Mecca | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 33°34′18″N116°04′38″W / 33.57167°N 116.07722°W | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
County | Riverside |
Named for | Mecca, for its climate [1] |
Area | |
• Total | 6.959 sq mi (18.023 km2) |
• Land | 6.959 sq mi (18.023 km2) |
• Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
Elevation | −187 ft (−57 m) |
Population | |
• Total | 8,219 |
• Density | 1,200/sq mi (460/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
ZIP code | 92254 |
Area codes | 442/760 |
FIPS code | 06-46660 |
GNIS feature IDs | 1652751 [3] and 2408811 (CDP) [4] |
Mecca is an unincorporated community located in Riverside County, California, United States. The desert community lies on the north shore of the Salton Sea in the eastern Coachella Valley and is surrounded by agricultural land.
Situated within the Colorado Desert, Mecca has an arid desert (BWh) climate, experiencing an average temperature of 90 °F. Low temperatures can reach into the 20 °F range. The community sits below 150 feet under sea level on the edge of the Salton Sea.
Land developers intending to irrigate the desert with water from the Colorado River did not foresee excess snow melt and for two years from 1905 to 1906 accidentally re-routed the entirety of the river to the Salton Sink, flooding the salt mines that had been a source of salt for perhaps centuries and giving rise to the Salton Sea. Groundwater and water transported via the Coachella Canal have transformed the desert environment into large swaths of agricultural land.[ citation needed ]
Climate data for Mecca, California (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1905–2019) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 93 (34) | 100 (38) | 107 (42) | 110 (43) | 119 (48) | 126 (52) | 125 (52) | 123 (51) | 126 (52) | 117 (47) | 100 (38) | 91 (33) | 126 (52) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 82.5 (28.1) | 87.2 (30.7) | 93.8 (34.3) | 100.9 (38.3) | 107.5 (41.9) | 113.3 (45.2) | 116.5 (46.9) | 116.8 (47.1) | 113.5 (45.3) | 103.9 (39.9) | 92.0 (33.3) | 81.8 (27.7) | 119.1 (48.4) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 70.4 (21.3) | 73.9 (23.3) | 80.8 (27.1) | 86.9 (30.5) | 94.6 (34.8) | 102.5 (39.2) | 106.6 (41.4) | 106.2 (41.2) | 101.5 (38.6) | 91.2 (32.9) | 78.0 (25.6) | 68.9 (20.5) | 88.5 (31.4) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 57.2 (14.0) | 60.6 (15.9) | 67.3 (19.6) | 73.0 (22.8) | 80.4 (26.9) | 87.4 (30.8) | 93.3 (34.1) | 93.2 (34.0) | 87.6 (30.9) | 76.6 (24.8) | 64.2 (17.9) | 55.5 (13.1) | 74.7 (23.7) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 43.9 (6.6) | 47.2 (8.4) | 53.8 (12.1) | 59.2 (15.1) | 66.3 (19.1) | 72.3 (22.4) | 80.0 (26.7) | 80.2 (26.8) | 73.7 (23.2) | 62.1 (16.7) | 50.4 (10.2) | 42.1 (5.6) | 60.9 (16.1) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | 29.4 (−1.4) | 33.5 (0.8) | 38.6 (3.7) | 44.3 (6.8) | 51.8 (11.0) | 59.7 (15.4) | 65.2 (18.4) | 65.0 (18.3) | 58.1 (14.5) | 46.7 (8.2) | 35.6 (2.0) | 28.0 (−2.2) | 26.5 (−3.1) |
Record low °F (°C) | 13 (−11) | 19 (−7) | 23 (−5) | 34 (1) | 38 (3) | 48 (9) | 53 (12) | 51 (11) | 45 (7) | 28 (−2) | 24 (−4) | 18 (−8) | 13 (−11) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.60 (15) | 0.56 (14) | 0.32 (8.1) | 0.17 (4.3) | 0.01 (0.25) | 0.00 (0.00) | 0.21 (5.3) | 0.08 (2.0) | 0.30 (7.6) | 0.23 (5.8) | 0.20 (5.1) | 0.37 (9.4) | 3.05 (77) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 2.8 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 10.8 |
Source: NOAA (mean maxima/minima 1981–2010) [5] [6] |
The 2020 United States census reported a population of 8,219 for the year, [7] a decline from 2010.
The 2010 United States census [8] reported that Mecca had a population of 8,577. The population density was 1,232.5 inhabitants per square mile (475.9/km2). The racial makeup of Mecca was 2,686 (31.3%) White, 40 (0.5%) African American, 47 (0.5%) Native American, 17 (0.2%) Asian, 7 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, and 237 (2.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,462 persons (98.7%).
There were 1,854 households, out of which 1,374 (74.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,185 (63.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 339 (18.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 175 (9.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 142 (7.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 10 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. The average household consisted of 4.63 persons per household.
The population was spread out, with 3,372 people (39.3%) under the age of 18, 1,141 people (13.3%) aged 18 to 24, 2,353 people (27.4%) aged 25 to 44, 1,368 people (15.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 343 people (4.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.8 males.
There were 2,020 housing units at an average density of 290.3 per square mile (112.1/km2), of which 815 (44.0%) were owner-occupied, and 1,039 (56.0%) were occupied by renters. 3,978 people (46.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,599 people (53.6%) lived in rental housing units.
49% of Mecca residents are employed in agricultural work. The community's population fluctuates several times throughout the course of the year with up to an additional 5,000 seasonal farmworkers coming into Mecca to serve the valley's winter and summer harvesting seasons. [9]
Mecca has an elementary school, but no public high school. 1.4% of residents hold a college degree, with 17.7% continuing education after high school, ranking Mecca the 17th least-educated city in the United States.
The focal point of the community is the Mecca Family and Farm Worker's Service Center. In 1999, California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., filed 30 complaints of discrimination against Riverside County. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development investigated the complaints and determined that Riverside County's housing policies and code enforcement activities demonstrated a pattern of discrimination against Latino renters and homeowners. The County agreed to construct the Farmworker Service Center as part of a multimillion-dollar settlement agreement entered into to avoid further litigation. The Farmworker Service Center was inaugurated in 2005 and houses a health clinic, day care facility, offices for the Economic Development Department, and provides information and referrals to government services that can be accessed by the community's largely farmworker population.
Following the construction of the Farmworker Service Center, the County committed to other investments including the Mecca-North Shore Community Library and the Mecca Fire Station, both inaugurated in 2011.
Also in 2011, the Boys & Girls Club of Coachella Valley opened its biggest unit in California. Located next door to the Mecca Community Service Center, the Club presently serves c. 350 children from Mecca and surrounding areas.
The Mecca Landfill II is located on 66th Avenue in Mecca. It handles 452,182 cubic yards of waste and has an expected closure date in 2098. [10] [11]
The Mecca Remediation Facility, which handles contaminated soil, is located on Gene Welmas Way in Mecca. The facility is operated by Scape Group, Inc. [10] [12] Since 2009, the facility accepted contaminated soil, treated sewage sludge, soy whey, and other organic compostables. In 2011, residents' complaints of offending smells resembling rotten eggs, human waste, raw sewage, burnt motor oil, and petroleum traced back to sulfur compounds from the soy whey pond operated by Waste Reduction Technologies (WRT). [13]
In the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, Thousand Palms is in 4th District, Represented by Democrat V. Manuel Perez Supervisor of the 4th District [14]
In the California State Legislature, Mecca is in the 28th Senate District , represented by Democrat Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, and in the 56th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Lisa Calderon. [15]
In the United States House of Representatives, Mecca is in California's 25th congressional district , represented by Democrat Raul Ruiz. [16]
Mecca was a featured location in Roger Corman's 1966 film The Wild Angels , starring Peter Fonda, Nancy Sinatra and Bruce Dern. This film inspired the outlaw biker film genre, and marks Peter Fonda's first appearance as a biker - three years prior to Easy Rider . Mecca was also the setting for the 1990 neo-noir film After Dark, My Sweet, directed by James Foley and starring Jason Patric, Bruce Dern, and Rachel Ward.
Susan Straight's novel, Mecca, is set in the community. [17]
Imperial County is a county located on the southeast border of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 179,702, making it the least populous county in Southern California. The county seat and largest city is El Centro. Imperial is the most recent California county to be established, as it was created in 1907 out of portions of San Diego County.
Bombay Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, United States. It is located on the Salton Sea, 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Frink and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level. The population was 231 at the 2020 census, down from 295 in 2010, down from 366 in 2000. It is part of the El Centro, California, metropolitan statistical area.
Desert Shores is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, US. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Salton City is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California. It is the largest Imperial County development on the Salton Sea coast. It is part of the El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,763 at the 2010 census, up from 978 in 2000. The reported population for 2020 was 5,155.
Cathedral City, colloquially known as "Cat City", is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. Situated between Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, the city has the second largest population, after Indio, of the nine cities in the Coachella Valley. Its population was 51,493 at the 2020 census, a slight increase from 51,200 at the 2010 census.
Coachella is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. It is the namesake and easternmost city of the Coachella Valley, in Southern California's Colorado Desert. Originally a railroad town, Coachella is a prominent hub for agriculture and shipping across Southern California and the Western United States.
Desert Hot Springs is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is located within the Coachella Valley geographic region. The population was 32,512 as of the 2020 census, up from 25,938 at the 2010 census. The city has experienced rapid growth since the 1970s when there were 2,700 residents.
Indio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. Indio is approximately 125 miles (201 km) east of Los Angeles, 23 miles (37 km) east of Palm Springs, and 98 miles (158 km) west of Blythe.
Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, about 14 miles (23 km) east of Palm Springs, 121 miles (195 km) northeast of San Diego and 122 miles (196 km) east of Los Angeles. The population was 51,163 at the 2020 census. The city has been one of the state's fastest-growing since 1980, when its population was 11,801.
Perris is an old railway city in Riverside County, California, United States, located 71 miles (114 km) east-southeast of Los Angeles and 81 miles (130 km) north of San Diego. It is known for Lake Perris, an artificial lake, skydiving, Southern California Railway Museum, and its sunny dry climate. Perris is within the Inland Empire metropolitan area of Southern California. Perris had a population of 78,700 as of the 2020 census.
Thousand Palms is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Coachella Valley of Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 7,715 at the 2010 census, up from 5,120 at the 2000 census.
Jamestown is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tuolumne County, California, United States. The population was 3,433 at the 2010 census, up from 3,017 at the 2000 census. Formerly a California Gold Rush town, Jamestown is a California Historical Landmark since March 16, 1949. It is the home of Railtown 1897 State Historic Park and the Sierra Railway, which operates steam passenger trains.
Salton Sea Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, located 2.5 miles (4 km) southeast of Desert Shores. The population was 508 at the 2020 census, up from 422 at the 2010 census, up from 392 at the 2000 census. It is part of the El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was the location of the Naval Auxiliary Air Station Salton Sea.
North Shore is a census-designated place in southeastern Riverside County, so named because of its location along the northeast shore of the Salton Sea. It was once a popular vacation destination spot before ever-increasing salinity and pollution of the Salton Sea shut the tourist trade down. North Shore is flanked to the north and south by the Salton Sea State Recreation Area. The population was 3,585 at the 2020 census, up from 3,477 at the 2010 census.
The Whitewater River is a small permanent stream in western Riverside County, California, with some upstream tributaries in southwestern San Bernardino County. The river's headwaters are in the San Bernardino Mountains, and it terminates at the Salton Sea in the Colorado Sonoran Desert. The area drained by the Whitewater River is part of the larger endorheic Salton Sea drainage basin.
The Coachella Valley Unified School District is a public school district in Riverside County, California and Imperial County, California, United States, with headquarters in Thermal. The District serves a 1,250-square-mile (3,200 km2) area, including the cities of Coachella, Indio and La Quinta and the following unincorporated communities:
Thermal is an unincorporated community within the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, California, United States, located approximately 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Palm Springs and about 9.5 miles (15.3 km) north of the Salton Sea. The community's elevation is 138 feet (42 m) below mean sea level. It is served by area codes 760 and 442 and is in ZIP Code 92274. The population was 2,865 at the 2010 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Thermal a census-designated place (CDP), which does not precisely correspond to the historical community.
Whitewater is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California. It is directly off Interstate 10 halfway between North Palm Springs and Cabazon on the way from Palm Springs to Los Angeles. It is known as the site of the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm. The ZIP Code is 92282, and the community is inside area code 760. The population was 859 at the 2010 census. The elevation is 1,575 feet (480 m).
Riverside County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most populous county in California and the 10th-most populous in the United States. The name was derived from the city of Riverside, which is the county seat.
Eduardo Garcia is an American politician who represents the 36th District in the California State Assembly, which includes cities and unincorporated communities in eastern Riverside County and Imperial County, including Blythe, Brawley, Bermuda Dunes, Calexico, Calipatria, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, El Centro, Heber, Holtville, Imperial, Indio, Mecca, Oasis, North Shore, Salton City, Thermal, Thousand Palms, and Westmorland.