Comprehensive information and links about California Felton

Felton is a census-designated place located in Santa Cruz County, California. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 1,051.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²). 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.

of 2000, there are 1,051 people, 393 households, and 255 families residing in the CDP. The population density is 436.3mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP is 90.58% White, 0.67% African American, 0.57% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 3.33% from other races, and 3.33% from two or more races. 7.14% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 393 households out of which 29.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% are married couples living together, 8.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% are non-families. 25.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.57 and the average family size is 3.06.

In the CDP the population is spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP is $48,102, and the median income for a family is $55,625. Males have a median income of $35,833 versus $26,346 for females. The per capita income for the CDP is $21,488. 15.8% of the population and 8.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 20.0% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

History and facts

Felton is home to Roaring Camp, a recreation of an 1880s logging camp and home to the original South Pacific Coast (later Southern Pacific) Felton depot and freight shed. Roaring Camp is home to two unique railroads; the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow-Gauge Railroad (a steam-powered line up Bear Mountain) and the Santa Cruz, Big Trees and Pacific Railway. The railroads, limekilns and forest in this area provided a majority of the repair materials for the great San Francisco earthquake. Nearby Mount Hermon was also the site of California's first water-powered sawmill (circa 1841).

Felton is a historic logging town and served as the end of the Boulder Creek log flume. In 1875, the Santa Cruz Felton Railroad rolled into town. In 1880, a second rail line came down from Alameda and San Jose. A new depot was constructed at "New Felton" using salvaged materials from a dismantled portion of the Boulder Creek flume. The "broad gauge" came into Felton by 1909. In 1963, the steam-powered Roaring Camp Big Trees tourist railroad began operations on the Big Trees Ranch out of the old Felton depot. They later constructed a replicated logging camp and another depot further down the property, and in 1985, took over operations on the old SPC