Sanger, California

Sanger is a town in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 18,731 at the 2000 census. Sanger is located 13 mi east-southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 371 feet (113 m).

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12.3 km²), all of it land.

History
The first post office opened in Sanger in 1888. The city incorporated in 1911. The name commemorates Joseph Sanger Jr., secretary-treasurer of the Railroad Yardmasters Association, who visited California in 1887.

The Sanger Railroad Depot was built in 1887 next to the Southern Pacific Railroad line that connected Fresno to Porterville. Sanger became a center for shipping grain, citrus and lumber from the nearby mountains. When the depot was retired, it was the oldest building in the city and was donated to the Sanger Historical Society which turned it into the Sanger Depot Museum in 1977.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,931 people, 5,220 households, and 4,306 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,985.8 people per square mile (1,538.8/km²). There were 5,420 housing units at an average density of 1,141.1 per square mile (440.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 49.53% White, 0.42% Black or African American, 1.20% Native American, 1.96% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 43.16% from other races, and 3.64% from two or more races. 80.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,220 households out of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 17.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.5% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.60 and the average family size was 3.91.

In the city the population was spread out with 34.1% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,072, and the median income for a family was $33,219. Males had a median income of $26,443 versus $22,808 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,625. About 21.0% of families and 23.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.3% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or over.

The Nation's Christmas City
In 1949, the city of Sanger was designated the "Nation's Christmas City" by the U.S. Postal Service. Which still to this day has a Christmas tree standing.

Music and Arts
In downtown Sanger is a mural of German born actress Nastassja Kinski, daughter of actor Klaus Kinski. This was created in 1982 by Sanger native artist Jose Maro Alvarado who now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. The artist attended Sanger High School in the 1970s and graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Fine Arts. Alvarado continues to work and exhibit.

Notable residents

 * Earl J. Atkisson - World War I Colonel in the US Army
 * Tom Flores - Professional football player
 * Jim Merlo - Professional football player
 * Manuel Neri - Artist
 * Edward Dean Price - United States federal judge
 * Francis Rogallo - Aeronautical engineer and inventor
 * Aaron Abeytia - Most socially and politically intelligent citizen of Sanger.

Sanger High School
Sanger High School's Mascot is the Apache.

Sanger High School moved into a new facility at 1045 Bethel Avenue during the 1999-2000 school year. The Apache football team receives a large amount of fan support, along with their head coach Chuck Shidan.