Isleton, California

Isleton is a city in Sacramento County, California, United States. The population was 804 at the 2010 census, down from 828 at the 2000 census. It is located on Andrus Island amid the slough wetlands of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, on the eastern edge of the Rio Vista Gas Field. The city has many preserved 19th-century era storefronts along its main street, some of which show distinct Chinese influences.

City of Isleton
City
Downtown Isleton, a National Historic Landmark
Location of Isleton in Sacramento County, California
Coordinates: 38°9′43″N 121°36′33″W
Country	United States
State	California
County	Sacramento
Incorporated	May 14, 1923[1]
Area [2]
• Total	0.49 sq mi (1.27 km^2)
• Land	0.44 sq mi (1.14 km^2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.13 km^2)  10.50%
Elevation [3]	10 ft (3 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	804
• Estimate  (2019)[4]	844
• Density	1,918.18/sq mi (741.27/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	95641
Area code	916, 279
FIPS code	06-36882
GNIS feature IDs	277531, 2410122
Website	www.cityofisleton.com

Isleton is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. California State Route 160 passes through the city and crosses the 1923 Isleton Bridge.[5]

History

Isleton was founded 1874 by Josiah Pool. After having the town platted, he constructed a wharf on the Sacramento River, and a booming town soon followed. However, Isleton was flooded in 1878 and 1881, causing Pool financial difficulties and leading him to move out.[6] The town also flooded in 1890, 1907, and 1972.[7] As agriculture in the surrounding area developed, three canneries opened up in Isleton and other delta towns. The cannery workforce was over 90 percent Asian.[8]

The Hotel del Rio in Isleton was built in 1949. It contains one of California’s legal card rooms. This featured in the case of Novo vs. Hotel del Rio, decided 4th May, 1956, reported in 141 C.A. 2nd, pg 304. This case created a stir because, although gambling debts are not enforceable at law, if money is lost that falls under California’s community property laws, it may be recovered if can be shown that permission was not given by the other spouse to gamble the money. The case attracted nationwide attention, and was used by Erle Stanley Gardner in his 1959 Perry Mason crime novel “The Case of the Singing Skirt”.

Chinese began immigrating to Isleton around 1875, and at its peak, the Chinese section of the city had about 1,500 people and included a branch of the Bing Kong Tong.[9] The city also had a Japantown, just east of Chinatown.[10][11][12][13] The Chinese and Japanese districts are in the National Register of Historic Places. (Actor Pat Morita was born in Isleton in 1932.)

As the canneries folded, the population started to decline,[11] although it has started to rebound since 2010.[14] Its economy was badly hit by the recession in 2007.[11] In 2010, Isleton attempted to raise money by permitting a marijuana farm in return for a share of the profits, but it was abandoned after warnings from the U.S. Department of Justice.[15] In 2012, the city lost its police department.[16]

Geography

Isleton is located at 38°9′43″N 121°36′33″W (38.161861, -121.609269).[17]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), of which, 0.4 square miles (1.0 km²) of it is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km²) of it (10.50%) is water.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Isleton has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.[18]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	2,090		—
1940	1,837		−12.1%
1950	1,597		−13.1%
1960	1,039		−34.9%
1970	909		−12.5%
1980	914		0.6%
1990	833		−8.9%
2000	828		−0.6%
2010	804		−2.9%
2019 (est.)	844	[4]	5.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[19]

2010

At the 2010 census Isleton had a population of 804. The population density was 1,636.9 people per square mile (632.0/km²). The ethnic makeup of Isleton was 542 (67.4%) White, 316 (39.3%) Hispanic or Latino, 10 (1.2%) African American, 10 (1.2%) Native American, 41 (5.1%) Asian, 4 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 139 (17.3%) from other races, and 58 (7.2%) from two or more races.[20]

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.

There were 331 households, 96 (29.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 109 (32.9%) were heterosexual married couples living together, 46 (13.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 23 (6.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 25 (7.6%) unmarried heterosexual partnerships, and 4 (1.2%) homosexual married couples or partnerships. 125 households (37.8%) were one person and 51 (15.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.43. There were 178 families (53.8% of households); the average family size was 3.35.

The age distribution was 191 people (23.8%) under the age of 18, 71 people (8.8%) aged 18 to 24, 172 people (21.4%) aged 25 to 44, 235 people (29.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 135 people (16.8%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 42.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.3 males.

There were 425 housing units at an average density of 865.3 per square mile, of the occupied units 184 (55.6%) were owner-occupied and 147 (44.4%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 11.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 19.7%. 436 people (54.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 368 people (45.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

Water tower in Isleton

At the 2000 census there were 828 people in 343 households, including 209 families, in the city. The population density was 2,071.4 people per square mile (799.2/km²). There were 384 housing units at an average density of 960.6 per square mile (370.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.57% White, 1.45% African American, 1.45% Native American, 9.78% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 10.02% from other races, and 7.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.93%.[21]

Of the 343 households 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 32.7% of households were one person and 14.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.08.

The age distribution was 25.5% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.6 males.

The median household income was $33,958 and the median family income was $40,833. Males had a median income of $39,306 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,767. About 12.4% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Arched bridge with drawbridge section over the Sacramento River just north of Isleton

Politics

In the California State Legislature, Isleton is in the 3rd Senate District, represented by Democrat Bill Dodd, and in the 11th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Jim Frazier.[22]

In the United States House of Representatives, Isleton is in California's 3rd congressional district, represented by Democrat John Garamendi.[23]

Notes

1. "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
2. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
3. "Isleton". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
5. California Department of Transportation, Log of Bridges on State Highways, July 2007
6. Pezzaglia (2013), p. 33
7. Pezzaglia (2013), p. 35
8. Tom, Lawrence; Tom, Brian; Chinese American Museum of Northern California (2013). Locke and the Sacramento Delta Chinatowns. Images of America. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-7385-9670-9.
9. "Isleton Tong". History Detectives. Season 6. Episode 2. July 7, 2008. Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
10. Tom, William K. "Bill". "The Isleton Chinatown Legacy". Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
11. Winlow, Susan (August 24, 2014). "Architectural beauties waiting to feel the love in Isleton". Daily Republic. Fairfield, CA. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
12. "Isleton Chinese and Japanese Commercial Districts". Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage. National Park Service. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
13. Shiraki, Jill (January 1, 2010). "Preserving our Japantowns: History Forgotten, Isleton's Japantown". Nichi Bei Weekly. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
14. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
15. "Isleton insists planned pot farm isn't dead yet". SF Gate. May 5, 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
16. "Isleton Police Department Stops Service". January 13, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
17. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
18. Climate Summary for Isleton, California
19. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
20. "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Isleton city". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
21. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
22. "Statewide Database". UC Regents. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
23. "California's 3rd Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 9, 2013.

References

• Pezzaglia, Philip (2013). Towns of the Sacramento River Delta. Images of America. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-9626-6.