Vallejo, California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City of Vallejo, California | |
| Nickname: "Valley-Joe, V-Towne" | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States of America |
| State | California |
| County | Solano |
| Founded | 1851 |
| Incorporated | 1867 |
| Mayor | Anthony J. Intintoli, Jr. |
| Area | |
| - City | 126.3 km² (48.8 sq mi) |
| - Land | 78.2 km² (30.2 sq mi) |
| - Water | 48.1 km² (18.6 sq mi) 38.07% |
| Population | |
| - City (2000) | 116,760 |
| - Density | 1,493.3/km² (3,867.9/sq mi) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) |
| - Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| Website: http://www.ci.vallejo.ca.us/ | |
Vallejo (pronounced IPA: [vəˈleɪhoʊ], vuh-LAY-hoe) is a city in Solano County, California, United States. In 1900, 7,965 people lived in Vallejo; in 1910, 11,340; in 1920, 21,107; and in 1940, 20,072. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 116,760. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northern shore of San Pablo Bay. The current mayor is former city council member Anthony Intintoli. Vallejo is home to the Six Flags Marine World theme park (formerly Marine World Africa USA) ; the now-defunct Mare Island Naval Shipyard; the California Maritime Academy (part of the California State University system); and Touro University - Mare Island, an osteopathic medical college. Ferry service runs from a terminal on Mare Island Strait to San Francisco, through Vallejo Transit's BayLink division.
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[edit] Geography
Vallejo is located at (38.112969, -122.235882)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 126.3 km² (48.8 mi²). 78.2 km² (30.2 mi²) of it is land and 48.1 km² (18.6 mi²) of it (38.07%) is water.
Vallejo is accessible by Interstate 80 between San Francisco and Sacramento. It is the location for the northern half of the Carquinez Bridge. It is also accessible by Interstate 780 from neighboring Benicia to the east, and by Route 37 from Sonoma to the west. Route 29 (former U.S. Route 40) begins in the city near the Carquinez Bridge and travels north through the heart of the city and past into Napa County, entering neighboring American Canyon and eventually Napa.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 116,760 people, 39,601 households, and 28,235 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,493.3/km² (3,867.9/mi²). There were 41,219 housing units at an average density of 527.2/km² (1,365.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 35.97% White, 23.69% African American, 0.66% Native American, 24.16% Asian, 1.09% Pacific Islander, 7.88% from other races, and 6.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.92% of the population.
Vallejo has the 3rd highest percentage of Filipino-Americans in the country. (Daly City, California and Hercules, California are 1st and 2nd, respectively.)
There were 39,601 households out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.43.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $50,030, and the median income for a family was $56,805. Males had a median income of $40,132 versus $32,129 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,415. About 7.7% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] History
Vallejo was once home of the Coastal Miwok as well as Suisunes and other Patwin Native American tribes.
The city of Vallejo was once part of a 66,000-acre Mexican land grant of 1844 by Governor Pio Pico to General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo called the Rancho Soscol. The city was named for this original Mexican military officer and title holder, he helped to settle and oversee the north bay region. General Vallejo wanted the site named Eureka, but the other citizens of the area wanted to name the new city after the General. Neighboring Benicia is named after Vallejo's wife, Francisca Benicia Carrillo.
General Vallejo was responsible for military peace in the region until 1846, first under Spanish then Mexican rule, until independently-minded Californians rose up against the Mexican government of California in 1846 in the Bear Flag Revolt, and the annexation of California to the United States. General Vallejo, though a Mexican and Mexican army officer, generally acquiesced in the annexation of California to the United States, recognizing the greater resources of the United States and benefits that would bring to his beloved California. He was a proponenent of reconciliation and statehood after the Bear Flag Revolt, and has a US Submarine, the USS Mariano G. Vallejo named after him.
The man mostly responsible for the founding the city of Vallejo is John B. Frisbie, who married General Vallejo's daughter. Frisbie was responsible for seeing that the city remained together and helped to establish the city's government.
Of historical note, the city of Vallejo was for one week in 1852 the capital of the state of California, and one year later in 1853, it was again the capital. The second time, the title lasted for one month. The legislature left in 1853, but the government established a naval shipyard on Mare Island, which helped the town overcome the loss. The yard functioned for over a hundred years, finally closing in 1996.
Downtown Vallejo retains many of its historic Victorian and craftsman homes.
[edit] Neighborhoods
The newest neighborhoods of Vallejo are located in the northeast section of the city, east of Interstate 80 and include the Northgate neighorhood around Costco and the high end Hiddenbrooke with its own golf course in the mountains between Vallejo and Fairfield.
East Vallejo is the largest, most populated, and contains the newest neighborhoods of the city, undergoing considerable growth since the late 1940s. East Vallejo begins on the east side of Interstate 80 and includes the "manor neighorhoods" such as Tennessee and Seffan Manor, Silverview, Skyview Terrace, Granada Hills, Greenmonte, Somerset Highlands (the most easternly part of Georgia Street, as well as parts of Columbus Parkway and Ascot Parkway), and the majority of Glen Cove.
Rancho Vallejo is a neighborhood located on the northwest side of the city near American Canyon.
The downtown and waterfront areas near Mare Island are currently undergoing extensive transformation and development as many people from San Francisco move to the Victorian homes downtown.
Country Club Crest and College Park are located in the northside of the city. They are separated by Fairgrounds which leads down to Marine World. The Crest is famous for being the home of many local rappers (Mac Dre, Mac Mall, Dubee, PSD, Crest Creepaz, Coolio Da Undadogg, The MAC)
Vallejo has two historic neighborhoods:
- Saint Vincent's Hill Historic District bounded by Mare Island Way almost to Sonoma Blvd. and from Quincy Alley to Kissel Alley, Vallejo in West Vallejo; and,
- Vallejo Old City Historic District, also in West Vallejo. This registered historic district is near Vallejo's downtown.
[edit] Famous People from Vallejo
[edit] Actors
[edit] Musicians
Vallejo is host to many musicians, most of whom rap. Below is a list of notable artists.
- Turf Talk
- E-40
- Droop-E
- B-Legit
- Celly Cel
- Con Funk Shun
- Mac Dre
- Mac Mall
- One Vo1ce
- Young Lay
- Ray Luv
- Baby Bash
- The Click
- Sylvester Stewart from Sly and The Family Stone.
[edit] Athletes
- Dick Bass, National Football League player
- Bill Buckner, Major League Baseball player
- Natalie Coughlin, Olympic swimmer
- Mike Felder, Major League Baseball player
- Jeff Gordon, professional race car driver
- Fulton Kuykendall, National Football League player
- Tony Longmire, Major League Baseball player
- Tug McGraw, Major League Baseball player
- C. C. Sabathia, Major League Baseball player
[edit] External links
- Official city website
- Citizen Run Online Community Website
- Vallejo Architectural Heritage Foundation
- Vallejo City Park Preservation site
- Discuss Issues Important to Vallejo
- Development & Transportation site
- Vallejo Life
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
Incorporated places
Population over 100,000: Fairfield (County seat) • Vallejo
Population under 100,000: Benicia • Dixon • Rio Vista • Suisun City • Vacaville
