Albion, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Albion
census-designated place
Albion in 1911
Albion Location in California
Country	United States
State	California
County	Mendocino
Area
• Total	1.85 sq mi (4.80 km2)
• Land	1.81 sq mi (4.70 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2)  2.02%
Elevation	174 ft (53 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	153
• Density	84.30/sq mi (32.54/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP Code	95410
Area code(s)	707
GNIS feature IDs	1657904; 2628703

Navarro Point Preserve off CA-1 near Albion

Albion is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California. It is located 15 miles (24 km) south of Fort Bragg, at an elevation of 174 feet (53 m). Albion had a population of 168 at the 2010 census.

Geography

Albion lies directly on California's State Route 1 north of Elk, and south of Mendocino and Little River. It lies just north of the intersection of State Route 128 and State Route 1 (Shoreline Highway). The town consists of three major roads: Albion Ridge Road, Navarro Ridge Road, and Middle Ridge Road. The first two are accessible from the coast (State Route 1), but Middle Ridge, running parallel, is only accessible from Albion Ridge Road (inland). The side-roads on Albion Ridge Road are labeled from B through Q. Middle Ridge road begins at Albion Ridge Road just beyond M Road.

The nearest beaches include Navarro Beach, to the south, and Handley Beach at the head of Albion Ridge Road.

Vegetation includes Coastal Headlands, California Redwood Forests, and Pygmy forests.

Albion has two bridges, spanning the Albion River and Little Salmon Creek. The Albion River Bridge, built in 1944 when steel and concrete were in short supply, remains as the last wooden bridge still in use on State Route 1.

The ZIP Code is 95410. The community is inside area code 707.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 4.799 km² (1.853 sq mi), 97.98% of it land, and 2.02% of it water.

History

Albion was named in 1844, as a reference to when Sir Francis Drake landed on the northern California coast and called it New Albion. The name is an ancient word for Britain, which stems from the Latin word albus, meaning white, referring to the White Cliffs of Dover.

In 1845, Mexico awarded English sea captain William A. Richardson a large land grant, stretching along the California coast from Mal Paso Creek to Big River (encompassing the land between the present-day towns of Elk and Mendocino). Captain Richardson had partly earned this prize by marrying the daughter of the Mexican Commandant of Yerba Buena (present-day San Francisco). By 1853 Richardson had built, in the middle of this tract, a home and sawmill alongside a narrow river estuary.

Richardson's sawmill was the first to begin operation along the Redwood Coast. It was powered by a tide-driven water wheel, which would operate whether the tide was coming in or going out. Unfortunately, the mill was destroyed by ocean waves during its first winter. Richardson rebuilt the mill the following year, steam-driven this time, but lost all his land that same year when the U.S. Land Commission refused to recognize his Mexican title.

The first post office opened in 1859.

The sawmill continued to operate at this location over the next 75 years. By 1861 a hotel, livery stable, and mercantile store were also in operation. Miles Standish (a direct descendant of the famous pilgrim) and Henry Hickey purchased the lumber company in 1891. Southern Pacific Railroad bought the operation in 1907 in order to provide redwood ties for railroads they were building in Mexico. They expanded the small logging railroad in the area, extending lines inland to Comptche and the deep end of Anderson Valley. The mill eventually closed down in 1928, and the Fort Bragg and Southeastern Railroad halted operation in 1930.

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census reported that Albion had a population of 168. The population density was 90.7 people per square mile (35.0/km²). The racial makeup of Albion was 150 (89.3%) White, 1 (0.6%) African American, 4 (2.4%) Native American, 5 (3.0%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 0 (0.0%) from other races, and 8 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4 persons (2.4%).

The Census reported that 156 people (92.9% of the population) lived in households, 12 (7.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 82 households, out of which 13 (15.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 20 (24.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 8 (9.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 5 (6.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 8 (9.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1 (1.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 36 households (43.9%) were made up of individuals, and 15 (18.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.90. There were 33 families (40.2% of all households); the average family size was 2.55.

The population was spread out, with 20 people (11.9%) under the age of 18, 10 people (6.0%) aged 18 to 24, 40 people (23.8%) aged 25 to 44, 64 people (38.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 34 people (20.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.5 males.

There were 112 housing units at an average density of 60.4 per square mile (23.3/km²), of which 54 (65.9%) were owner-occupied, and 28 (34.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 17.6%. 105 people (62.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 51 people (30.4%) lived in rental housing units.

See also

In Spanish: Albion (California) para niños