| History of Sonora California |
| Sonora CA, "Queen of the Southern Mines" Stories of Sonora's Past In 1848, miners from Sonora, Mexico, found gold here and established a camp. Sonora became known as the "Queen of the Southern Mines" and was the biggest town in the Mother Lode. On February 18, 1850 the California legislature established Tuolumne County, and on May 1, 1851 incorporated the city of Sonora. The "Great Fire" of 1852 damaged or burned down every building on Washington Street. Some stone exteriors from the subsequent reconstruction are still around. Homes in Sonora fell victim to the fire as well. One of the richest gold mines in California was located on Washington Street. The "Big Bonanza Mine" was less than 100 yards from St. James Episcopal Church. Local miners found large nuggets where Sonora High School now stands. A group of gamblers tried to force them out and a few men were killed in the ensuing gun fight. When this news reached the mines near by, hundreds of angry miners from came to help their embattled comrades and the gamblers were forced to retreat. In 1851 the "Big Bonanza Mine" yielded a 28 lb. nugget and in 1879 produced 990 lbs. of gold in one week. An incredible 12 tons of gold were taken from the Sonora area between early 1849 and the spring of 1850. One of the oldest churches in California, and the most elegant old building in Sonora, is St. James Episcopal Church, also known as the "little red church". Originally built in 1848, it was rebuilt after a fire in 1859. The county jail dates back to 1857 and was in use till 1960. In 1865 a drunk set his cell on fire and burned down the entire jail. He was the only fatality, due to a jammed door. After the gold rush, Sonora's central location kept it going. Today it is a busy county seat and offers Antique Shoppers and Dinners. It is the "nearest biggest little town" this side of Yosemite National Park. Present Day Sonora According to the 2000 U.S.Census, the city includes an area of 3.0 square miles. There are 4,423 people, 2,051 households, and 1,046 families residing in the city with a population density of 1,456.2 people per square mile. There are 2,197 housing units at an average density of 723.3/sq mi. The racial makeup of the city is 91.36% White, 0.68% African American, 1.49% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 1.99% from other races, and 3.12% from two or more races. 8.41% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 2,051 households out of which 24.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.2% are married couples living together, 14.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 49.0% are non-families. 40.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.06 and the average family size is 2.75. In the city the population is spread out with 20.4% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 41 years. For every 100 females there are 82.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 77.1 males. The median income for a household in the city is $28,858, and the median income for a family is $39,722. Males have a median income of $40,958 versus $26,111 for females. The per capita income for the city is $19,248. 16.9% of the population and 10.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 22.8% of those under the age of 18 and 7.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Search Homes for Sale, Local Government and Business Links |
