Editing Corcoran, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Corcoran, California
| settlement_type                 = [[List of municipalities in California|City]]

| image_skyline                   = Corcoran CA Amtrak station.jpg
| image_caption                   = [[Amtrak]] station in Corcoran (2010)
| image_seal                      = Corcoran ca seal.png

| image_map                       = File:Kings County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Corcoran Highlighted 0616224.svg
| mapsize                         = 250x200px
| map_caption                     = Location within [[California]] and [[Kings County, California|Kings County]]

| coordinates_footnotes           = <ref name=gnis/>
| coordinates                     = {{coord|36|5|52.83|N|119|33|37.45|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name                = United States
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[California]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of counties in California|County]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Kings County, California|Kings]]

| established_title               = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date                = 1914<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc |title=California Cities by Incorporation Date |format=Word |publisher=California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s |access-date=August 25, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc |archive-date=November 3, 2014}}</ref>
| government_type                 =
| leader_title1                   = Mayor
| leader_name1                    = Jeanette Zamora-Bragg<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cityofcorcoran.ca.gov/government/mayor___city_council.php|title=Corcoran, Ca|website=Cityofcorcoran.ca.gov|access-date=November 9, 2024}}</ref>
| leader_title2                   = City Manager
| leader_name2                    = Greg Gatzka<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cityofcorcoran.ca.gov/departments/city_manager/index.php|title=Corcoran, Ca|website=Cityofcorcoran.ca.gov|access-date=November 9, 2024}}</ref>

<!-- 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|access-date=October 30, 2021}}</ref>
| area_total_km2                  = 19.32
| area_total_sq_mi                = 7.46
| area_land_km2                   = 19.32
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 7.46
| area_water_km2                  = 0.00
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.00
| area_water_percent              = 0

| elevation_footnotes             = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft                    = 207

| population_footnotes            =
| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_total                = 22339
| pop_est_footnotes               =
| pop_est_as_of                   =
| population_est                  =
| population_density_sq_mi        = 2995.31
| population_density_km2          = 1156.55

| timezone                        = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
| utc_offset                      = -8
| timezone_DST                    = PDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = -7
| postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code                     = 93212
| area_code                       = [[Area code 559|559]]
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 06-16224 <ref name=gnis/>
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS feature ID]]
| blank1_info                     = 1652690 <ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis2|1652690|Corcoran, California}}</ref>
| website                         = {{URL|https://cityofcorcoran.ca.gov/|cityofcorcoran.ca.gov}}
}}

'''Corcoran''' is a city in [[Kings County, California]], United States.<ref name=gnis/> The population was 24,813 [[2010 United States Census|(2010 census)]], up from 14,458 [[2000 United States Census|(2000 census)]].  Corcoran is located {{convert|17|mi|km}} south-southeast of [[Hanford, California|Hanford]],<ref name=CGN>{{California's Geographic Names}}</ref> at an elevation of {{convert|207|feet|abbr=on}}.<ref name=gnis />

Corcoran is most notable as the site of the [[California State Prison, Corcoran]]. The [[California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran]] is a separate facility that is also located in the city. As of January 1, 2015, the two prisons held a combined total of 9,592 inmates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Reports_Research/Offender_Information_Services_Branch/Monthly/TPOP1A/TPOP1Ad1412.pdf|title=MONTHLY REPORT OF POPULATION AS OF MIDNIGHT : December 31, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206155904/http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Reports_Research/Offender_Information_Services_Branch/Monthly/TPOP1A/TPOP1Ad1412.pdf |access-date=November 9, 2024|archive-date=February 6, 2016 }}</ref>  Inmates are counted as city residents by both the [[United States Census]] and the California Department of Finance. Thus, the incarcerated people in the two prisons comprise just over 43% of the total population of Corcoran.

==History==
Corcoran was founded by [[Hobart Johnstone Whitley]], a prominent land developer from southern California, who took the lead in building Corcoran (the main street of the community is named in his honor). Liking what he saw during a visit to the area in 1905 (a blacksmith shop, small store, scattered homes and a lush, untapped vista with herds of grazing wild hogs, horses and steers) Whitley purchased {{convert|32000|acre|km2}} to start development. Much like in the [[San Fernando Valley]] ([[Van Nuys]] and [[Canoga Park]] his "creations"), Whitley "leveraged" his holdings with the support of important Los Angeles businessmen. Whitley first intended the town be named "Otis", after [[Harrison Gray Otis (publisher)|Harrison Gray Otis]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', and streets as Otis, Sherman, Letts (the Broadway store) and Ross (after his son, Ross Whitley) show the connections. Whitley, it is claimed, purchased and platted some 150 towns over the American West—and Corcoran is one of his last.

Whitley moved a member of his real estate firm, J. W. Guiberson, to the area. Guiberson became one of the many pioneers of the community, building the first home and business structure in Corcoran. His family also helped establish the first church in the community, an event which helped lead to the town's [[Municipal corporation|incorporation]] on August 14, 1914.

The basis of Corcoran's economy then and now is agriculture. Initially, the most successful crops were grains, alfalfa and sugar beets.

In 1933, more than 12,000 workers went on strike against cotton farmers, one of the largest [[California agricultural strikes of 1933]]. Strikers in Corcoran created a tent city that eventually held more than 3,000 people, more than double the town's population. Its lack of water or sewage systems created waves of illness.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Starr|first=Kevin|title=Endangered Dreams: California in the Great Depression|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1996|location=New York|pages=75}}</ref> Streets were staked out in the tent city, and committees of workers governed the camp.<ref>{{Cite book|last=McWilliams|first=Carey|title=Factories in the Fields|publisher=University of California Press|year=1935|location=Berkeley|pages=221}}</ref>

The [[J. G. Boswell Company]] was established in Corcoran in 1921 and remains a major employer in the city.

The first post office opened in 1901.<ref name=CGN />

==Geography==
[[File:Flooded farms in Cocoran, California 2023-07-11.jpg|thumb|2023 flooding, showing inundated farmland and a flooded CAFO (animal feeding) facility.]]
Corcoran is located at {{Coord|36|05|53|N|119|33|37|W|type:city}}.<ref name=gnis />

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|6.4|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land.

The ground under Corcoran is subsiding due to withdrawal of groundwater by agricultural interests. There has been up to {{convert|11.5|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} of subsidence over the past 14 years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/us/corcoran-california-sinking.html|title = The Central California Town That Keeps Sinking|newspaper = The New York Times|date = May 25, 2021|last1 = Henry|first1 = Lois|last2 = Jones|first2 = Ryan Christopher}}</ref>

Soils around Corcoran are somewhat poorly drained to poorly drained loam or fine sandy loam which is often saline as in the widespread Lakeside series. Other important soil series include the Armona, Gambogy, Grangeville, Kimberlina, and Lemoore.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/gmap/|title=SoilWeb: An Online Soil Survey Browser &#124; California Soil Resource Lab|website=Casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu|access-date=November 9, 2024}}</ref> Corcoran is occasionally subject to areal flooding due to its position in a basin. Notable flood years include 1983 and 2023.

===Climate===
{{climate chart
| Corcoran
|38 |54 |1.50
|41 |62 |1.54
|44 |68 |1.42
|47 |76 |0.51
|53 |85 |0.24
|59 |93 |0.08
|63 |98 |0.00
|62 |96 |0.00
|59 |91 |0.24
|51 |81 |0.39
|41 |65 |0.75
|36 |54 |0.94
| units  = imperial
| source = US Climate Data<ref name= data>{{Cite web |url=http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate.php?location=USCA0250 |title=US Climate Data |access-date=November 24, 2013 }}</ref>}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1920 = 1101
| 1930 = 1768
| 1940 = 2092
| 1950 = 3150
| 1960 = 4976
| 1970 = 5249
| 1980 = 6454
| 1990 = 13364
| 2000 = 14458
| 2010 = 24813
| 2020 = 22339
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 22044
| estref = <ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=March 24, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
Corcoran is part of the [[Hanford, California|Hanford]]–Corcoran [[Hanford-Corcoran metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

===2010===
The [[2010 United States Census]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0616224|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715024239/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0616224|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Corcoran city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref> reported that Corcoran had a population of 24,813. The population density was {{convert|3,323.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Corcoran was 8,940 (36.0%) [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 3,725 (15.0%) [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 349 (1.4%) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 193 (0.8%) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 17 (0.1%) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 10,979 (44.2%) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 610 (2.5%) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 15,545 people (62.6%).

The Census reported that 12,573 people (50.7% of the population) lived in households, 116 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 12,124 (48.9%) were institutionalized.

There were 3,594 households, out of which 1,981 (55.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,737 (48.3%) were [[marriage|opposite-sex married couples]] living together, 781 (21.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 376 (10.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 384 (10.7%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 19 (0.5%) [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]. 556 households (15.5%) were made up of individuals, and 214 (6.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.50. There were 2,894 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (80.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.84.

The population was spread out, with 4,434 people (17.9%) under the age of 18, 2,695 people (10.9%) aged 18 to 24, 10,203 people (41.1%) aged 25 to 44, 6,163 people (24.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,318 people (5.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 294.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 398.0 males.

There were 3,958 dwelling units at an average density of {{convert|530.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}, of which 1,851 (51.5%) were owner-occupied, and 1,743 (48.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 11.8%. 6,607 people (26.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,966 people (24.0%) lived in rental housing units.

===2000===
As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 14,458 people, 2,769 households, and 2,229 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|2,260.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,016 housing units at an average density of {{convert|471.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 34.1% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 14.2% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 1.4% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.7% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 46.4% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.1% from two or more races. 59.6% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 2,769 households, out of which 49.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.44 and the average family size was 3.83.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 42.0% from 25 to 44, 15.3% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 207.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 264.9 males. However, the statistics relating to the disparity between the male and female population in Corcoran is due to the prison's male only population.

==Economy==
At the time of the 2000 census, the median [[income]] for a household in the city was $30,783, and the median income for a family was $32,852. Males had a median income of $30,787 versus $21,792 for females. The per capita income for the city was only $13,458. It is noteworthy that about 23.4% of families and 26.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 36.4% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Many local residents are employed in agriculture. However, the community has been affected by the [[late 2000s recession|Great Recession]] as well as the decline of the cotton industry, the [[2012–14 North American drought|California drought]] and restrictions on pumping from the [[Sacramento River]] delta to protect endangered species. In November 2016, the unemployment rate was 11.1%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/?pageid=133 |title=EDD Labor Market Information Division - Home Page |website=www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov |access-date=January 2, 2017}}</ref>

The largest employers in Corcoran include the [[California State Prison, Corcoran]], the [[California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran]], the Corcoran Unified School District, and the [[J. G. Boswell Company]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kingsedc.org/corcoran.html#corcemploy |title=Kings County Economic Development Corporation Corcoran Community Profile |access-date=December 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029233023/http://www.kingsedc.org/corcoran.html#corcemploy |archive-date=October 29, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Government==
Corcoran employs 21 full time personnel including 15 uniformed officers, two detectives, one evidence technician, one community service officer, five clerk-dispatchers, two reserve officers, and Animal Control Services. Kings County Fire Department provides firemen who provide services with the assistance of volunteers. Industrial sites—There are approximately 320 acres in the city limits zones for light and heavy industry with two industrial parks included in this total.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cityofcorcoran.com/about/history.asp |title=City of Corcoran Website - History |website=www.cityofcorcoran.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604064457/http://www.cityofcorcoran.com/about/history.asp |archive-date=June 4, 2010}}</ref>

===Politics===
Corcoran is located within [[California's 22nd congressional district]], and is represented by Republican [[David G. Valadao]].

In the [[California State Legislature]], Corcoran is located within:
* [[California's 14th State Senate district|14th California State Senate District]], which is represented by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Melissa Hurtado]]
* [[California's 32nd State Assembly district|32nd California State Assembly District]], represented by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Rudy Salas]].

Corcoran is represented on the Kings County Board of Supervisors by Richard Valle of Corcoran.

==Education==
Corcoran Unified School District is the public organization responsible for education in the town of Corcoran. The school district has seven schools.
* Bret Harte
* John C. Fremont
* Mark Twain
* John Muir Middle School
* Corcoran High School
* Corcoran Academy
* Kings Lake Educational Center

==Infrastructure==

===Railroads===
Corcoran is served by the [[BNSF Railway]], which is the successor to the [[Santa Fe Railway]]. The mainline track through Corcoran was part of a route connecting the [[San Francisco Bay Area]] to [[Bakersfield, California]]. The track was constructed by the [[San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railway]] about 1898.

Corcoran was the southern terminus of the [[Visalia District]], a branch line running to [[Calwa, California|Calwa]] via Tulare, Visalia, and [[Reedley, California|Reedley.]] This line was abandoned and the rails pulled up in the 1990s. Only the wye and a short section of track remain to serve a lineside industry.

Today, [[Amtrak California|Amtrak California's]] [[San Joaquin (Amtrak)|San Joaquin]] stops at [[Corcoran (Amtrak station)|Corcoran station]].

From 1910 to 1934, the [[Kings Lake Shore Railroad]] operated a line that ran southwest from Corcoran to what is the now-extinct [[Tulare Lake]].

On December 2, 2010, the [[California High-Speed Rail Authority]] Board voted to start construction of the first part of the [[California High-Speed Rail]] line at [[Borden, California|Borden]] near [[Madera, California|Madera]] and continue it to Corcoran. Construction began in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/pr_approvedstart.aspx |title=California High-Speed Rail Authority |access-date=December 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206151850/http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/pr_approvedstart.aspx |archive-date=December 6, 2010 }} accessed 12-4-10</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|California}}
*[[Corcoran Prisoner of War Branch Camp]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last1=Arax |first1=Mark |last2=Wartzman |first2=Rick |title=The King of California, J.G. Boswell and the Making of a Secret American Empire|publisher=Public Affairs |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-58648-028-8}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Corcoran, California}}
* [https://cityofcorcoran.ca.gov/ City of Corcoran]
* [https://phys.org/news/2024-01-farm-barons-defy-groundwater.html Their land is sinking: Farm barons defy calls to cut groundwater pumping]; January 2024; Phys.

{{Cities of Kings County, California}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Corcoran, California| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Kings County, California]]
[[Category:San Joaquin Valley]]
[[Category:1914 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1914]]
[[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California]]