{{short description|Census-designated place in Mariposa County, California}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement | name = Midpines | settlement_type = [[Census-designated place]] | image_skyline = Midpines, California during the winter.jpg | image_caption = Midpines in winter | pushpin_map = California#USA | pushpin_label_position = bottom | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{USA}} | subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]] | subdivision_name1 = {{flag|California}} | subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in California|County]] | subdivision_name2 = [[Mariposa County, California|Mariposa]] | unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021">{{cite web |title=2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files: California |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2021_Gazetteer/2021_gaz_place_06.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=July 26, 2022}}</ref> | area_total_sq_mi = 4.362 | area_land_sq_mi = 4.359 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.03 | population_total = 379 | population_as_of = 2020 | population_footnotes = <ref name="Census2020">{{cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P1?g=1600000US0647374 |title=P1. Race – Midpines CDP, California: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 26, 2022}}</ref> | timezone = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]] | utc_offset = -8 | timezone_DST = PDT | utc_offset_DST = -7 | elevation_footnotes = <ref name="gnis" /> | elevation_ft = 2687 | coordinates = {{coord|37|33|08|N|119|55|44|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}} | postal_code_type = [[ZIP Code]] | postal_code = 95345 | blank_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID | blank_info = 2583080<ref name="gnis">{{GNIS|2583080}}</ref> }}
'''Midpines''' is a [[census-designated place]] in [[Mariposa County, California|Mariposa County]], [[California]].<ref name="gnis" /> It lies among the [[Sierra Nevada]] foothills of the central part of the state at an elevation of {{convert|2687|ft}},<ref name="gnis" /> {{convert|5|mi|0}} northeast of [[Mariposa, California|Mariposa]], the county seat, and {{convert|22|mi}} by road southwest of [[El Portal, California|El Portal]]. It is composed of scattered residential areas along both sides of [[California State Route 140|State Route 140]], which is one of three principal routes to [[Yosemite National Park]], some {{convert|30|mi}} to the east of Midpines. The population was 379 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="Census2020" /> down from 1,204 in 2010, when the CDP was drawn to cover significantly more area.
Midpines began as a resort, founded by Newell D. Chamberlain, in 1926.<ref name="CGN">{{California's Geographic Names|802}}</ref> The first post office opened in 1929.<ref name="CGN" />
==History==
===Whitlock Mining District=== Before its development as a resort community in the 1920s, the area surrounding Midpines was a productive gold mining region known as the '''Whitlock Mining District''', situated approximately five miles north of Mariposa and east of the primary [[Mother Lode]] belt.{{sfn|Clark|1970|p=136}}
Placer mining began in the district shortly after the start of the [[California Gold Rush]] in 1849, with lode (hard rock) mining following soon after. Gold discovery in the district is credited to early prospectors including [[Lafayette Bunnell]], Champlin Spencer, Thomas Whitlock, and John Sherlock. At its peak, the district hosted over 70 lode mines. Notable operations included the Buffalo, Champion, Colorado, Diltz, Golden Key, Landrum, Nutmeg, Schroeder, Spread Eagle, and Whitlock mines. The Whitlock Mine was a major operation, using a 20-[[stamp mill]] for ore processing.{{sfn|Clark|1970|p=136}}
The district supported several small settlements that are now [[ghost town]]s. The community of '''Colorado''' (often designated as Colorado Quartz) established a post office in 1858 that operated until 1901; the town of '''Whitlock''' maintained a post office from 1899 to 1910.{{sfn|Salley|1977|pp=44, 234}} Mining activity continued into the 20th century, highlighted by the 1932 discovery at the Diltz Mine of a {{convert|52|lb|kg|adj=mid|-Troy}} mass of specimen gold, which yielded over {{convert|43|lb|kg}} of refined gold.{{sfn|Clark|1970|p=137}}
In 2008, a historical marker dedicated to the Whitlock Mining District was placed by [[E Clampus Vitus]] (Matuca Chapter 1849) in front of the Midpines Country Store.<ref>{{cite web |title=Whitlock Mining District |url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=46445 |website=The Historical Marker Database |access-date=January 1, 2026}}</ref>
==Geography== Midpines is in central Mariposa County and according to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]] covers an area of {{convert|4.36|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|0.03|sqmi|2}}, or 0.69%, is water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021" /> The community is in the valley of Bear Creek, which flows northwest to join the [[Merced River]] at [[Briceburg, California|Briceburg]].
==Demographics== {{US Census population |2010= 1204 |2020= 379 |align-fn=center |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html |title=Decennial Census by Decade |website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 29, 2025}}</ref><br>1850–1870<ref name="1870CensusCA1">{{cite web |title=1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-12.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><ref name="1870CensusCA2">{{cite web |title=1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1880-1890<ref name="1890CensusCA">{{cite web |title=1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1890/bulletins/demographics/134-population-of-ca.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1900<ref name="1900CensusCA">{{cite web |title=1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/10-population-ca.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1910<ref name="1910CensusCA">{{cite web |title=1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1920<ref name="1920CensusCA">{{cite web |title=1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-ca-number-of-inhabitants.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1930<ref name="1930CensusCA">{{cite web |title=1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch03.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1940<ref name="1940CensusCA">{{cite web |title=1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1950<ref name="1950CensusCA">{{cite web |title=1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-08.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1960<ref name="1960CensusCA">{{cite web |title=1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-d.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1970<ref name="1970CensusCA">{{cite web |title=1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ca1-01.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1980<ref name="1980CensusCA">{{cite web |title=1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caAB-01.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1990<ref name="1990CensusCA">{{cite web |title=1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-6.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2000<ref name="2000CensusCA">{{cite web |title=2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-6.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2010<ref name="2010CensusCA">{{cite web |title=2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> }}
Midpines first appeared as a [[census-designated place]] in the [[2010 United States census]].<ref name="2010CensusCA" />
The [[2020 United States census]] reported that Midpines had a population of 379. The population density was {{convert|86.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Midpines was 201 (53.0%) [[White Americans|White]], 1 (0.3%) [[African Americans|African American]], 32 (8.4%) [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 6 (1.6%) [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0 (0.0%) [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 70 (18.5%) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 69 (18.2%) from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] of any race were 110 persons (29.0%).<ref name="DP1">{{cite web |title=Midpines CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0647374 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=May 29, 2025}}</ref>
The census reported that 375 people (98.9% of the population) lived in households, 4 (1.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.<ref name="DP1" />
There were 167 households, out of which 52 (31.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 76 (45.5%) were married-couple households, 7 (4.2%) were [[cohabitation|cohabiting]] couple households, 36 (21.6%) had a female householder with no partner present, and 48 (28.7%) had a male householder with no partner present. Fifty-two households (31.1%) were one person, and 25 (15.0%) were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.25.<ref name="DP1" /> There were 107 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (64.1% of all households).<ref>{{cite web |title=Midpines CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0647374 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=May 29, 2025}}</ref>
The age distribution was 70 people (18.5%) under the age of 18, 16 people (4.2%) aged 18 to 24, 105 people (27.7%) aged 25 to 44, 119 people (31.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 69 people (18.2%) who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 44.8{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 110.6 males.<ref name="DP1" />
There were 233 housing units at an average density of {{convert|53.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}, of which 167 (71.7%) were occupied. Of these, 114 (68.3%) were owner-occupied, and 53 (31.7%) were occupied by renters.<ref name="DP1" />
==Bibliography== {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |last=Clark |first=William B. |title=Gold Districts of California |series=Bulletin 193 |publisher=California Division of Mines and Geology |year=1970 |url=https://archive.org/details/golddistrictsofc00clarrich/page/136/mode/2up |oclc=20442556 |ref={{sfnref|Clark|1970}}}} * {{cite book |last=Salley |first=Harold E. |title=California Post Offices, 1849–1976 |publisher=Rosa Publishing |location=La Mesa, Calif. |year=1977 |isbn=978-0960132416 |oclc=3514080 |ref={{sfnref|Salley|1977}}}} {{refend}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.mindat.org/photo-153026.html Photograph of "The Dragon" mineral formation] – [[Mindat.org]]
{{Mariposa County, California}} {{Yosemite National Park}}
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[[Category:Census-designated places in California]] [[Category:Census-designated places in Mariposa County, California]] [[Category:Populated places in the Sierra Nevada (United States)]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1926]] [[Category:1926 establishments in California]]