Davis, California
Davis is a city located in Yolo County, California. As of the local census, the city had a total population of 64,821 (60,308 in 2000). Davis is well-known in the state of California as being a socially and environmentally conscious university town.
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History
Davis grew around a Southern Pacific Railroad depot which was built in 1868. It was then known as "Davisville", named for Jerome C. Davis, a prominent local farmer. However, the post office at Davisville shortened the town name to simply "Davis" in 1907. The name stuck, and the city of Davis was incorporated in March 1917.
From its inception as a farming community, Davis has been known for its contributions to agriculture along with veterinary care and animal husbandry. This has especially been true ever since the University of California decided to build a land grant university there in 1908. Now the city is also known for its contributions in the areas of biotechnology, medicine and other life sciences.
Geography
Davis lies in the Sacramento Valley portion of the Central Valley in Northern California, at an elevation of about 16 m (52 ft) above MSL.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 27.1 km² (10.5 mi²). 27.1 km² (10.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.19% water.
The topography of Davis is very flat, which has helped Davis to become known as a haven for bicyclists.
Climate
The climate in Davis resembles that of nearby Sacramento. Davis is, however, closer to San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento River Delta, which moderates the more extreme temperatures found elsewhere in the Sacramento Valley and nearby San Joaquin Valley. Summers in Davis are dry and hot, while winters are rainy and mild.
Demographics
As of the United States 2000 CensusGR2, there are 60,308 people, 22,948 households, and 11,290 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,228.2/km² (5,769.2/mi²). There are 23,617 housing units at an average density of 872.6/km² (2,259.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 70.07% White, 2.35% Black or African American, 0.67% Native American, 17.54% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 4.26% from other races, and 4.87% from two or more races. 9.61% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 22,948 households out of which 26.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% are married couples living together, 8.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 50.8% are non-families. 25.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 5.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.50 and the average family size is 3.00.
In the city the population is spread out with 18.6% under the age of 18, 30.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 25 years. For every 100 females there are 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $42,454, and the median income for a family is $74,051. Males have a median income of $51,189 versus $36,082 for females. The per capita income for the city is $22,937. 24.5% of the population and 5.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 6.8% of those under the age of 18 and 2.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Demographics are unusual, even among "college towns". This city of approximately 65,000 people is home to a university campus of 31,000 students.
Bicycling
Being flat, Davis is naturally a very good place for bicyclists. The town has taken advantage of that precursor, and when it expands, new bike paths are usually mandated by the city. As a result, Davis is covered in bike paths, and biking is one of the more common types of transportation, used especially by UC Davis students because of bicycling's relative inexpensiveness. Davis has been referred to as the "Most bicycle friendly town in the world", as most of the bike paths are in good repair, and one can get just about anywhere without leaving bike paths or bike lanes in streets.
Sights and Events
Farmers Market
Every Wednesday evening and Saturday morning, families and friends flock to the Central Park (on 4th and C street) in Davis to buy fresh produce, a healthy meal or baked goods at the Davis Farmers Market. Open rain or shine, this event allows the participation of independent farmers, non-profit organizations, craftsmens and local businesses represented in a communal atmosphere.
The times for the year-round Saturday market are from 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. while the Wednesday market changes times with the season. During the month of April to October runs the popular Picnic in the Park from 4:30-8:30 p.m. while during October through March the market is from 2:00-6:00 p.m.
Available products include fruits and vegetables that are currently in season, baked goods, and dairy and meat products, often from certified organic farms. With such a wide variety of produce and foods, many people can do the majority of their shopping here. The available stands, shoppers and overall atmosphere greatly depend on each particular market. For example Picnic in the Park is geared towards family attendance during dinner time because of the presence of a band and multiple restaurants. Some of which include The Buckhorn, Katmandu and The Hotdogger. While during the fall and winter months this market becomes smaller in size and geared mainly towards weekly shoppers. The Saturday market includes some local restaurants along with a performing group, craft persons and various non-profit organizations.
More information of times, directions or becoming a market member can be found at their local website: http://www.davisfarmersmarket.org. This website also includes a search for available products as well as a calendar filled with special events!
Toad Tunnel
Davis' Toad Tunnel has drawn much attention over the years including a mention on The Daily Show. Because of the building of an overpass, animal lovers worried about toads being killed by cars commuting from South Davis to North Davis, since the toads hopped from one side of a dirt lot (which the overpass replaced) to the reservoir at the other end. After much controversy, a decision was made to build a toad tunnel, which runs beneath the Pole Line Road overpass.
The tunnel has created problems of its own. The toads originally refused to use the tunnel and so the tunnel was lighted to encourage its use. The toads then died from the heat of the lamps inside the tunnel. The exit to the toad tunnel has been decorated by the Post-Master to resemble a toad town.
Whole Earth Festival
The Whole Earth Festival (WEF) is a three-day music and education festival in the Spring, which usually takes place during Mother's Day Weekend on UC Davis' main quadrangle. It is considered by many to be a must-see Davis event. Every year, thousands of environmentally conscious, politically active and/or music-loving people make the pilgrimage to Davis for this event, for which the UCD quad is filled with hundreds of craft booths, music acts, education booths, and food booths.
A continuous stream of bands, speakers and various workshops occurs throughout the weekend on each of WEF's three stages and other specialty areas. The majority of the festival is solar powered.
WEF is organized primarily by UC Davis students, in association with the Associated Students of UC Davis (ASUCD) and the university.
UC Davis Arboretum
The University of California, Davis, Arboretum is a fine arboretum and botanical garden. California natives and desert plants are just two of the different plant types grown there. In addition there is a nice redwood grove at one end of the arboretum. There is a small river running through the arboretum and a pond in its center, which is home to many ducks and geese. You can also occasionally see herons, kingfishers, and cormorants. Tours of the arboretum are often held for children who are still in grade school.
Picnic Day
Picnic Day is an annual event held on the University of California, Davis during the month of April and is the largest student-run event in the US. Picnic Day starts off with a parade (which starts and ends with the California Aggie Marching Band-Uh. Yes, they march it twice!) that runs through campus and around downtown Davis and ends with the Battle of the Bands, which lasts until the last band stops playing (sometimes until 2 am). There are over 150 free events and over 50,000 attend every year. Other highlights include: the Dachshund races, aka: the Doxie Derby, held in the Rec Hall, the Davis Rock Challenge, the Chemistry Magic Show (sells out in advance), the sheep dog trials, and of course the wonderful food made by student groups. Picnic Day is also known for the copious amounts of alcohol students consume all day long.
Sports
Like most towns across America, Davis has baseball. Davis Little League or DLL has 5 divisions of play, tee-ball, farm, AA, AAA, and majors. Afterwards comes competetive leagues and etc. Soccer comes around every fall and passes except for the competetive leagues. Roller Hockey is a great sport in this town. A new rink was just put in called Davis Indoor Sports Center or DISC for the reason. They hold Recreational leagues such as DIHA and DISC. Davis high schools baseball program is one of the top in the area and often win their sections title.
Education
The University of California, Davis a campus of the University of California, had an enrollment of 30,065 students as of Fall 2004, and is a major research university. There is also a off-campus branch of Sacramento City College located in Davis.
The city has eight public elementary schools, three public junior high schools, and four high schools.
City services
The Davis Fire Department, founded in 1930 after a series of devastating fires, has three stations. Two of the existing stations, downtown and in south Davis, were built in 1960; the third, in west Davis, was built in 1980.
Notable Davisites
- DJ Shadow - Musician (born Josh Davis)
- Karen Joy Fowler - Author
- Michael Franti - Musician
- John Lescroart - Author
- Paul Moller - Inventor and professor
- Kim Stanley Robinson - Author
- Stephen Robinson - Astronaut (received Bachelor's degree from UC Davis, 1978)
- Sean Stewart - Author
- Gary Snyder - Author
- Gary Lee Yoder - musician
External links
- Official Webpage for Davis
- Davis Wiki - The Wiki for Davis
- Davis Cycling - Cycling in North America's most bike-friendly city
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Local or Yahoo! Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Satellite image from Google Local or Microsoft Virtual Earth
- Aerial photos - From the city webpage
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