Ripley, California

Route in 1930

Ripley was established in 1920 when the California Southern Railroad (unrelated to the railroad linking Barstow and San Diego) was extended from Blythe. The townsite was named to dedicate former Santa Fe Railway president Edward Payson Ripley.[3] The town aimed to be a resort location until it was damaged by a flood that swept part of the valley in 1922. Today, a water tower remains as a landmark in town.[4]

Ripley is near the site of a 1974 fatal bus wreck.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), all of it land. Alongside Blythe and Palo Verde, Ripley is located in the Palo Verde Valley.

Official U.S. Geological Survey NAD27 coordinates for the community are 33°31′31″N 114°39′19″W. It is within area code 760 and has its own ZIP Code: 92272.

The area is largely irrigated agriculture. Farms in the area include operations owned by David Brown and Sons, Lawrence Chaffin Farms, and Red River Farms. The Metropolitan Water District has made an agreement with the United States Bureau of Reclamation to fallow land in the area in order to conserve water. Farmers will be paid not to grow crops so that the water can be used for other purposes. The area is served by Palo Verde Irrigation District and formerly the Arizona and California Railroad. The railroad's Blythe Division track ends just west of Ripley.

The 2010 United States Census[6] reported that Ripley had a population of 692. The population density was 406.9 inhabitants per square mile (157.1/km²). The racial makeup of Ripley was 393 (56.8%) White, 103 (14.9%) African American, 2 (0.3%) Native American, 1 (0.1%) Asian, 4 (0.6%) Pacific Islander, 165 (23.8%) from other races, and 24 (3.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 537 persons (77.6%).

End of the day, near Ripley, in 1972

The Census reported that 692 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 218 households, out of which 123 (56.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 95 (43.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 63 (28.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 18 (8.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 22 (10.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 33 households (15.1%) were made up of individuals, and 9 (4.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.17. There were 176 families (80.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.49.

The population was spread out, with 264 people (38.2%) under the age of 18, 85 people (12.3%) aged 18 to 24, 131 people (18.9%) aged 25 to 44, 148 people (21.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 64 people (9.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males.

There were 295 housing units at an average density of 173.5 per square mile (67.0/km²), of which 78 (35.8%) were owner-occupied, and 140 (64.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 25.8%. 249 people (36.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 443 people (64.0%) lived in rental housing units.

• U.S. Geological Survey, National Geographic Names Database
• Map: "Ripley, California, 7.5-minute Quadrangle," U.S. Geological Survey, 1975.
• Map: "Road Map of California, 1958," (Sacramento, California: Department of Public Works, Division of Highways, 1958).

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ripley, California.

• Ripley weather records from University of California Agricultural Extension.
• Wind and other data from Ripley.
• Ripley Fire Station.