French Camp is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Joaquin County, California, United States. The population was 3,376 at the 2010 census, down from 4,109 at the 2000 census. San Joaquin General Hospital is located in French Camp.
In recent years, Stockton has attempted to incorporate French Camp, allegedly in order to tax the current residents of the town.
French Camp is the location of the U.S. Army Sharpe Depot and the GSA Western Distribution Center, and is the oldest settlement in San Joaquin County.
Geography
French Camp is located at 37°52′58″N 121°16′47″W (37.882742, -121.279788).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8.0Â km2), 99.97% of it land and 0.03% of it water.
Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, French Camp has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.
History
French Camp was the southernmost regular camp site of the Hudson's Bay Company southern fur brigades sent from Fort Vancouver (now Vancouver, Washington), established by Michel Laframboise in 1832. Its Spanish name was preserved in a land grant dated January 13, 1844 as Camp de Los Franceses. It is commemorated as California State Historic Landmark 668:
Here was the terminus of the Oregon-California trail used by the French-Canadian trappers employed by the Hudson's Bay Company from about 1832 to 1845. Michel Laframboise, among others, met fur hunters here annually, where they camped with their families. In 1844 Charles Maria Weber and William Gulnac promoted the first white settlers' colony on "Rancho del Campo de Los Franceses" which included French Camp and the site of Stockton.
French Camp was also known as Castoria, the Latin word for "beaver" being "castor", reflecting its central role in the California Fur Rush.
Notable people
- Gilbert Luján
- Jose M. Hernandez, astronaut
- Scott Brooks, Head coach of the NBA's Washington Wizards.
Demographics
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that French Camp had a population of 3,376. The population density was 1,074.2 people per square mile (414.7/km²). The racial makeup of French Camp was 1,678 (49.7%) White, 410 (12.1%) African American, 31 (0.9%) Native American, 163 (4.8%) Asian, 11 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 920 (27.3%) from other races, and 163 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,748 persons (51.8%).
The Census reported that 1,622 people (48.0% of the population) lived in households, 336 (10.0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,418 (42.0%) were institutionalized.
There were 509 households, out of which 202 (39.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 262 (51.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 64 (12.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 46 (9.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 46 (9.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 3 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 104 households (20.4%) were made up of individuals and 43 (8.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.19. There were 372 families (73.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.71.
The population was spread out with 731 people (21.7%) under the age of 18, 604 people (17.9%) aged 18 to 24, 1,145 people (33.9%) aged 25 to 44, 660 people (19.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 236 people (7.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.1 years. For every 100 females there were 193.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 208.6 males.
There were 575 housing units at an average density of 183.0 per square mile (70.6/km²), of which 276 (54.2%) were owner-occupied, and 233 (45.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 13.4%. 872 people (25.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 750 people (22.2%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,109 people, 576 households, and 438 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,324.5 people per square mile (511.8/km²). There were 598 housing units at an average density of 192.8 per square mile (74.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 44.20% White, 11.97% African American, 0.80% Native American, 4.45% Asian, 0.46% Pacific Islander, 32.12% from other races, and 5.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 44.95% of the population.
There were 576 households out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.8% were non-families. 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.14 and the average family size was 3.57.
In the CDP, the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 14.9% from 18 to 24, 39.2% from 25 to 44, 15.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 182.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 192.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $28,295, and the median income for a family was $29,034. Males had a median income of $30,556 versus $17,083 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $9,945. About 27.1% of families and 40.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.3% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
References
External links
- http://sanjoaquinhistory.org/blog/?tag=indian-history San Joaquin County Historical Society
