Forbestown, California
Forbestown | |
|---|---|
Shakespeare Mining & Milling Co, headframe and miners, ca. 1860 | |
Location of Forbestown in Butte County, California. | |
Forbestown Location in California Forbestown Forbestown (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 39°31′02″N 121°16′02″W / 39.51722°N 121.26722°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Butte County |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.280 sq mi (16.266 km2) |
| • Land | 6.274 sq mi (16.250 km2) |
| • Water | 0.006 sq mi (0.015 km2) 0.09% |
| Elevation | 2,772 ft (845 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 396 |
| • Density | 63/sq mi (24/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1656023; 2612480 |
| U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Forbestown, California, U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Forbestown, California | |
Forbestown (formerly, Boles Dry Diggins and Forbes Diggins) is a census-designated place[4] in Butte County, California.[2] It lies at an elevation of 2772 feet (845 m).[2] Its zip code is 95941 and its area code is 530. Forbestown had a population of 396 at the 2020 census.
Forbestown is named for B.F. Forbes, who opened a store there in 1850.[5] The post office was established in 1854, closed in 1925, and re-opened in 1936.[5]
Forbestown's heyday was the last half of the nineteenth century, when it was a large mining center.[6] By the late 1930s, it was nearly a ghost town.[6] The site has foundations and debris from its mining era.[6]
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 320 | — | |
| 2020 | 396 | 23.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 2010[8] | |||
Forbestown first appeared as a census designated place in the 2010 U.S. Census.[8]
The 2020 United States census reported that Forbestown had a population of 396. The population density was 63.1 inhabitants per square mile (24.4/km2). The racial makeup of Forbestown was 310 (78.3%) White, 4 (1.0%) African American, 14 (3.5%) Native American, 2 (0.5%) Asian, 1 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 12 (3.0%) from other races, and 53 (13.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 45 persons (11.4%).[9]
The whole population lived in households. There were 163 households, out of which 35 (21.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 72 (44.2%) were married-couple households, 10 (6.1%) were cohabiting couple households, 35 (21.5%) had a female householder with no partner present, and 46 (28.2%) had a male householder with no partner present. 55 households (33.7%) were one person, and 37 (22.7%) were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.43.[9] There were 99 families (60.7% of all households).[10]
The age distribution was 96 people (24.2%) under the age of 18, 23 people (5.8%) aged 18 to 24, 72 people (18.2%) aged 25 to 44, 120 people (30.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 85 people (21.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 131.6 males.[9]
There were 188 housing units at an average density of 30.0 units per square mile (11.6 units/km2), of which 163 (86.7%) were occupied. Of these, 145 (89.0%) were owner-occupied, and 18 (11.0%) were occupied by renters.[9]
Government
In the California State Legislature, Forbestown is in the 4th senatorial district, represented by Republican Marie Alvarado-Gil,[11] and the 1st Assembly district, represented by Republican Heather Hadwick.[12]
In the United States House of Representatives, Forbestown is in California's 1st congressional district, represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa.[13]
Education
It is in the Marysville Joint Unified School District.[14]
Gallery
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The Forbestown Masonic Lodge in July 2025
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Sign on the front façade of the Masonic Lodge
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Grave of a German immigrant on the old pioneer cemetery
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Graves on the old pioneer cemetery
See also
- Ponderosa Fire, 2017
- North Complex Fire, 2020
References
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Forbestown, California
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Forbestown, California
- ^ a b Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, California: Word Dancer Press. p. 236. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
- ^ a b c Miller, Donald C. (1978). Ghost Towns of California. Boulder, Colorado: Pruett Publishing Company. p. 65. ISBN 0871085178.
- ^ "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b c d "Forbestown CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
- ^ "Forbestown CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
- ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ "California's 1st Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
- ^ Geography Division. 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Butte County, CA (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 31, 2025. - Text list