Turlock, California | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Aerial view of Turlock | |
 Location inStanislaus County and the U.S. state ofCalifornia | |
  Turlock, California Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates:37°30′21″N120°50′56″W / 37.50583°N 120.84889°W /37.50583; -120.84889 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Stanislaus |
| Incorporated | February 15, 1908[1] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager[2] |
| • Mayor | Amy Bublak[3] (R) |
| • Vice Mayor | Rebecka Monez[3] |
| • Councilmember District 1 | Kevin Bixel[3] |
| • Councilmember District 3 | Cassandra Abram[3] |
| • Councilmember District 4 | Erika Phillips[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 16.93 sq mi (43.85 km2) |
| • Land | 16.90 sq mi (43.78 km2) |
| • Water | 0.027 sq mi (0.07 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 102 ft (31 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 72,740 |
| • Density | 4,303/sq mi (1,661/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes | 95380–95382 |
| Area code | 209 |
| FIPS code | 06-80812 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 277622,2412114 |
| Website | www |
Turlock is a city inStanislaus County, California, United States. Its population was 72,740 at the2020 United States census,[7] making it the second-largest city in Stanislaus County afterModesto. The city is home toCalifornia State University, Stanislaus.
Founded on December 22, 1871, by prominent grain farmer John William Mitchell, the town consisted of a post office, a depot, a grain warehouse and a few other buildings.[8] Mitchell declined the honor of having the town named for himself. The name "Turlock" was then chosen instead. The name is believed to originate from the Irish village ofTurlough. In October 1870,Harper's Weekly published an excerpt from English novelistJames Payn's storyBred in the Bone, which includes the mention of a town named "Turlock".[9] Local historians believe that the issue ofHarper's Weekly was read by early resident H.W. Lander, who suggested the alternate name.[10]
Mitchell and his brother were successful businessmen, buying land and developing large herds of cattle and sheep that were sold to gold miners and others as they arrived. They were also leaders in wheat farming and cultivated tracts of land under the tenant system. Eventually, the Mitchells owned most of the area, over 100,000 acres, from Keyes to Atwater. In the early 20th century, 20-acre lots from the Mitchell estate were sold for $20 an acre.[11]
While it grew to be a relatively prosperous and busy hub of activity throughout the end of the 19th century, it was not incorporated as a city until February 15, 1908.[12] By that time intensiveagricultural development surrounded most of the city (agriculture remains the major economic force in the region in current times). Many of the initial migrants to the region were Swedish. As an earlySan Francisco Chronicle article stated of the region and the community's lacteal productivity, "you have to hand it to the Scandinavians for knowing how to run a dairy farm."[13]
Turlock went on to become known as the "Heart of the Valley" because of its agricultural production. With the boom came racial and labor strife. In July 1921, a mob of 150 white men evicted 60 Japanese cantaloupe pickers from rooming houses and ranches near Turlock, taking them and their belongings on trucks out of town.[14] The white workers claimed they were being undercut by the Japanese who were working for lower wages.[15] In protest, fruit growers briefly threatened not to hire any white workers who supported the eviction, preferring to let their melons rot on the vines, rather than hire such characters.[16] As a result of this stance, the eviction had the opposite effect of what the mob had intended. By August 1921, Japanese workers had returned to the Turlock area and were nearly the only people employed to pick melons.[17]
The incident gained national attention, and California GovernorWilliam Stephens vowed that justice would be served.[18] Six men were promptly arrested but were apparently untroubled by the charges, stating that leaders of Turlock's American Legion and Chamber of Commerce had told them that no trouble would result from their actions.[19] Although a former Turlock night watchman testified that one of the accused had disclosed a plan "to clean up Turlock of the Japs," all six men were acquitted.[20][21]
An editorial in the July 22, 1921 edition of theSan Francisco Chronicle opposed both the evictions and Japanese labor, with one column stating that "we in California are determined that Oriental workers shall be kept out of the state. But that does not mean that the decent citizens of California will tolerate for one moment such proceedings as the attack of a mob on the Japanese cantaloupe workers in the Turlock district."[22]
In 1930, Turlock's population was 20%Assyrian. They were such a significant part of the population that the southern part of town even became referred to as LittleUrmia, referring to the region of northwestern Iran from which most had come.[23] In the 1930s, Turlock was cited byRipley's Believe It or Not as having the most churches per capita in the US, which had partly to do with the variety of ethnic churches established for the relatively small settler population. Various religious centers reflecting a diverse population, such asSikh Gurdwaras, variousAssyrianChristian churches, and many mainlineProtestant,Mormon andRoman Catholic churches have been built.
DuringWorld War II, after theattack on Pearl Harbor, the US government placedJapanese Americans intoconcentration camps all over the country. TheStanislaus County Fairgrounds was the site of one of 15 temporary "assembly centers" and held 3,669 Japanese Americans, most of whom were US citizens.[24] The US Army also built theBallico Auxiliary Field (1942–1946) for training pilots in Turlock.[25]
In 1960,California State University, Stanislaus, opened to students, helping to spur growth in the city as the university expanded in its early years. In the 1970s,State Route 99 (formerly U.S. Route 99) was completed through the area, largely bypassing the then-incorporated areas of Turlock in a route to the west of the city through mostly undeveloped land. Since that time, the city has grown westward considerably to meet the freeway's north–south path, but urban development west of the freeway has only recently begun to take hold. In an attempt to allow for orderly growth of the city, comprehensive growth master plans have established urban growth boundaries since the 1960s.[citation needed]
In the 1980s, Turlock experienced extensive growth of both residential and commercial areas, following a statewide boom in housing demand and construction. The housing boom of the 1980s diminished in the early 1990s but increased again in the second half of the decade, partly as a result of growth in theSan Francisco Bay Area, which placed a higher demand for more affordable housing in outlying areas. After thedot-com bust, housing demand intensified, producing much higher housing prices in an area formerly known for affordable housing. A recent boom in the retail sector has produced considerable growth along the Highway 99 corridor. Turlock reached its northernurban growth boundary, Taylor Road, in the late 1990s, and growth beyond it is restricted by the city's Master Plan.[citation needed][26]
TheStanislaus County Fairgrounds are located in Turlock. Before the land was known as Stanislaus County Fairgrounds it was first known as Melon Carnival because of its crop of cantaloupes, the main source of Turlock's economy. In 1911, the first Melon Carnival was held in downtown Turlock. Eventually, the Melon Carnival became the Stanislaus County Fair and was held at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds. Promoting agriculture, entertainment and technology with the help of the community, is the main mission of the Stanislaus County fairgrounds.[27]
Turlock is located inStanislaus County, between the cities ofModesto andMerced, at the intersection ofState Route 99 andState Route 165.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 16.9 square miles (44 km2), all of it land.
Turlock has hot, mostly dry summers and cool, wet winters. Average January temperatures are a maximum of 53.7 °F (12.1 °C) and a minimum of 38.1 °F (3.4 °C). Average July temperatures are a maximum of 104.4 °F (40.2 °C) and a minimum of 62.6 °F (17.0 °C). There are an average of 78.0 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 19.8 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The record high temperature was 114 °F (46 °C) on July 9, 1896. The record low temperature was 18 °F (−8 °C) on January 21, 1922, and December 19, 1924.
The average annual precipitation is 11.88 inches (302 mm). There are an average of 48 days with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1983 with 27.03 inches (687 mm) and the driest year was 1953 with 5.32 inches (135 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 8.47 inches (215 mm) in February 1998. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 2.70 inches (69 mm) on December 11, 1906. Although snow is very rare in Turlock, 3.0 inches (76 mm) fell in January 1922 and 2.0 inches (51 mm) fell in February 1976.[28]
| Climate data for Turlock, California, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1894–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 75 (24) | 79 (26) | 87 (31) | 96 (36) | 103 (39) | 111 (44) | 114 (46) | 113 (45) | 106 (41) | 98 (37) | 85 (29) | 73 (23) | 114 (46) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 54.9 (12.7) | 61.1 (16.2) | 66.9 (19.4) | 72.1 (22.3) | 80.1 (26.7) | 87.8 (31.0) | 93.0 (33.9) | 91.8 (33.2) | 87.5 (30.8) | 77.2 (25.1) | 64.2 (17.9) | 55.0 (12.8) | 74.3 (23.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 48.5 (9.2) | 53.2 (11.8) | 57.7 (14.3) | 62.0 (16.7) | 68.7 (20.4) | 75.1 (23.9) | 79.4 (26.3) | 78.3 (25.7) | 74.8 (23.8) | 66.3 (19.1) | 55.6 (13.1) | 48.4 (9.1) | 64.0 (17.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 42.2 (5.7) | 45.4 (7.4) | 48.5 (9.2) | 52.0 (11.1) | 57.3 (14.1) | 62.4 (16.9) | 65.8 (18.8) | 64.8 (18.2) | 62.1 (16.7) | 55.4 (13.0) | 46.9 (8.3) | 41.9 (5.5) | 53.7 (12.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 18 (−8) | 21 (−6) | 25 (−4) | 28 (−2) | 34 (1) | 40 (4) | 43 (6) | 41 (5) | 37 (3) | 32 (0) | 21 (−6) | 18 (−8) | 18 (−8) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.63 (67) | 2.29 (58) | 1.85 (47) | 0.93 (24) | 0.59 (15) | 0.12 (3.0) | trace | 0.01 (0.25) | 0.03 (0.76) | 0.61 (15) | 1.07 (27) | 2.26 (57) | 12.39 (315) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 10.4 | 10.3 | 8.9 | 4.8 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 5.8 | 9.8 | 57.2 |
| Source: NOAA[29][30] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 175 | — | |
| 1890 | 203 | 16.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,573 | — | |
| 1920 | 3,394 | 115.8% | |
| 1930 | 4,276 | 26.0% | |
| 1940 | 4,839 | 13.2% | |
| 1950 | 6,235 | 28.8% | |
| 1960 | 9,116 | 46.2% | |
| 1970 | 13,992 | 53.5% | |
| 1980 | 26,287 | 87.9% | |
| 1990 | 42,198 | 60.5% | |
| 2000 | 55,810 | 32.3% | |
| 2010 | 68,549 | 22.8% | |
| 2020 | 72,740 | 6.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[31] | |||
The2020 United States census reported that Turlock had a population of 72,740. The population density was 4,302.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,661.4/km2). The racial makeup of Turlock was 52.8%White, 2.1%African American, 2.0%Native American, 7.5%Asian, 0.4%Pacific Islander, 20.9% fromother races, and 14.2% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 41.2% of the population.[32]
The census reported that 97.3% of the population lived in households, 1.9% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.9% were institutionalized.[32]
There were 24,163 households, out of which 37.8% included children under the age of 18, 49.8% were married-couple households, 7.0% werecohabiting couple households, 27.1% had a female householder with no partner present, and 16.1% had a male householder with no partner present. 21.1% of households were one person, and 10.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.93.[32] There were 17,490families (72.4% of all households).[33]
The age distribution was 24.8% under the age of 18, 10.8% aged 18 to 24, 26.8% aged 25 to 44, 22.6% aged 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males.[32]
There were 25,105 housing units at an average density of 1,485.1 units per square mile (573.4 units/km2), of which 24,163 (96.2%) were occupied. Of these, 54.6% were owner-occupied, and 45.4% were occupied by renters.[32]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $79,807, and theper capita income was $36,306. About 8.2% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line.[34]
The 2010 United States Census[35] reported that Turlock had a population of 69,733. The population density was 4,049.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,563.5/km2). The racial makeup of Turlock was 47,864 (69.8%)White, 1,160 (1.7%)African American, 601 (0.9%)Native American, 3,865 (5.6%)Asian, 313 (0.5%)Pacific Islander, 11,328 (16.5%) fromother races, and 3,418 (5.0%) from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 24,957 persons (36.4%). The Census reported that 67,342 people (98.2% of the population) lived in households, 687 (1.0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 520 (0.8%) were institutionalized.
There were 22,772 households, out of which 9,339 (41.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 12,055 (52.9%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 3,161 (13.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,453 (6.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,387 (6.1%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 153 (0.7%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,755 households (20.9%) were made up of individuals, and 2,058 (9.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96. There were 16,669families (73.2% of all households); the average family size was 3.45. The population was spread out, with 18,820 people (27.5%) under the age of 18, 8,087 people (11.8%) aged 18 to 24, 18,313 people (26.7%) aged 25 to 44, 15,317 people (22.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 8,012 people (11.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
There were 24,627 housing units at an average density of 1,454.8 units per square mile (561.7 units/km2), of which 12,622 (55.4%) were owner-occupied, and 10,150 (44.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.0%. 37,867 people (55.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 29,475 people (43.0%) lived in rental housing units.
4.9% of Turlock's population reported ancestry in the categoryAssyrian. This was the fourth highest percentage in the United States for this category, the highest for a community outside ofOakland County, Michigan and the only one of the top seven places in this category that was not one ofDetroit's northern suburbs.[36]
Culturally, the area is home to large concentrations of Americans ofSouth Asian descent (particularlySikhs),Mexican-Americans, and people of variedEuropean descent.Swedes andPortuguese were early settlers to the area. Continued immigration from theAzores Islands (Portugal) in recent decades has established a largePortuguese-speaking community within the city. Turlock is a major center for theAssyrian community in the United States,[37] who began to arrive in the 1910s seeking opportunities in farming. By 1924 the Assyrian Evangelical Church was established and by the 1950s, 8% of the population of Turlock wasAssyrian.[38] There was an increased influx into Turlock in the 1970s following political strife inIraq and in the 1980s following the 1979 Islamic Revolution inIran.[citation needed]
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Foster Farms,Emanuel Medical Center, andTurlock Unified School District are the largest employers in Turlock.MedicAlert, a non-profit, charitable, and membership-based organization for 24/7 medical response information, has been based in Turlock since its founding in 1956.La Perla Tapatía Supermarkets is headquartered in Turlock.
Theindoor soccer team theTurlock Cal Express of theMajor Arena Soccer League 2 (MASL2) plays at the Turlock Indoor Soccer Complex.[39] Turlock is home to theCalifornia State University, Stanislaus Warriors in theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Turlock uses a Council–Manager form of government. It is led by a five-member City Council consisting of a Mayor and four Councilmembers. The Mayor is elected at-large, while each Councilmember is elected to one of four electoral districts.[40] All five Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms. The Turlock City Council holds public meetings every second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m.[41] City Hall is located at 156 South Broadway in Turlock. A directly elected City Treasurer (Diana Lewis) also serves a four-year term.[42]
In theCalifornia State Legislature, Turlock is inthe 4th senatorial district, represented byRepublican Marie Alvarado-Gil, and inthe 22nd Assembly district, represented byRepublican Juan Alanis.[43]
In theUnited States House of Representatives, Turlock is split betweenCalifornia's 5th congressional district, represented byRepublican Tom McClintock, andCalifornia's 13th congressional district, represented byDemocrat Adam Gray.[44]
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020[45] | 47.09%14,314 | 50.69%15,409 | 2.22%677 |
| 2016[46] | 46.42%11,041 | 47.07%11,195 | 6.51%1,548 |
| 2012[47] | 48.08%10,132 | 49.53%10,438 | 2.38%501 |
| 2008[48] | 48.72%10,866 | 49.34%11,002 | 1.94%432 |
| 2004[49] | 38.12%7,395 | 61.09%11,849 | 0.79%153 |
| 2000[50] | 41.31%6,650 | 55.19%8,883 | 3.50%563 |
| 1996[51] | 43.45%6,164 | 48.66%6,903 | 7.89%1,119 |
| 1992[52] | 37.42%3,929 | 40.15%4,216 | 22.43%2,355 |
| 1988[53] | 43.33%3,244 | 55.64%4,166 | 1.03%77 |
| 1984[54] | 35.83%3,242 | 63.42%5,739 | 0.75%68 |
| 1980[55] | 35.35%2,557 | 54.86%3,968 | 9.79%708 |
| 1976[56] | 44.17%2,556 | 53.58%3,101 | 2.24%130 |
| 1972[57] | 38.86%2,608 | 57.78%3,878 | 3.36%226 |
Turlock is the home ofCalifornia State University, Stanislaus, aliberal arts university, and part of the 23-campusCalifornia State University system. As of 2023, CSU Stanislaus reported a student population of 10,577 students, 9,244 of whom were undergraduate students.[58]
Turlock is home to two public high schools,Turlock High School andJohn H. Pitman High School, as well as a continuation high school, Roselawn High School,[59] both being part of the Turlock Unified School District. Turlock High School, the first in the city, opened in 1907, and Pitman opened in a major growth zone of northern Turlock in 2002.
Turlock Christian High School is a private high school within the city. Classes are held at Monte Vista Chapel, a church in Turlock. Turlock has two junior high schools, two middle schools and nine elementary schools, one of which got California Distinguished School Award in 2012 and won $10,000 in a competition held by Scotties. The money gained from the competition helped the Turlock Unified School District recently purchase Chromebooks for school use.[60]
Turlock is home to Julien, Crowell, Wakefield, Osborn, Cunningham, Dennis Earl, Walnut, Medeiros and Brown Elementary Schools inside its city limits.[61]
Osborn Two-Way Immersion Academy[62] is a public elementary school that was opened in 1958 by E.B. Osborn.[63] One of the school's main objectives is helping students become more proficient in both Spanish and English.[64] One of the extracurricular activities offered there is Baile Folklórico, calling their dance troupe Los Luceros de Osborn, where they perform at the school, festivals, and even at Gallo.[65]
TheTurlock Journal, a local newspaper, has been in continuous operation since 1904.[66] A digital local newspaper is theTurlock City News found it in 2009 focusing on Turlock news.[67]
Turlock Transit operates local bus service, while theStanislaus Regional Transit Authority operates intercity routes that connect Turlock to other cities in Stanislaus County and toDublin/Pleasanton station.[68] AnAltamont Corridor Expresscommuter railstation is planned to be constructed in Turlock for service starting in 2027.[69] Amtrak serves Turlock at the nearbyTurlock–Denair station.
Turlock and Turlock High School are briefly mentioned in the 1973 filmAmerican Graffiti.[90]
On theGrateful Dead's live albumEurope '72,Bob Weir precedes the song "Truckin'" with the following introduction:
Of course, by now I needn't tell you that this next number rose straight to the top of the charts in Turlock, California (Cheers). Numero Uno and it stayed there for a week or two. They love us in Turlock, and we love them for that.[91]
In the 1960s, radio advertisements by Central Valley-basedFoster Farms said, "turkeys from Turlock."[92]
Municipalities and communities ofStanislaus County, California,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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