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Colfax, California
City
The historic Stevens Trail's trailhead is in Colfax
Location of Colfax in Placer County, California.
Colfax, California Location in the United States
Coordinates: 39°5′50″N 120°57′14″W / 39.09722°N 120.95389°W / 39.09722; -120.95389Coordinates: 39°5′50″N 120°57′14″W / 39.09722°N 120.95389°W / 39.09722; -120.95389
Country	United States
State	California
County	Placer
Incorporated	February 23, 1910[4]
Government
• Mayor	Will Stockwin[1]
• State senator	(vacant)[2]
• City Treasurer	Tim Ryan[1]
• Assemblymember	Brian Dahle (R)[2]
• U. S. rep.	Doug LaMalfa (R)[3]
Area [5]
• Total	1.41 sq mi (3.64 km2)
• Land	1.41 sq mi (3.64 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation [6]	2,425 ft (739 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	1,963
• Estimate  (2016)[7]	2,004
• Density	1,425.32/sq mi (550.32/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	95713
Area code(s)	530
FIPS code	06-14498
GNIS feature ID	1655912
Website	www.colfax-ca.gov

Colfax (formerly,
Alden Grove, Alder Grove, Illinoistown, and Upper Corral) is a city in Placer County, California,^[6] at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and State Route 174. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,963 at the 2010 census. The town is named in honor of U.S. Vice President Schuyler Colfax (1869–73), a bronze statue of whom stands at Railroad Street and Grass Valley Street.^[8] (This is the only known statue of Schuyler Colfax in the United States^[9]). Some of the town's notable features include the newly restored Southern Pacific Railroad colonnade-style depot (which houses the Colfax Museum and Chamber of Commerce) built in 1905,^[10] the downtown shops on Main Street, and Colfax High School, which serves a large surrounding area.

History

Originally inhabited by the Maidu and Miwok Indians, by the mid-19th century the city site was known as Alder Grove; however, as development increased, the city became known as Illinoistown. In April 1852, the Reelfoot Williams Gang robbed a Nevada City stagecoach of $7,000 in gold bullion near Illinoistown. This was the first stagecoach robbery in the gold country.^[11][12]

Later it was renamed Colfax after then Speaker of the House (and later Vice President) Schuyler Colfax who visited the town in 1865 while inspecting progress of construction of the Central Pacific Railroad, the western portion of the first transcontinental railroad. The city was the southern terminus of the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad from 1876 until the railroad’s removal in 1942. Historic U.S. Route 40 also runs through the city as well as the more modern Interstate 80. The city is mentioned in Jules Verne’s book, Around the World in Eighty Days.

Geography

Colfax is located at 39°5′50″N 120°57′14″W / 39.09722°N 120.95389°W / 39.09722; -120.95389 (39.097260, -120.954017).^[13] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.

The principal geologic structures present are granitic and metamorphic rock formations. Located approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) west of Colfax is a branch of the Melones Fault, running in north to south direction. The fault runs through the old grammar school baseball field so they closed the school. (Earth Metrics, 1989) Another branch of the same fault is located about 1.2 miles (1.9 km) to the east, also aligned in a north-south orientation. No movement has been recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey, and the faults are considered inactive. Bunch Creek is an active water source flowing south to eventually reach a confluence with the North Fork of the American River.

Climate

Colfax has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) that is characterized by cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Summers can be quite hot, especially in the months of July/August where temperatures easily reach 90 °F (32 °C) with plenty of sunshine. Winters on the other hand are quite cool with temperatures in December hovering around 46 °F (8 °C), and owing to its altitude above sea level, Colfax some years sees snow accumulation.

Demographics

2010

The 2010 United States Census^[15] reported that Colfax had a population of 1,963. The population density was 1,394.7 people per square mile (538.5/km²). The racial makeup of Colfax was 1,759 (89.6%) White, 4 (0.2%) African American, 26 (1.3%) Native American, 29 (1.5%) Asian, 2 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 54 (2.8%) from other races, and 89 (4.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 178 persons (9.1%).

The Census reported that 1,958 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 5 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 823 households, out of which 286 (34.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 334 (40.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 131 (15.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 40 (4.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 67 (8.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 3 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 259 households (31.5%) were made up of individuals and 90 (10.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38. There were 505 families (61.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.98.

The population was spread out with 499 people (25.4%) under the age of 18, 159 people (8.1%) aged 18 to 24, 501 people (25.5%) aged 25 to 44, 580 people (29.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 224 people (11.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

There were 929 housing units at an average density of 660.1 per square mile (254.9/km²), of which 386 (46.9%) were owner-occupied, and 437 (53.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 12.5%. 895 people (45.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,063 people (54.2%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census^[16] of 2000, there were 1,496 people, 614 households, and 394 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,141.0 people per square mile (440.9/km²). There were 636 housing units at an average density of 485.1 per square mile (187.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.18% White, 0.60% Black or African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 2.34% from other races, and 3.14% from two or more races. 8.29% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 614 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.0% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.97.

A statue of the town's namesake U.S. Vice President Schuyler Colfax stands near the railroad station in history downtown Colfax.

East portal of Tunnel 34, Colfax, on the historic Central Pacific Railroad.

In the city, the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,391, and the median income for a family was $43,125. Males had a median income of $37,500 versus $27,708 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,440. About 8.5% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.1% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those over 64.

Transportation

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Colfax. The city's passenger rail station is located at 99 Railroad Street in the heart of town. Amtrak Train 5, the westbound California Zephyr, is scheduled to depart Colfax at 11:48am daily with service to Roseville, Sacramento, Davis, Martinez, and Emeryville across the bay from San Francisco. Amtrak Train 6, the eastbound California Zephyr, is scheduled to depart Colfax at 12:21pm daily with service to Truckee, Reno, Sparks, Winnemucca, Elko, Salt Lake City, Provo, Helper, Green River, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Denver, Omaha, Galesburg, and Chicago.^[17] A bronze statue of the town's namesake, Schuyler Colfax, stands near the depot at the Grass Valley Street railroad grade crossing.

Books

• Moody, C. L. (1917). The breccias of the Mariposa formation in the vicinity of Colfax, California. University of California publications, v. 10, no. 21. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.


• Du Vall, A. H., & Landrith, M. H. (1984). A Colfax cemetery recording: Colfax, California, 29 February 1984. Auburn, CA: The Authors.

References

• Colfax, California community profile


• Earth Metrics Inc., "Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, Bunch Creek Shopping Center, Colfax, California", printed in San Mateo, Ca., Document File no. 7928W0, May 16, 1989

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Colfax, California.

• City of Colfax


• Colfax Area Chamber of Commerce


• Colfax History


• 
  Stevens Trail guide at BLM