings...
for a household in the city was $45,799, and the median income for a family was $57,703. Males had a median income of $41,429 versus $30,175 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $25,363. About 2.7% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Public safety
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department has a sub station in Solvang, while the Solvang Volunteer Fire Department was disbanded in April 2007 and replaced with a contract from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
Danish museums
In the city is located the Hans Christian Andersen Museum and Elverhoj Museum of History and Art.
Popular media
- Much of the Oscar-winning 2004 film Sideways
Sideways is a 2004 American comedy-drama film written by Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne and directed by Payne. Adapted from Rex Pickett's 2004 novel, Sideways follows two forty-something men, portrayed by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, who take a week-long road trip to the wine country of...
was filmed in Solvang and in nearby Buellton.
- Patricia Hitchcock
Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell is a British-born American actress and producer.She is the only child of the film director Alfred Hitchcock and film editor Alma Reville. The family moved to Los Angeles, California, in March 1939....
, the only child of the film director Alfred HitchcockSir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British filmmaker and producer who pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in his native United Kingdom in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
, currently resides in Solvang.
- Solvang was one of the two locations featured in the William Castle
William Castle was an American film director, producer, and actor.-Biography:William Schloss was born in New York City to a Jewish family. Schloss means "castle" in German, and Castle probably chose to translate his surname into English to avoid the discrimination often encountered by Jewish...
film, HomicidalHomicidal is a 1961 thriller film produced and directed by the self-proclaimed "King of Showmanship", William Castle. Written by Robb White, the film stars Glenn Corbett, Patricia Breslin, Eugenie Leontovich, Alan Bunce, Richard Rust, and the enigmatic Joan Marshall...
. The location used for the drugstore and flowershop still stands today and remains relatively unchanged.
- Rancho del Cielo
Rancho del Cielo, or "Sky's or Heaven's Ranch," is a ranch located on the top of the Santa Ynez Mountain range northwest of Santa Barbara, California...
, President Ronald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States and the 33rd Governor of California .Born in Tampico, Illinois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s...
's ranch which served as the "Western White House" during Reagan's two terms in office, is located about six miles (10 km) outside of Solvang.
- In The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
episode "Little Orphan Millie"Little Orphan Millie" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons
' nineteenth season and was first broadcast on November 11, 2007. For the first time in years, Kirk and Luann reunite. It was written by Mick Kelly, production assistant to Al Jean, and directed by Lance Kramer...
", it was revealed that MilhouseMilhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Pamela Hayden. He is Bart Simpson's best friend in Mrs. Krabappel's fourth grade class at Springfield Elementary School....
has an uncle from Solvang named Norbert "Zack" Van Houten. Bart has a telephone conversation with a switchboard operator in Solvang, and a wooden "Solvang Air" airliner, whose fuselage resembles buildings in the town, is shown landing at Springfield Airport. Uncle Zack's overwhelming pride in his Danish heritage also reflects Solvang's history from its founding by Danish citizens.
- Ska-punk band Mad Caddies
The Mad Caddies are a third wave ska band from Solvang, California. The band formed in 1995 and has released five full-length albums, one live album, and two EP's...
call Solvang their home.
- In American Dad, Roger refers to buying chocolate in Solvang.
- Solvang is the setting for the cult film The Unseen (1982 film)
- Synopsis :Two sisters, Karen and Jennifer; Tony Ross, Jen's disgruntled beau; and Vicki Thompson, a reporter stumble across siblings Virginia & Ernest Keller, known to movie buffs as Mr & Mrs Numberwang from Solvang along with their brother/offspring Junior dwelling beneath the bowels of an...
starring Barbara Bach who is reporting on the town festival, and Stephen FurstStephen Furst is an American actor and film and television director.-Biography:Stephen Furst was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University's theater program. In 1972, Furst's father died from diabetes complications. Years later, Furst was diagnosed with type...
(Kent Dorfman in the 1978 Animal house) as the title role. The Unseen features many external shots of the Solvang town festival and internal shots of the Hans Christian Andersen museum which in the film is run by the Unseen's father/uncle Mr Keller. (Trivia : Mr & Mrs Keller are known by movie buffs as Mr & Mrs Numberwang from Solvang)
- The town of Solvang was featured on Bravo's hit television show, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, on its third season.
- In an episode of "Pinky and the Brain
Pinky and the Brain are cartoon characters who have starred in the American animated television series Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, and Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain....
", Brain forms a basketball team that has a practice session in Solvang.
- The Tour of California cycle race has had time trial
In many racing sports an athlete will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. In cycling, for example, a time trial can be a single track cycling event, or an individual or team time trial on the road, and either or both of the latter may form components of...
stages in Solvang on three occasions; 2007, 2008 and 2009.
- In season 5 episode "Happy Birthday, Anastasia", The Girls Next Door
The Girls Next Door, also known as The Girls of the Playboy Mansion, is an American reality television series broadcast on the E! cable television network. The series was created by executive producer Kevin Burns and Hugh Hefner, founder and editor-in-chief of Playboy magazine.The show revolves...
and their guests take a road trip which includes a visit to Solvang; its original airdate was January 4, 2009.
External links