Editing Byron, California

{{lead too short|date=November 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See the table at Template:Infobox settlement for all fields and descriptions of their usage. -->
|name                     = Byron
|settlement_type          = [[Census designated place]]
|image_skyline            = Byron sign.jpg
|image_caption            = Byron sign
|image_map                = Contra_Costa_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Byron_Highlighted.svg
|map_caption              = Location in [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa County]] and the state of [[California]]
|pushpin_map              = USA
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location in the United States
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = {{USA}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|California}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in California|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa]]
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = [[California's 3rd State Senate district|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = {{Representative|casd|3|fmt=sleader}}<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://senate.ca.gov/senators 
 |title=Senators 
 |access-date=April 6, 2025
 |publisher=State of California}}</ref>
|leader_title2            = [[California's 11th State Assembly district|Assemblymember]]
|leader_name2             = {{Representative|caad|11|fmt=sleader}}<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers
 |title=Members Assembly
 |access-date=April 6, 2025
 |publisher=State of California}}</ref>
|leader_title3            = [[California's 9th congressional district|U. S. rep.]]
|leader_name3             = {{Representative|cacd|9|fmt=usleader}}<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|9|access-date=April 6, 2025}}</ref>
|established_date         = 
<!-- Area------------------>
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 30, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_sq_mi         = 6.52
|area_land_sq_mi          = 6.52
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|area_total_km2           = 16.89
|area_land_km2            = 16.89
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_water_percent       = 0

|elevation_footnotes      = <ref>{{Cite GNIS|238290|Byron|access-date=October 20, 2014}}</ref>
|elevation_ft             = 33
|elevation_m              = 10
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1140
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 174.82
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]]
|utc_offset               = -8
|coordinates              = {{coord|37|52|02|N|121|38|17|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
|timezone_DST             = [[Pacific Daylight Time|PDT]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -7
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 94514
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|area_code                = [[Area code 925|925]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
|blank_info               = {{FIPS|06|09346}}
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
|blank1_info              = {{GNIS4|238290}}, {{GNIS4|2407934}}
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|population_density_km2 = 67.50
}}
'''Byron''' is a [[census designated place]] (CDP)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.homearea.com/place/byron-cdp-california/0609346/|title=Byron CDP, California - Housing, Employment, Education, More|website=www.homearea.com|access-date=2019-12-03}}</ref> in [[Contra Costa County, California]], United States.

==History==
Byron's location was part of a land grant that Jose Noriega received from the King of Spain in 1835. Noriega then sold 17,000 acres to [[John Marsh (pioneer)|John Marsh]] for the equivalent of $500 (three U.S. cents per acre). In 1841, the Bidwell-Bartelson wagon train arrived at Marsh's ranch with the earliest Anglo settlers from the east.<ref name="ECCHS">[https://eastcontracostahistory.org/our-communities/byron/ East Contra Costa Historical Society]</ref>

Byron's first post office opened in 1878.<ref name=CGN /> Byron is named after an employee of the San Pablo, and the eastern U. S. and Pacific Railroad.{{efn|Later acquired by the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]]<ref name = "ECCHS"/><ref name=CGN />}}

In 1942, all of the town's residents of Japanese descent were forcibly removed by the US government with pressure from California agricultural interests and taken to [[Turlock]] assembly center.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/537698|title=Byron, California. These field laborers of Japanese ancestry at Wartime Civil Control Administration . . .|last=Department of the Interior. War Relocation Authority|series=Series: Central Photographic File of the War Relocation Authority, 1941 - 1989|date=April 28, 1942|via=US National Archives Research Catalog}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/537461|title=Byron, California. Main Street of small town in the farming district, on morning of evacuation. Si . . .|last=Department of the Interior. War Relocation Authority|series=Series: Central Photographic File of the War Relocation Authority, 1941 - 1989|date=May 2, 1942|via=US National Archives Research Catalog}}</ref>

In 1960, Contra Costa County built the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Center, better known informally as the '''Boys' Ranch''' on a {{convert|50|acre|m2}} tract immediately southeast of Byron. The Boys' Ranch is a minimum-security facility that houses up to 100 youthful offenders. The property has no security fence to contain residents within the perimeter and includes dormitories, classrooms, a kitchen and dining facility, athletic facilities and administrative offices which occupy about one-third of the area. Its objective was stated as rehabilitation, rather than simply detention.<ref name = "CCC Report0905">[http://www.cc-courts.org/civil/docs/grandjury/REPORT%200905.pdf ''IT’S TIME TO PULL THE PLUG''. Contra Costa County 2008-2009 Grand Jury Report No 0905.] Accessed March 17, 2018.</ref>

In 2008, a Contra Costa County [[Grand Jury]] began an investigation into whether the facility was cost-effective, or whether it should be permanently closed. It began by conducting an unannounced site inspection in September, 2008. In 2009, it released its report to the county commissioners. The report identified 21 defects at the facility that needed correction.<ref name = "CCC Report0905"/>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|6.5|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land.  It is located {{convert|5.5|mi|km|0}} southeast of [[Brentwood, California|Brentwood]].<ref name=CGN>{{California's Geographic Names|609}}</ref>

===Climate===
This region experiences hot and dry summers, with average monthly high temperatures varying from 55 degrees in January to 93 degrees in July.   Byron is windy, and dust devils sometimes appear. According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Byron has a [[Mediterranean climate#Warm-summer Mediterranean climate|warm-summer Mediterranean climate]], abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=100940&cityname=Byron,+California,+United+States+of+America&units=|title=Byron, California Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)|website=Weatherbase}}</ref>

===Gallery===
<gallery>
File:Byron-Trainwreck.jpg|The ''[[San Francisco Call]]'' reporting the Byron Train Disaster, December 1902
File:Byron, California. Farm families of Japanese ancestry boarding buses for Turlock Assembly center 65 . . . - NARA - 537458.tif|Families of Japanese ancestry being removed from Byron during [[World War II]]
File:Byron Main Street 002.jpg|Main Street, Byron, California 2008
</gallery>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|2010= 1277
|2020= 1140
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br>1850–1870<ref name=1870CensusCA1>{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-12.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><ref name=1870CensusCA2>{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County  |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1880-1890<ref name=1890CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1890/bulletins/demographics/134-population-of-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1900<ref name=1900CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/10-population-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1910<ref name=1910CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1920<ref name=1920CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-ca-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1930<ref name=1930CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch03.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1940<ref name=1940CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1950<ref name=1950CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-08.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1960<ref name=1960CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-d.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1970<ref name=1970CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ca1-01.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1980<ref name=1980CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caAB-01.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1990<ref name=1990CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
2000<ref name=2000CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
}}

The [[2020 United States census]] reported that Byron had a population of 1,140. The population density was {{convert|174.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Byron was 51.6% [[White Americans|White]], 2.3% [[African Americans|African American]], 1.9% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.4% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.3% [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 27.4% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 16.1% from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] of any race were 50.5% of the population.<ref name=DP1>{{cite web |title=Byron CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0609346 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=March 26, 2025}}</ref>

The Census reported that 98.5% of the population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1.5% were institutionalized.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 374 households, out of which 34.2% included children under the age of 18, 55.6% were married-couple households, 5.6% were [[cohabitation|cohabiting]] couple households, 21.1% had a female householder with no partner present, and 17.6% had a male householder with no partner present. 17.9% of households were one person, and 7.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.0.<ref name=DP1/> There were 285 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (76.2% of all households).<ref name=P16>{{cite web |title=Byron CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0609346 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=March 26, 2025}}</ref>

The age distribution was 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.7% aged 18 to 24, 24.2% aged 25 to 44, 29.6% aged 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65{{nbsp}}/years of age or older. The median age was 39.4{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 110.7 males.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 377 housing units at an average density of {{convert|57.8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}, of which 374 (99.2%) were occupied. Of these, 66.6% were owner-occupied, and 33.4% were occupied by renters.<ref name=DP1/>

==Education==
Byron is in the [[Byron Union School District]]<!--ELM 06750--> and the [[Liberty Union High School District]]<!--SEC 21600-->.<ref name=SDMap2020>{{cite map|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06013_contra_costa/DC20SD_C06013.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Contra Costa County, CA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|place=[[Suitland, Maryland]]|access-date=2025-01-24}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06013_contra_costa/DC20SD_C06013_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

==Former resort==
{{Main|Byron Hot Springs}}
{{coord|37|50|54|N|121|38|00|W}}<br/>
Byron, California is also home to the somewhat well-known and historical Byron Hot Springs, a now-abandoned resort that was a retreat that attracted many movie stars and famous athletes in the early 1900s. The first hotel was built around 57 hot springs and owned by Lewis Mead in 1889.<ref name="sfgate">[https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Byron-Hotel-Hot-Springs-haunted-East-Bay-12765468.php Pereira, Alyssa. "Wild history of East Bay 'haunted' landmark: Parties, a train crash, and hot springs interrogations." March 19, 2018.]</ref> The hotel included a three-story wood building, with a few cottages scattered nearby, as well as a laundry, gas plant and ice plant, all of which were destroyed by fire on July 25, 1901. A second hotel, also three stories, but made of stucco was constructed 1901–1902, but it burned on July 18, 1912. The third and final hotel, a four-story brick structure was built in 1913, reopened in 1914.<ref name="LostAmerica">[https://lostamerica.com/photo-items/byron-hot-springs-resort/ "Byron Hot Springs Resort."], lostamerica.com</ref>

In 1938 the resort closed, after a series of lawsuits that were probably brought about by the [[Great Depression]], but was leased by the government in 1941 and became a [[California during World War II|military]] interrogation camp housing both German and Japanese [[prisoners of war]], known as '''Camp Tracy''', until 1945, when orders were sent to dismantle it.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Corbin |first1=Alexander D |title=The History of Camp Tracy: Japanese WWII POWs and the Future of Strategic Interrogation |date=2009 |publisher=Ziedon Press |location=Ft Belvoir |isbn=9780578029795 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YR-mAgAAQBAJ |access-date=21 August 2021}}</ref>

In 1947 Byron Hot Springs was put up for sale and purchased by the [[Greek Orthodox Church]] for $105,000. It served as Monastery St. Paul for several years. It then changed hands several times as a resort, country club, and private residence. In 2008, a developer announced plans to restore the resort.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fagin |first1=Kevin |title=Developer has grand plan for crumbling resort |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Developer-has-grand-plan-for-crumbling-resort-3186220.php |access-date=21 August 2021 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=November 9, 2008}}</ref> {{As of|2021}} a Byron Hot Springs website retains a "Resort Plans" page for the restoration of Byron Hot Springs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Resort Plans |url=http://byronhotsprings.com/home.html |website=Byron Hot Springs |access-date=21 August 2021}}</ref>

In 2005, a Victorian-era carriage house on the property was burned to the ground. The hotel itself sustained some fire damage, but still stands.<ref>{{cite book  | last =Jensen| first =Carol A.| title =Images of America: Byron Hot Springs  | publisher =Arcadia Publishing  | year =2006  | location =San Francisco|page=128| isbn =0-7385-4700-X }}</ref>

Byron Hot Springs is {{convert|1.5|mi|km|1}} south-southeast of Byron.<ref name=CGN /> A post office operated at Byron Hot Springs from 1889 to 1930.<ref name=CGN />

<gallery widths="154px" heights="200px" class="center" caption="Byron Hot Springs">
File:Byron Hot Springs 01.jpg|Second Byron Hot Springs Hotel, 1901–1912
File:1908 05 Byron Hot Springs.jpg|Byron Hot Springs, 1908
File:Byron Hot Springs 03.jpg|Postcard, Byron Hot Springs, 1914
File:Byron Hot Springs, pre 1905.jpg|Postcard Byron Hot Springs, 1923
File:Byron Hot Springs 024.jpg|Byron Hot Springs, 2008
</gallery>

==Transportation==
===Byron Airport===
In 1993 [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa County]] broke ground on a new airport two miles (3&nbsp;km) south of Byron. On October 8, 1994, [[Byron Airport]] was dedicated. The new airport has {{convert|1307|acre|km2}} of land. {{convert|814|acre|km2}} are reserved for habitat management land for the [[San Joaquin kit fox]], a federally listed [[endangered species]], as well as many other endangered and special status species.

This is the home airport of the [[Patriots Jet Team]].<ref>[http://www.buchananfield-byronairports.org/TheHistoryofContraCostaCountyAirports.htm History of Contra Costa County Airports] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820093654/http://www.buchananfield-byronairports.org/TheHistoryofContraCostaCountyAirports.htm |date=August 20, 2008 }}. Retrieved 2007-08-14.</ref> It has also been used for illegal drag races in the past.

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}
*{{gnis|238290}}

== External links ==
{{commons category-inline}}
*Byron Hot Springs {{coord|37.84821|-121.633241|type:landmark}}
*[http://www.rd800.org/ Reclamation District 800]
*[http://www.byronhotsprings.com Byron Hot Springs]

{{SF Bay Area}}
{{Contra Costa County, California}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Contra Costa County, California]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in California]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1878]]
[[Category:1878 establishments in California]]