Winnemucca (pronounced /ˌwɪnəˈmʌkə/) is a city in and the county seat of Humboldt County, Nevada, United States.[1] As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 7,174. Interstate 80 passes through the city, where it meets U.S. Route 95.
Winnemucca is featured prominently in the novel Revoltingly Young by C.D. Payne, and is also a setting in More Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin. The city is also referenced in the North American version of the song "I've Been Everywhere."
According to a billboard spotted along State Route 140 (the "Winnemucca To the Sea Highway"), Winnemucca styles itself "The City by Battle Mountain" (the song referenced above talks about the hitchhiker walking along "the dusty Winnemucca road").
Each February, the city hosts the NIAA state championships in wrestling for all classes (AAAA, AAA and AA) at the Winnemucca Events Center.
Chinatown
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Winnemucca was the location of a vibrant Chinatown. While many Chinese left Winnemucca after the Central Pacific Railroad had completed its connection with the Union Pacific Railroad in 1869, around four hundred Chinese had formed a community in the town by the 1890s. Among the prominent buildings was the Joss House, a place of worship and celebration that was visited by Chinese president Sun Yat-Sen in 1911.[2]
Geography and climate
Winnemucca is located at 40°58′6″N 117°43′36″W / 40.96833°N 117.72667°W / 40.96833; -117.72667 (40.968212, -117.726662).[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.3 square miles (21.4 km²), all land.
| Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures |
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| Rec High °F |
68 |
74 |
81 |
90 |
98 |
106 |
109 |
108 |
103 |
91 |
77 |
67 |
| Norm High °F |
41.6 |
48.5 |
55.1 |
62.6 |
72 |
82.7 |
92.2 |
90.6 |
80.4 |
67.3 |
51.4 |
42.2 |
| Norm Low °F |
18.5 |
23.6 |
27 |
30.7 |
38.4 |
45.8 |
51.8 |
49.2 |
40.2 |
30.2 |
23.3 |
17 |
| Rec Low °F |
-24 |
-28 |
-3 |
6 |
10 |
23 |
29 |
28 |
12 |
-2 |
-8 |
-37 |
| Precip (in) |
0.83 |
0.62 |
0.86 |
0.85 |
1.06 |
0.69 |
0.27 |
0.35 |
0.53 |
0.66 |
0.8 |
0.81 |
| Source: USTravelWeather.com [1] |
Demographics
| Historical populations |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1870 |
290 |
|
—
|
| 1880 |
763 |
|
163.1% |
| 1890 |
1,307 |
|
71.3% |
| 1900 |
1,110 |
|
−15.1% |
| 1910 |
1,786 |
|
60.9% |
| 1920 |
1,934 |
|
8.3% |
| 1930 |
1,989 |
|
2.8% |
| 1940 |
2,485 |
|
24.9% |
| 1950 |
2,827 |
|
13.8% |
| 1960 |
3,453 |
|
22.1% |
| 1970 |
3,587 |
|
3.9% |
| 1980 |
4,140 |
|
15.4% |
| 1990 |
6,134 |
|
48.2% |
| 2000 |
7,174 |
|
17.0% |
| Est. 2007 |
7,995 |
|
11.4% |
| source:[4][5] |
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 7,174 people, 2,736 households, and 1,824 families residing in the city. The population density was 867.5 people per square mile (334.9/km²). There were 3,280 housing units at an average density of 396.6/sq mi (153.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.41% White, 2.23% African American, 0.89% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 9.60% from other races, and 3.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.74% of the population.
There were 2,736 households out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 105.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $46,699, and the median income for a family was $53,681. Males had a median income of $47,917 versus $26,682 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,441. About 7.5% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under the age of 18 and 8.1% of those 65 and older.
Politics
The Winnemucca Indian Colony of Nevada has its headquarters in Winnemucca.[7]
Transportation
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Winnemucca. The Winnemucca passenger rail station, at 209 West Railroad Street, is unstaffed and on-site ticket sales are not available.
Historically, Winnemucca was a station on the Transcontinental Railroad.
Winnemucca is the half-way point between Salt Lake City and San Francisco.
Employment
Most of Winnemucca's residents are employed directly by mining companies or mining vendors and contractors, or by the many casinos, bars, hotels, and potato processing plants in the city. Winnemucca has several legal brothels.
Education
Humboldt County School District operates schools serving Winnemucca.
Three K-4 elementary schools, Grass Valley, Sonoma Heights, and Winnemucca Grammar School, serve sections of Winnemucca. All of Winnemucca is zoned to French Ford Middle School (5–6), Winnemucca Junior High School (7–8), and Albert M. Lowry High School (9–12).
References
External links
