Siskiyou County, California

Siskiyou County is a County located in far northernmost California , USA, in the Cascade Mountains on the Oregon border. As of 2000 the population was 44,301. The County Seat is Yreka .

HISTORY

Siskiyou County was created on March 22 , 1852 from parts of Shasta and Klamath Counties, and named after the Siskiyou Mountain Range . Parts of the county's territory were given to Modoc County in 1855 .

The origin of the word ''siskiyou'' is not known. One version is that it is the Chinook Jargon word for "bob-tailed horse." Another version, given in an argument before the State Senate in 1852 , is that the French name ''Six Cailloux'', meaning "six-stones," was given to a ford on the Umpqua River by Michel La Frambeau and a party of Hudson's Bay Company company Trapper s in 1832 , because six large stones or rocks lay in the river where they crossed. According to some, the ''Six Cailloux'' name was appropriated to this region by Stephen Meek , another Hudson's Bay Company company trapper who was known for his "discovery" of Scott Valley , in regard to a crossing on the Klamath River near Hornbrook . Still others attribute the name to a local tribe of Native Americans .

GEOGRAPHY

According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 16,440 Km&² (6,347 Mi&² ). 16,283 km&² (6,287 mi&²) of it is land and 157 km&² (61 mi&²) of it is water. The total area is 0.96% water.

Adjacent Counties

DEMOGRAPHICS

As of the Census ² of 2000, there were 44,301 people, 18,556 households, and 12,228 families residing in the county. The Population Density was 3/km&² (7/mi&²). There were 21,947 housing units at an average density of 1/km&² (4/mi&²). The racial makeup of the county was 87.07% White , 1.31% Black or African American , 3.90% Native American , 1.19% Asian , 0.13% Pacific Islander , 2.76% from Other Races , and 3.65% from two or more races. 7.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 18,556 households out of which 27.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.70% were Married Couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 22.70% from 25 to 44, 28.40% from 45 to 64, and 18.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,530, and the median income for a family was $36,890. Males had a median income of $31,936 versus $22,650 for females. The Per Capita Income for the county was $17,570. 18.60% of the population and 14.00% of families were below the Poverty Line . 26.60% of those under the age of 18 and 7.30% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

CITIES AND TOWNS