Мосс Лэндинг, Калифорния: История и современность

Census designated place in United States

Moss Landing, formerly Moss, is an unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) in Monterey County, California, United States. After the mission system was secularized, the Spanish government granted vast ranchos to soldiers and others with connections, including the Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo. This grant extended from Moss Landing to present day Prunedale and south to Castroville. They farmed the land and ran cattle over the nearby hills. Americans arrived in the mid 1800s and farmers turned the area into cropland. In the early 1860s Charles Moss, a Texas ship captain, established with the help of a partner a landing and wharf to handle the emerging grain trade in the Salinas Valley. William B. Post earned a reputation as a skilled bear and deer hunter in the Big Sur region, and he traded in hides and buckskin. This work drew him north to Moss Landing. Post opened one of the first grain warehouses along the coast at Moss Landing. Flat bottom boats brought grain from all over the Salinas Valley to Elkhorn Slough and unloaded at Post's warehouse. W. B. became an agent for the steamship company of Goodall, Nelson and Perkins. The success of the shipping point stimulated the growth of Castroville, one of Monterey County's first municipalities, which served to support Moss Landing commerce. The location was initially named "Moss", after Charles Moss. It became a busy whaling and fishing port and a location for fish processing plants and canneries. The Moss Landing Harbor District, established in the 1940s, dredged channels and built piers. The Moss Landing Power Plant opened in 1950. The California State University system founded Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in 1966 (it was rebuilt nearby after the Loma Prieta Earthquake destroyed the facility in 1989), and in the mid 1990s the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute was moved to Moss Landing from Pacific Grove. In the 1980s, then Monterey County Supervisor Marc Del Piero secured millions of dollars in federal grants to cure historic and chronic water pollution issues and sanitary sewers were installed.

The 2010 United States Census reported that Moss Landing had a population of 204. The population density was The racial makeup of Moss Landing was 149 (73.0%) White, 7 (3.4%) African American, 1 (0.5%) Native American, 2 (1.0%) Asian, 1 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 30 (14.7%) from other races, and 14 (6.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 46 persons (22.5%). The Census reported that 204 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized. There were 100 households, out of which 21 (21.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 36 (36.0%) were opposite sex married couples living together, 11 (11.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4 (4.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 8 (8.0%) unmarried opposite sex partnerships, and 0 (0%) same sex married couples or partnerships. 41 households (41.0%) were made up of individuals, and 11 (11.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04. There were 51 families (51.0% of all households); the average family size was 2.76. The population was spread out, with 32 people (15.7%) under the age of 18, 8 people (3.9%) aged 18 to 24, 54 people (26.5%) aged 25 to 44, 84 people (41.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 26 people (12.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.0 males. There were 108 housing units at an average density of , of which 55 (55.0%) were owner occupied, and 45 (45.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%. 118 people (57.8% of the population) lived in owner occupied housing units and 86 people (42.2%) lived in rental housing units.

As of the census of 2000, there were 300 people, 125 households, and 68 families residing in the CDP. The population density was There were 135 housing units at an average density of The racial makeup of the CDP was 59.33% White, 3.00% African American, 0.67% Native American, 2.00% Asian, 21.67% from other races, and 13.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.3% of the population. There were 125 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.6% were non families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.09. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 21.3% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 117.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.5 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $66,442, and the median income for a family was $66,731. Males had a median income of $41,154 versus $36,691 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $28,005. About 13.0% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.7% of those under the age of 18 and none of those 65 or over.

Located in Moss Landing is the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, a multi campus research facility of the California State University. Also located here is the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, a sister organization to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The Moss Landing Power Plant is a natural gas plant and the largest battery storage facility in the world. Located at the intersection of State Route 1 and Dolan Road. It produces 2,538 megawatts, and is wholly owned by Dynegy. It is visible from Santa Cruz, California to the north and Monterey, California to the south on clear days. There is a commercial park adjacent to the power plant, housing manufacturers and laboratories. Tourism is a large part of the economy in Moss Landing.

The Moss Landing Antique Street Fair is held annually on the last Sunday in July and hosts hundreds of antique vendors. It brings over ten times the population of Moss Landing to the area. Other events include the May opener for rock cod fishing, blessing the fleet May 1, open house at Moss Landing Marine Labs held in April or May, and Nautical Flea Market held in May. Moss Landing is home to the Shakespeare Society of America.

Moss Landing provides access to state and federal protected lands, including surfing destination Moss Landing State Beach, Salinas River State Beach, Zmudowski State Beach, Moss Landing Wildlife Area, and the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.