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29-656: Plans for a Trans-Sierra Highway connecting the Eastern Sierra and the San Joaquin Valley via Minaret Summit had been discussed since the early days of highway building. The gap between Minaret Road, which runs northeast into the Sierra from North Fork, California , and the end of the Reds Meadow Road is less than 10 miles or 16 kilometres. An area southwest of Minaret Summit was not included in

58-413: A bellwether county for presidential elections. Since 1916 , it has voted for the winner in each election except in 1956 when it voted for Adlai Stevenson II instead of Dwight D. Eisenhower , 1968 when it voted for Hubert Humphrey instead of Richard Nixon , and 2016 when it voted for Hillary Clinton instead of Donald Trump . In 2024 , Donald Trump won the county in a slim victory, continuing

87-471: A female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.25 and the average family size was 3.69. In the county, the population was spread out, with 34.5% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

116-474: A legislative gap was intentionally left between them to accommodate potential highway construction. The possibility of a Trans-Sierra Highway resurfaced in the mid-1950s when representatives from Fresno , Madera , and Merced counties began advocating for the road. They positioned it as necessary for accessing the "rich markets to the east." Others advocated for the route as a national defense project or as an escape route from nuclear war . A 1957 study by

145-537: A majority in the county in both 2000 and 2004 . According to the California Secretary of State, as of October 20, 2008, there were 97,179 registered voters in Merced County. Of those, 44,704 (46.0%) are registered Democratic, 35,955 (37.0%) are registered Republican, 3,090 (3.2%) are registered with other political parties, and 13,430 (13.8%) declined to state a political party. Atwater and

174-695: Is a county located in the northern San Joaquin Valley section of the Central Valley , in the U.S. state of California . As of the 2020 census , the population was 281,202. The county seat is Merced . The county is named after the Merced River . Merced County comprises the Merced, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area , which is included in the Modesto -Merced, CA Combined Statistical Area . It

203-663: Is located north of Fresno County and Fresno , and southeast of Santa Clara County and San Jose . The county derives its name from the Merced River , or El Río de Nuestra Señora de la Merced (River of Our Lady of Mercy), named in 1806 by an expedition headed by Gabriel Moraga , which came upon it at the end of a hot dusty ride on the El Camino Viejo across the San Joaquin Valley in Spanish colonial Las Californias Province. Between 1841 and 1844, during

232-729: Is now a continuous Wilderness from Ball Mountain (near Inyokern ) to Tioga Pass , a distance of about 150 miles (240 km). The Summit offers views of the Ritter Range , including The Minarets , Mount Ritter and Banner Peak , to the west and the Long Valley Caldera , the Glass Mountains and the White Mountains to the east. The Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River runs through

261-574: The Bureau of Public Roads and the US Forest Service concluded that such a road was feasible, sparking increased opposition from Mammoth area residents and laying the foundation for a local movement against the highway. Mammoth resident Genny Smith organized the local movement. In 1966, California state highway engineer J.C. Womack concluded that the highway, while feasible, would entail high costs and environmental impacts. He pointed out

290-518: The Sierra Club , arguing that its construction would lead to significant environmental damage. Reagan's plan was to have the region classified as an official wilderness area, which would make construction illegal. Upon receiving a telegram from the White House stating Nixon's decision, Reagan announced, "the proposed Trans-Sierra Highway will not be built". He advocated for future protection of

319-625: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,979 square miles (5,130 km ), of which 1,935 square miles (5,010 km ) is land and 44 square miles (110 km ) (2.2%) is water. The 2010 United States Census reported that Merced County had a population of 255,793. The racial makeup of Merced County was 148,381 (58.0%) White , 9,926 (3.9%) African American , 3,473 (1.4%) Native American , 18,836 (7.4%) Asian , 583 (0.2%) Pacific Islander , 62,665 (24.5%) from other races , and 11,929 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 140,485 persons (54.9%). As of

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348-628: The United States House of Representatives , Merced County is in California's 13th congressional district , represented by Republican John Duarte . In the California State Legislature , Merced County is in the 27th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Esmeralda Soria , and the 14th Senate District , represented by Democrat Anna Caballero . Merced County has been somewhat of

377-594: The Wilderness Act of 1964 in order to leave a corridor for this potential highway. While Governor of California , Ronald Reagan made a horse packing trip into the area. Afterwards he supported conservationists ' efforts to prevent this highway. Reagan continued his efforts after being elected President in 1980 and the area was eventually designated wilderness by the California Wilderness Act of 1984 . The Sierra Nevada escarpment

406-511: The census of 2000, there were 210,554 people, 63,815 households, and 49,775 families residing in the county. The population density was 109 people per square mile (42 people/km ). There were 68,373 housing units at an average density of 36 units per square mile (14 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 56.2% White , 3.8% Black or African American , 1.2% Native American , 6.8% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 26.1% from other races , and 5.7% from two or more races. 45.3% of

435-617: The poverty line , including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over. As of 2008, according to the Lao Family Community, a nonprofit organization, about 8,000 Hmong lived in Merced County. Merced County is a California Constitution defined general law county and is governed by an elected Board of Supervisors. The Board consists of five members, elected by districts, who serve four-year staggered terms. The Merced County Sheriff's Office provides court protection, jail administration, and coroner service for

464-618: The 1920s. Various highways across the central Sierra Nevada were put forward but none were actualized. This highlighted the growing strength of the conservationist movement . Despite this, the relatively low elevation of Mammoth Pass continued to capture the interest of business ventures in the Central Valley. When the High Sierra and Minarets primitive areas were designated west of the Middle Fork Valley in 1931,

493-420: The area to ensure that no similar projects could threaten the wilderness in the future. The Trans-Sierra Highway proposal was finally put to rest with the passage of the California Wilderness Act of 1984 , closing the wilderness gap and preventing the construction of any such highway in the future. Merced County, California Merced County ( / m ər ˈ s ɛ d / mər- SED )

522-466: The county's bellwether county status. Trump 's win in Merced county made it one of eight counties to flip from Biden to Trump , as well as making Merced one of five counties to vote for the Republican presidential candidate for the first time since George W. Bush in 2004 . Democrat Barack Obama won a majority in the county in both 2008 and 2012. Before that, Republican George W. Bush won

551-610: The county's unincorporated areas have Republican plurality registration advantages. All of the other cities and towns in the county have Democratic pluralities or majorities in voter registration. Merced County has seen a rightward tilt in recent years, voting "Yes" in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election despite voting for Governor Gavin Newsom by a margin of 4% in 2018 . The county then voted for Republican nominee Brian Dahle in 2022 over Newsom, as well as for all Republican nominees for statewide office. The following table includes

580-495: The discovery of his remains and aircraft. Trans-Sierra Highway The Trans-Sierra Highway was a potential highway project proposed to traverse the Sierra Nevada , connecting the Central Valley of California to regions eastward. The concept, which emerged in the 1920s, was ultimately never realized due to significant resistance from environmental conservationists and local communities. The prospective highway

609-639: The entire county. It provides patrol, detective, and other police services for the unincorporated parts of the county. The main sheriff station and offices are at Merced. There are two sheriff's substations. A Grand Jury report in 2010 stated that the Sheriff processed 12,746 average jail bookings per year with an average daily jail population of 1,123. Municipal police departments in the county are: Merced, population 83,000; Los Banos, population 38,000; Atwater, population 30,000; Livingston, population 13,000; Gustine, population 6,000; Dos Palos, population 5,500. In

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638-490: The need for large bridges to cross steep canyons, high snow-removal costs, and potential damage to the Devils Postpile columns due to heavy construction. Despite his warning, some state legislators continued to support the proposal. An environmental impact statement issued in 1971 highlighted the potential "substantial adverse impacts" of the proposed road. These included the visual intrusion of retaining walls on

667-560: The number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense. According to America's Labor Market Information System 2014 report, the companies with the largest employment in Merced are, in alphabetical order: Merced County grows 90% of California's sweet potato crop, due in part to the efforts of John Buttencourt Avila, called "the father of the sweet potato industry". Merced Regional Airport , located two miles (3.2 km) southwest of downtown Merced, provides passenger air service. General aviation airports in

696-427: The period when Alta California was a territory of independent Mexico, four Mexican land grants were made in what became Merced County: Rancho Orestimba y Las Garzas , Rancho Panoche de San Juan y Los Carrisolitos , Rancho San Luis Gonzaga , and Rancho Sanjon de Santa Rita Merced County was formed in 1855 from parts of Mariposa County . Parts of its territory were given to Fresno County in 1856. According to

725-410: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 6.6% were of Portuguese and 6.0% German ancestry according to Census 2000 . 55.1% spoke English , 35.3% Spanish , 3.2% Hmong , 2.9% Portuguese and 1.0% Punjabi as their first language. There were 63,815 households, out of which 45.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 14.1% had

754-677: The valley between the Summit and the Minarets. The pass receives significant snowfall during the winter. The road usually closes near the Main Lodge of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area before Thanksgiving and usually doesn't open much before Memorial Day . In October 2008 items belonging to missing adventurer Steve Fossett were found by Preston Morrow on a hike near Minaret Lake , which is in an area visible from Minaret Summit. This led to

783-503: The wilderness and the possible degradation of the fragile soils, vegetation, fish, wildlife, and timber supply in recreation areas. In 1972, in a historic event held at a 9,200-foot Summit Meadow in the Sierra Nevada, Governor Ronald Reagan, on horseback, announced President Nixon's decision to halt the construction of the proposed Trans-Sierra Highway. Reagan had rallied against the highway alongside environmental groups, including

812-411: Was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 35,532, and the median income for a family was $ 38,009. Males had a median income of $ 31,721 versus $ 23,911 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 14,257. About 16.9% of families and 21.7% of the population were below

841-594: Was intended to join Mono and Madera counties. Environmentalists, however, expressed concern that the project would pose a serious threat to the area's natural wilderness. Particularly, the highway's proposed route was expected to intersect the headwaters of the San Joaquin River , causing potential harm to the surrounding ecosystem. The initial proposals for the Trans-Sierra Highway emerged in

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