Manhole Covers of Fair Oaks, California

Created 14 July 2006

This page was last updated on 27 November 2008

This is a study of manhole covers from Fair Oaks, Sacramento County, California.

All photos copyrighted by David L. Magney 2006

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Manhole Covers of Fair Oaks, California

The land on which Fair Oaks occurs was formerly part of Rancho Del San Juan, consisting of approximately 20,000 acres, granted to John Augustus Sutter in 1844 by the Mexican government. Sacramento and Chicago businessmen bought the property containing present-day Fair Oaks in 1899, forming the Chicago-Fair Oaks Club. They called it the "crown of the valley".

Fair Oaks is a small to medium-sized town located in northeastern Sacramento County, adjacent to the communities of Orangevale, Folsom, and Gold Bar, east of Sacramento. It is at an average elevation of 200 feet above sea level. Fair Oaks was founded in 1899 and made more assessible in 1900 and 1901 with the building of a bridge over the American River and a rail line from Sacramento to the bridge. Oranges, almonds, and olives were important crops grown in the Fair Oaks area. The town had a core by 1906, when a Post Office, hotel, blacksmith shop, lumber yard, and other businesses were established. The citrus orchards were whiped out by a killing frost in 1932. Aerojet's arrival in the late 1950s sustained the community for decades, when agriculture continued to decline. The construction of Sunrise Boulevard Bridge over the American River, connecting to Highway 50 fascilitated rapid growth afterwards, now serving as a bedroom community to Sacramento. Fair Oaks has not incorporated. Note: to date there are only seven incorporated cities in Sacramento County.

No state highways pass through Fair Oaks; however, U.S. Highway 50 passes to the south. Fair Oaks has a population of 28,008 people (2000), consisting of 88.0% Caucasians, 6.3% Hispanic, 1.8% African-American, and 4.2% Asian. The median family income of Fair Oaks residents is $63,252 and the per capita income is $31,874. Old Town Fair Oaks is known for its wild roosters, which are the result of young roosters set free by people not wanting to kill them, but no ranchette needs more than one rooster for each hen house.

The average commute time for Fair Oaks residents is 26 minutes, indicating that the majority work in the Sacramento metropolatin area. Fair Oaks residents are fairly well educated, with 42% over 25 years old holding bachelor's degrees or higher. Additional information about Fair Oaks can be found at Fair Oaks Info and Fair Oaks Community web sites.

The background music is "Let Um Run" by The Bills.

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