Artois, California

Coordinates: 39°37′11″N 122°11′38″W / 39.61972°N 122.19389°W / 39.61972; -122.19389
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Artois
Downtown Artois, along the former US 99W (April 2023)
Downtown Artois, along the former US 99W (April 2023)
Location of Artois in Glenn County, California.
Location of Artois in Glenn County, California.
Artois is located in California
Artois
Artois
Location in California
Coordinates: 39°37′11″N 122°11′38″W / 39.61972°N 122.19389°W / 39.61972; -122.19389
Country United States
State California
CountyGlenn County
Area
 • Total2.88 sq mi (7.46 km2)
 • Land2.88 sq mi (7.46 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation167 ft (51 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total295
 • Density102.43/sq mi (39.55/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP Code
95913
Area code530
GNIS feature IDs1657951; 2628707
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Artois, California; U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Artois, California

Artois (/ˈɑːr.tɔɪs/),[3] formerly known as Germantown, is a census-designated place[4] in Glenn County, California, USA.[2] It is located 5 miles (8 km) north of Willows,[5] at an elevation of 167 feet (51 m),[2] in the northern Sacramento Valley of California. It is located on the former United States Highway 99W, and is bypassed to the west by Interstate 5. It is served by the California Northern Railroad, formerly the west Sacramento Valley line of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Its coordinates are approximately 39°37' N 122°12' W. The ZIP code for Artois is 95913. The community is inside area code 530. The population was 295 at the 2010 census.

History[edit]

The name stems from the ancient province in France where the method of boring artesian wells was first adopted. Artois was formerly named Germantown,[6] and petitions to change the Germantown post office name were successful with Artois adopted on May 21, 1918. Local belief is that a World War I troop train stopped to water at Germantown and a riot ensued when the troops took offense at the name. The town was then renamed after the Battles of Artois.

The Germantown post office opened in 1877, and changed its name to Artois in 1918.[5]

On June 1, 2011, an EF1 tornado struck east of Artois, uprooting hundreds of almond trees, and causing damage to farm equipment and roofing materials.[7]

The Lynching of Christian Mutschler[edit]

On May 4, 1878, blacksmith Christian Mutschler (also spelled Mutchler) and his friends John Kelley and Henry Holmes got into an argument with a saloon keeper named Hageman. Mutschler, who was suspected of starting a fire in St. John, California the year before, was persuaded by Kelley and Holmes, along with W. Hagaman, F. Todt, Charles Hansen and Carl Regensberger to set a bag of shavings afire in the saloon. A couple of cowboys having a drink witnessed Mutschler lighting the shavings and shot him in the leg. Mutschler was charged with arson by the Justice of the Peace, a man named Boardman. Oddly, no charges were brought up on the cowboys. No one would testify against Mutschler so Boardman released him. Mutschler wasted no time in getting out of town, but the local stage was ordered not to let Mutschler ride. He started limping towards Orland, California in the hot sun. Mutschler's friend, John Kelley swore out a complaint that Mutschler had threatened his life, and a deputy was sent up the road to arrest the hapless blacksmith. Mutschler's bail was set at a thousand dollars, which he could not pay. Because Germantown did not have a jail, Mutschler was put into the protective custody of Constable William McLane, the owner of another Germantown saloon, where the prisoner was kept during the night. During the early morning hours of May 5, 1878, a group of twelve to fourteen masked men burst into the saloon and took Mutschler about a quarter of a mile away and shot him to death. Mutschler's friends, Holmes, Kelley, Hansen, Regensberger and a man known as R. Radcliff were all arrested for the crime. Their trial started on December 14, 1878, but was immediately dismissed due to missing witnesses.[8]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
2020295
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

The 2010 United States Census[10] reported that Artois had a population of 295. The population density was 102.4 inhabitants per square mile (39.5/km2). The racial makeup of Artois was 245 (83.1%) White, 0 (0.0%) African American, 8 (2.7%) Native American, 3 (1.0%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 25 (8.5%) from other races, and 14 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 54 persons (18.3%).

The census reported that 295 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 101 households, of which 32 (31.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 70 (69.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 7 (6.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 7 (6.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 4 (4.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 16 households (15.8%) were made up of individuals, and 6 (5.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92. There were 84 families (83.2% of all households); the average family size was 3.24.

77 people (26.1%) under the age of 18, 19 people (6.4%) aged 18 to 24, 77 people (26.1%) aged 25 to 44, 75 people (25.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 47 people (15.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.9 males.

There were 113 housing units at an average density of 39.2 per square mile (15.1/km2), of which 101were occupied, of which 79 (78.2%) were owner-occupied, and 22 (21.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%; the rental vacancy rate was 0%. 229 people (77.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 66 people (22.4%) lived in rental housing units.

Politics[edit]

In the state legislature, Artois is in the 4th Senate District, represented by Democrat Marie Alvarado-Gil,[11] and in the 3rd Assembly District, represented by Republican James Gallagher.[12]

Federally, Artois is in California's 3rd congressional district, represented by Republican Kevin Kiley.[13]

Notable residents[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Artois, California
  3. ^ Bright, William (1998). 1500 California Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
  4. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Artois, California
  5. ^ a b Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 185. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  6. ^ Gudde, Erwin G. (1949). California Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. p. 16.
  7. ^ "Damage assessed from tornadoes in Butte, Glenn counties - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee". Archived from the original on December 3, 2011. Retrieved June 2, 2011. Sacramento Bee
  8. ^ Kulczyk,David. (2008). California Justice: Shootouts, Lynching and Assassinations in the Golden State. Word Dancer Press. P22 ISBN 1-884995-54-3
  9. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  10. ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Artois CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  11. ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  12. ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  13. ^ "California's 3rd Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 1, 2013.