California

History

Upon its founding in 1849, name suggestions included Columbia and Sagamore. Because the town's founding coincided with the California Gold Rush, it was named California to symbolize growth and prosperity. Before there were mayors in California, there were burgesses, the first of whom was Solomon Sibbitt. East Pike Run Township merged with California Borough in 1953. The former Vigilant Mine in California once produced the largest single lump of coal in the world. California was once home to the largest soft coal mine in the world when Vesta # 4 opened in 1893. The unincorporated town of Philipsburg used to sit on land that is now occupied by PennWest California, the institution formerly known as California University of Pennsylvania before merging with Pennsylvania Western University in July 2022. This includes the Philipsburg Cemetery, which is still in use and includes a number of graves of Civil War soldiers. The first house built in California is next to the California Post Office on Second Street. The California Boatyards played an important role in building steamboats for western expansion. The borough has had two notably young mayors—Peter Daley, who was 22 when elected in 1973, and Casey Durdines, who was 20 at his election in 2005.

Geography

California is located at (40.065313, -79.897120). According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , of which is land and (1.78%) is water. California has seven land borders, including Fallowfield Township to the north, Long Branch and Elco to the northeast, Coal Center to the mideast, West Brownsville to the southeast, Centerville from the south to the west-southwest, and West Pike Run Township to the west. Across the Monongahela River in Fayette County, California runs adjacent with Newell and Jefferson Township.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Ringgold SHS
  High · Monongahela · 852 students · 14.7:1 ratio
• Ringgold MS
  Middle · Monongahela · 787 students · 14.1:1 ratio
• Charleroi Area El Ctr
  Elementary · Charleroi · 584 students · 12.4:1 ratio
• Ringgold El Sch South
  Elementary · Monongahela · 580 students · 14.5:1 ratio
• California Area El Sch
  Elementary · Coal Center · 490 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• Charleroi Area HS
  High · Charleroi · 476 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• Bethlehem-Center El Sch
  Elementary · Fredericktown · 435 students · 15:1 ratio
• Bentworth El Ctr
  Elementary · Bentleyville · 378 students · 12.6:1 ratio