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| Inyo County, California | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of California |
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 California's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1866 |
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| Seat | Independence |
| Largest city | Bishop |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
10,227 sq mi (26,488 km²) 24 sq mi (62 km²), 0.23% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
17,945 3/sq mi (1/km²) |
| Website: www.countyofinyo.org | |
Inyo County is located in east-central California in the southwestern United States, on the east side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and southeast of Yosemite National Park. As of 2000 the county had a population of 17,945. The county seat is Independence.
Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states, is located on Inyo County's western border (with Tulare County). Badwater in Death Valley National Park, the lowest point in North America, is also located in the county. The two points are not visible from each other, but both can be observed from the Panamint Range on the west side of Death Valley.
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History
Inyo County was formed in 1866 from parts of Mono and Tulare Counties.
The county derived its name from the Native American name for the mountains in its area. The meaning of the word inyo is "dwelling place of the great spirit."
Natural History
Inyo County is host to a number of natural superlatives. Among them are:
- Mount Whitney, the highest point in the United States outside of Alaska
- Badwater, in Death Valley, the lowest point in North America
- Methuselah, an ancient Bristlecone pine tree and one of the oldest living trees on Earth
- Owens Valley, the deepest valley on the American continents
- Two mountain ranges exceeding 14,000 feet (4,300 m) in elevation: The Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains
- Thirteen of California's fifteen peaks which exceed 14,000 feet (a Fourteener) in elevation; the isolated Mount Shasta in northern California, and White Mountain (California) in neighboring Mono County, are the only California 14ers not (at least partly) in Inyo County
- The largest escarpment in the United States, rising from the floor of Death Valley to the top of Telescope Peak in the Panamint Range
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 10,227 square miles (26,488 km²), of which 10,203 sq mi (26,426 km²) is land and 24 sq mi (62 km²) is water. Relatively, it is a very large county. It is the second largest in California and the tenth largest in the nation (excluding boroughs and census areas in Alaska).
Cities and towns
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Adjacent counties
- San Bernardino County, California - south
- Kern County, California - southwest
- Tulare County, California - west
- Fresno County, California - west
- Mono County, California - north
- Esmeralda County, Nevada - northeast
- Nye County, Nevada - east
- Clark County, Nevada - southeast
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Mono County | Esmeralda County, Nevada | |
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| Tulare County and Fresno County |  |
Nye County, Nevada | ||
 Inyo County, California  |
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| Kern County | San Bernardino County | Clark County, Nevada |
National protected areas
Transportation Infrastructure
Major highways
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 395
State Route 127
State Route 136
State Route 168
State Route 178
State Route 190
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County Routes
Inyo County Route J41
Public Transportation
Eastern Sierra Transit Authority operates intercity bus service along U.S. 395, as well as local services in Bishop. Service extends south to Ridgecrest (Kern County) and north to Reno, Nevada.
Airports
Bishop Airport, Independence Airport, Lone Pine Airport and Shoshone Airport are general aviation airports located near their respective cities. Stovepipe Wells Airport and Furnace Creek Airport are located in Death Valley National Park.
Demographics
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 17,945 people, 7,703 households, and 4,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 9,042 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 80.06% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 10.04% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 4.60% from other races, and 4.15% from two or more races. 12.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.4% were of German, 12.2% English, 10.6% Irish and 5.0% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 89.2% spoke English and 9.3% Spanish as their first language.
There were 7,703 households out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,006, and the median income for a family was $44,970. Males had a median income of $37,270 versus $25,549 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,639. About 9.30% of families and 12.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.00% of those under age 18 and 8.30% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
| Year | GOP | DEM | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 52.9% 3,833 | 44.3% 3,208 | 2.8% 202 |
| 2004 | 59.1% 5,091 | 38.9% 3,350 | 2.0% 175 |
| 2000 | 60.3% 4,713 | 33.9% 2,652 | 5.8% 450 |
| 1996 | 51.8% 3,924 | 34.4% 2,601 | 13.8% 1,044 |
| 1992 | 43.6% 3,689 | 31.8% 2,695 | 24.6% 2,080 |
| 1988 | 64.3% 5,042 | 33.9% 2,653 | 1.8% 142 |
| 1984 | 70.3% 5,863 | 28.3% 2,360 | 1.4% 115 |
| 1980 | 64.8% 5,201 | 25.9% 2,080 | 9.3% 736 |
| 1976 | 58.2% 3,905 | 39.3% 2,635 | 2.5% 166 |
| 1972 | 68.1% 4,873 | 28.0% 2,006 | 3.9% 280 |
| 1968 | 54.5% 3,641 | 34.6% 2,314 | 10.9% 732 |
| 1964 | 46.5% 2,751 | 53.4% 3,161 | 0.1% 3 |
| 1960 | 54.6% 2,962 | 45.1% 2,443 | 0.3% 15 |
Inyo is a strongly Republican county in Presidential and congressional elections. The last Democrat to win a majority in the county was Lyndon Johnson in 1964.
Inyo is part of California's 25th congressional district, which is held by Republican Buck McKeon. In the state legislature, Inyo is part of the 34th Assembly district, which is held by Republican Connie Conway, and the 18th Senate district, which is held by Republican Roy Ashburn.
On Nov. 4, 2008 Inyo County voted 60.4 % for Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.
California marshal
Inyo County has one of the only two remaining Elected Marshal's Office in California despite the law passed by voters in 2000 abolishing the Municipal Courts and the accompanying marshal's offices. Floyd J Barton is the current Elected (June-2008) Marshal of Inyo County.
San Benito County has the other remaining Elected Marshal's Office. Robert Paschall is the current Elected Marshal of San Benito County.
Education
School district in Inyo County are:
- Bishop Union Elementary School District
- Bishop Joint Union High School District
- Big Pine Unified School District
- Lone Pine Unified School District
- Owens Valley Unified School District
- Round Valley School District
- Death Valley Unified School District
Notable locations
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Lakes
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Parks
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Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is a mostly arid United States National Park located east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in southern Inyo County and northern San Bernardino County in California, with a small extension into southwestern Nye County and extreme southern Esmeralda County in Nevada. In addition, there is an exclave (Devil's Hole) in southern Nye County. The park covers 5,262 square miles (13,630 km2), encompassing Saline Valley, a large part of Panamint Valley, almost all of Death Valley, and parts of several mountain ranges.[4] Death Valley National Monument was proclaimed in 1933, placing the area under federal protection. In 1994, the monument was redesignated a national park, as well as being substantially expanded to include Saline and Eureka Valleys.[4]
It is the hottest and driest of the national parks in the United States. It also features the second-lowest point in the Western Hemisphere and the lowest point in North America at Badwater, which is 282 feet (86 m) below sea level. It is home to many species of plants and animals that have adapted to this harsh desert environment. Some examples include Creosote Bush, Bighorn Sheep, Coyote, and the Death Valley Pupfish, a survivor of much wetter times. Approximately 95% of the park is designated as wilderness.[5] Death Valley National Park is visited annually by more than 770,000 visitors who come to enjoy its diverse geologic features, desert wildlife, historic sites, scenery, clear night skies and the solitude of the extreme desert environment.
References
- ^ http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&_county=Inyo+County&_cityTown=Inyo+County&_state=05000US06027
- ^ http://www.mapzones.org/Inyo_County_California.html
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ a b National Park Index (2001–2003), p. 26
- ^ NPS website, "Backcountry Roads"
External links
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