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88-705: The Royal Arches are located on the north side of the valley, northeast of the Ahwahnee Hotel . Adjacent to the Royal Arches is the Royal Arch Cascade waterfall. Washington Column is just to the east, and North Dome is above. The Royal Arches, like many areas of Yosemite Valley, is prone to rockfall from the nearly vertical cliffs that surround the valley. Factors long known to trigger rockfall on steep cliffs include "precipitation, seismic activity and freezing conditions". Research conducted at

176-403: A cost of $ 115 million in today's dollars." This property included trademarks that were registered by both Delaware North and its predecessors, including place names such as Ahwahnee, Badger Pass , Curry Village, Yosemite Lodge , the slogan "Go climb a rock", and even "Yosemite National Park" itself. The contract with Delaware North also required that if it were to be succeeded as concessionaire,

264-470: A female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were "nonfamilies". 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.06 and the average family size was 3.62. In the city, the population was spread out, with 34.7% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

352-641: A few smaller campuses offering alternative education. Merced's community college, Merced College , has an enrollment of 8,996 students as of January 2021. Mercy Medical Center Merced . A 2016 Community Health Assessment Error in Webarchive template: Empty url. prepared by the Merced County Department of Public Health (MCDPH), determined that top health topics that affect Merced and Merced county are heart disease and stroke; diabetes; access to health care; and drug and alcohol abuse. In 2017

440-794: A history of minor league baseball including the California League Merced Bears (1940s) and Atwater Angels (1970s) in nearby Atwater, California . There were the defunct Merced Black Bears of the Horizon Air Summer Series and the current Atwater Aviators of the Golden State Collegiate Baseball League . Amtrak San Joaquins provides passenger service. The Yosemite Valley Railroad ran from Merced between 1907 and 1945. The California High-Speed Rail Authority February 2016 draft business plan, outlined

528-547: A household $ 49,973. The 2010 United States Census reported that Merced had a population of 78,959. The population density was 3,386.4 people per square mile. (1,307.5/km ). The racial makeup of Merced was 41,177 (52.2%) White , 4,958 (6.3%) African American , 1,153 (1.5%) Native American , 9,342 (11.8%) Asian , 174 (0.2%) Pacific Islander , 17,804 (22.5%) from other races , and 4,350 (5.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39,140 persons (49.6%). The Census reported that 77,878 people (98.6% of

616-526: A lack of funds. In 1925, the Park Service, unhappy with the declining concessions situation within the parks, decided to grant a monopoly to single entities to run the hotel and food services in each park. In response, the Curry Company and The Yosemite National Park Company (successor to D. J. Desmond Park Company) were merged to create one larger concessions company, with Donald Tresidder from

704-523: A lot of them coming in and buying properties, even coming in now when the prices are moving up quickly because they know they can rent those." The metro area went to a 14.2% unemployment rate in December 2013. Having since recovered to a rate of 8.7% in April 2018. Some efforts have been directed towards diversifying its economy and are showing a lowering trend in the overall unemployment rate, according to

792-424: A massive six story structure, but Tresidder and the board requested a hotel with only 100 guest rooms that would feel more like a luxurious country home than a hotel. The design was changed several times and at one point the hotel was to be no larger than three stories high, but eventually a more expansive layout was selected to accommodate the 100 guest rooms along with several public spaces. The interior design of

880-496: A move of some Hmong to Minnesota , North Carolina , and Wisconsin . More recently, many Hmong have gone to Alaska to work in crabbing and fishing industries that require little proficiency in English. Through the years, Merced County has recognized many historic milestones. Some of those essential moments include the rise of Merced's first Black mayor, Sam Pipes in 1983 and the visit by first lady Michelle Obama to UC Merced for

968-497: A new crack in a cliff on the western side of Royal Arches, near the climbing route Super Slide. Subsequent investigation revealed that this crack has partially detached a large pillar of rock, and that cracking was actively occurring." On August 6, a mountain guide working for the Yosemite Mountaineering School climbed in the area and saw nothing out of the ordinary. On August 20, the same guide discovered

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1056-526: A simple campsite run by two Indiana schoolteachers ended up as the sole concessionaire for the park, and Yosemite Park and Curry Company went on to build much of the park's service structures. Donald Tresidder, as president of the Yosemite Park and Curry Company, oversaw the building of the Ahwahnee Hotel and several other major structures within the park. The name originally selected for

1144-580: A temporary " assembly center " where Japanese Americans were detained after being removed from their West Coast homes under Executive Order 9066 . 4,669 men, women and children from central California (with most coming from Merced County) were confined in the Merced Assembly Center from May 6 to September 15, 1942, when they were transferred to the more permanent Granada internment camp in Colorado. Since 2005, Merced has been home to

1232-679: A tent camp in the valley and, despite the two-week round-trip journey via horse and wagon from Merced, California , the camp registered 292 guests in its first year. The Curry Company went on to dominate the politics of the park for decades, and David wrote the Secretary of the Interior, Franklin Lane , in an effort to extend the park's tourist season so as to expand his business. In the Currys' opinion, national parks were for recreational use, and

1320-440: A village for the native Miwoks and later as a stables complex known as Kenneyville. The site was chosen for its exposure to the sun, which allows for natural heating, and for its views of several Yosemite icons, including Glacier Point , Half Dome , and Yosemite Falls. The original concept art for the hotel depicted a building that was far grander than what would eventually be constructed. Underwood's original design called for

1408-538: Is a grand hotel in Yosemite National Park , California , on the floor of Yosemite Valley . It was built by the Yosemite Park and Curry Company and opened for business in 1927. The hotel is constructed of steel, stone, concrete, wood, and glass, and is a premier example of National Park Service rustic architecture. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987. The Ahwahnee

1496-543: Is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County , California, United States, in the San Joaquin Valley . As of the 2020 census , the city had a population of 86,333, up from 78,958 in 2010. Incorporated on April 1, 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council–manager government . It is named after the Merced River , which flows nearby. Merced, known as the "Gateway to Yosemite ",

1584-673: Is considered one of the "50 most dangerous" Californian cities to live in. In the California State Legislature , Merced is in the 14th Senate District , represented by Democrat Anna Caballero , and in the 27th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Esmeralda Soria . In the United States House of Representatives , Merced is in California's 13th congressional district , represented by Republican John Duarte . Merced has

1672-550: Is home to a community college, Merced College and the University of California Merced. UC Merced now enrolls 8,321 undergraduate and 772 graduate students for a total of 9,093 students, as reported in the university's fall 2021 census. Of the 2021-2022 undergraduate degrees awarded, the top degrees were: 19% Biological Sciences, 16% Psychology, 11% Management, and 10% Computer Science Engineering. The University of California, Merced campus opened in late 2005 northeast of

1760-581: Is increasing in the area. It is now known as the Castle Airport Aviation and Development Center . The Castle Air Museum remains at the site. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 23.3 square miles (60 km ). Merced is approximately 110 miles (180 km) southeast of San Francisco and 275 miles (443 km) northwest of Los Angeles. A major groundwater plume containing

1848-575: Is less than two hours by automobile from Yosemite National Park to the east and Monterey Bay , the Pacific Ocean, and multiple beaches to the west. The community is served by the passenger rail service Amtrak , a minor, heavily subsidized airline through Merced Regional Airport , and three bus lines. It is approximately 110 miles (180 km) from Sacramento , 130 miles (210 km) from San Francisco , 55 miles (89 km) from Fresno , and 270 miles (430 km) from Los Angeles . In 2005,

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1936-482: Is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America . This route, despite its name, is located hundreds of yards east of the Royal Arches. The first ascent was by Kenneth Davis, Morgan Harris and Ken Adam on October 9, 1936. (pages 230 - 235) Other popular climbing routes on the Royal Arches itself include Super Slide , Peruvian Flake West , Rhombus Wall , Serenity Crack and Sons of Yesterday . Ahwahnee Hotel The Ahwahnee

2024-640: The Merced Sun-Star and the Merced County Times . The Merced Sun-Star daily newspaper has a circulation of 14,219 daily and 18,569 Saturday in the Merced area. The paper was sold to U.S. Media in 1985 and was acquired by The McClatchy Company in January 2004. Homes at the median level in Merced had lost 62% of their value from the second quarter of 2006, when they peaked at $ 336,743,

2112-537: The Bureau of Labor Statistics . During the Great Recession Merced suffered one of the greatest property price collapses in the country and house prices at the end of 2009 had fallen to 1998 levels, according to Zillow , making housing affordable compared to many other California locations. The economy has traditionally relied upon agribusiness and upon the presence of Castle Air Force Base . Over

2200-470: The Yosemite Lodge . Desmond also began a hotel at Glacier Point the following year, while buying out a number of businesses to improve D. J. Desmond Park Company's position in upcoming park leasing contracts. A congressional act permitted this efficient supervision of the park for the enjoyment of the public. However, prominent tourists were refusing to stay at the park due to the poor conditions of

2288-487: The real property to the National Park Service. In 2014, Delaware North lost a bid to renew its contract with the U.S. government to Yosemite Hospitality, LLC, a division of Aramark . When it had originally taken over the concessionaries in 1993, Delaware North was contractually required to purchase, at fair market value, "the assets of the previous concessionaire, including its intellectual property, at

2376-508: The 1946 dinner introduced chorale concerts and more significant musical performances. Up until 1956 there was only a single performance, and then the number of performances gradually increased to a total of eight. Ansel Adams retired from the event in 1973, passing it on to Eugene Fulton, who had been part of the male chorus since 1934 and musical director since 1946. Fulton died unexpectedly on Christmas Eve in 1978 and his wife, Anna-Marie, and his daughter, Andrea, took over that year and produced

2464-605: The Ahwahnee Hotel were adapted for Stanley Kubrick 's horror film The Shining (1980). Designers at Elstree Studios incorporated the hotel's lobby, elevators, and Great Lounge into sets for the Overlook Hotel. Both the film The Caine Mutiny (1954) and Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day (1996) include footage of the Ahwahnee Hotel. The Ahwahnee Hotel features in the February 18, 1940, and February 25, 1940, episodes of The Jell-O Program Starring Jack Benny . In

2552-509: The Ahwahnee Hotel, as well as other historic hotels and lodges in the park, would be renamed. The Ahwahnee was renamed the Majestic Yosemite Hotel effective March 1, 2016. The names were restored in 2019 upon settlement of the dispute. The Ahwahnee is a 150,000-square-foot (14,000 m ) Y-shaped building and has 97 hotel rooms, parlors, and suites, each accented with original Native American designs. 24 cottages bring

2640-457: The Ahwahnee. The Grand Dining Room is 130 feet long and 51 feet wide, with a 34-foot ceiling supported by rock columns, creating a cathedral-like atmosphere. For fire safety reasons, the wood beams in the dining room are actually hollow and contain steel beams. The alcove window at the end of the room perfectly framed Yosemite Falls when the hotel was completed. Although the dress code for

2728-602: The April 2016 revisions to the business plan indeed included Merced in the initial construction segment, initially as a single-track spur connecting only to the westbound track to the Bay Area, with build out of the full Wye happening later. The system will run from San Francisco to the Los Angeles basin in under three hours at speeds capable of over 200 miles per hour. In August 2022, the CAHSRA announced that it had received

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2816-549: The Curry Company as the new head. As part of this reorganization, the newly formed Yosemite Park and Curry Company proposed a new luxury hotel. Given the Curry Company's enormous success in the park, it was hoped that their involvement would help realize Mather's hotel. While the National Park Service technically had complete control over the park's operations, the Yosemite Park and Curry Company began to have further influence. The monopoly obtained leasing privileges and accumulated both financial and political benefits. What began as

2904-510: The Grand Dining Room and presented as a feast given by a Renaissance -era lord . This tradition began in 1927, the Ahwahnee's first year of operation, and was inspired by the fictional Squire Bracebridge's Yule celebration in a story from The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. by Washington Irving. Music and theatrical performances based on Irving's story accompany the introduction of each course. Donald Tresidder conceived

2992-696: The Hmong children gained English language skills, the town's overall attitude began to be more accepting of the Hmong community. This acceptance is reflected in various services provided to the Hmong community. This includes the Merced Lao Family Community Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides social services to Hmong people, the Merced Department of Public Health's MATCH (Multidisciplinary Approach to Cross-Cultural Health) program, intending to draw Hmong patients into

3080-585: The MCDPH published the Merced County Community Health Improvement Plan Error in Webarchive template: Empty url. in an effort to "address health disparities and to promote health equity with the goal of health and wellness for all county residents." The Decennial Census of Population and Housing reported that the population in 2021 was 89,308. In 2021, the average income of an individual was $ 21,518, and for

3168-577: The Merced station as not beginning service at the same time as the initial San Jose to Bakersfield route in 2025, but would likely open in 2029 instead. This would make the leg between the Central Valley and Pacheco Pass the first to be constructed. The Merced City Council vigorously opposed the delay in their city's station opening, noting Merced's volume of commuters seeking high-speed rail to access jobs in Silicon Valley. In response,

3256-580: The Royal Arches by scientists with the United States Geological Survey and the National Park Service analyzed the additional role of very hot weather on exfoliation. The researchers installed motion sensors in the crack behind a slab of granite on the Royal Arches that measures 19 meters tall, 4 meters wide, and 10 centimeters thick, and monitored the rock movement for 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 years. They learned that

3344-760: The University of California, Merced. Historic cultural attractions in the city include The Mainzer Theater which is known for its historic and architectural value, the County Courthouse Museum c.  1889 , the Merced Multicultural Arts Center and the County Library . Also within a short distance from the city limits are the Castle Air Museum , Lake Yosemite , and Merced Falls. The city of Merced along with its surrounding cities are serviced by

3432-512: The biggest drop anywhere in the country. Home prices have since rebounded, with the median sale price in April 2018 at $ 247,000. The current average being $ 358,000. Terry Ruscoe of Merced-Yosemite Realty, noted investors from outside of the Valley were helping to drive up home prices. Ruscoe said, "A tremendous amount of out-of-town buyers. Our primary client comes from the LA area or the Bay Area. We see

3520-551: The city and county's population size. In Merced County, Black history goes back to before the Civil War. According to historian Sarah Lim, during the mid-1800s Blacks came to this region and California as enslaved persons, while others arrived as free settlers. The 2011 census reported that 9,837 Black or African Americans lived in Merced County In 2021, Merced had approximately 4,000 violent crimes occur within

3608-461: The city became home to the 10th University of California campus, University of California, Merced (UC Merced), the first research university built in the U.S. in the 21st century. The first Merced post office opened in 1870. Merced incorporated in 1889 and now operates under the council-manager form of government. During World War II , the Merced County fairgrounds were the site of

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3696-615: The city limits. UC Merced enrolled about 7,967 students during the 2017–2018 academic year. Merced is served by the Merced City School District , which has five main middle schools, Cruickshank Middle School, Herbert Hoover Middle School, Rivera Middle School, Weaver Middle School and Tenaya Middle School. There are also 14 elementary schools in this district. Merced Union High School District has three major public high school campuses, Merced High School , Golden Valley High School , and El Capitan High School as well as

3784-416: The city was 57.4% White , 6.3% African American , 1.3% Native American , 12.4% Asian (mostly Hmong), 0.2% Pacific Islander , 23.2% from other races , and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.4% of the population. There were 20,435 households, out of which 42.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% contained married couples living together, 18.2% had

3872-537: The city's Official Website the top employers in the city are: In the summer of 2014, the Castle Commerce Center's call center closed, subtracting 400 jobs from AT&T's share of employment. Merced is ranked as the sixth-top producing county in California. In 2019, Merced County generated $ 3.271 billion in total value of production. The top five commodities from 2019 in Merced are: Merced

3960-438: The city. This means that with a population of just 89,303 people, in 2021, individuals had approximately a 4.5% chance of falling victim to a crime while living-in or visiting Merced. Of the crimes that occurred, roughly 1,200 were physical (such as assault, rape or homicide) and 2,500 were property-related (e.g. burglary and theft). However, these crimes occurring in 2021 resulted in 13 fatalities. With its high crime rate, Merced

4048-537: The contaminant PCE was discovered in Merced in 1987. Subsequently, drilling of new water wells was severely restricted. Merced has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk), with its annual precipitation falling just short of a mediterranean climate . The city features very hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. There are an average of 99.7 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 27.8 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The record highest temperature of 116 °F (47 °C)

4136-421: The contract with Yosemite Hospitality excluded intellectual property from the asset purchasing clause, and demanded a payment for the property to be determined in court. Delaware North initially asserted the fair market value of its properties to be $ 51 million, but the National Park Service estimated the value of the intangible assets at $ 3.5 million. Delaware North claimed to have offered to temporarily license

4224-506: The couple marketed the park with attractions like the Firefall . David Curry died in 1917 and left the management of Camp Curry to his widow Jennie, who was then known as "Mother Curry". She received help from her children, particularly her daughter Mary, and Mary's husband Donald Tresidder . The camp still exists today as Curry Village . In 1915, Stephen T. Mather convinced D. J. Desmond to convert an old army barracks into

4312-415: The crack could open up as much as nearly half an inch on unusually hot days. The researchers concluded that "Our data indicate that the warmest times of the day and year are particularly conducive to triggering rockfalls, and that cyclic thermal forcing may enhance the efficacy of other, more typical rockfall triggers." In August, 2023, the National Park Service announced that "Rock climbers recently reported

4400-428: The crack. Park ranger Jesse McGahey reported that "the following week a climbing ranger and a geologist observed it firsthand and they could hear it cracking like a frozen lake that wasn’t consolidated". Park geologist Greg Stock and a climbing ranger examined the crack and "heard continuous creaking noises and witnessed many rock chips falling out of the crack". By September 7, the crack had grown by 12 feet in length, and

4488-401: The east side of the hotel to correct this (the logs were replaced in the 1990s). This would be the first of many changes to the hotel. In 1928, a roof garden and dance hall were converted into a private apartment after the dance hall failed to draw an audience. In 1931, the load-bearing trusses in the dining room were reinforced after it was discovered that they were barely adequate to support

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4576-408: The event were difficult to obtain. In prior years, the scarce tickets were awarded to applicants by lottery . In 1992, there were a reported 60,000 applications for the coveted 1,650 seats. In 1995, the organizers of the traditional dinner accepted ticket cancellations because the park could have been shut down due to the national budget impasse. The Great Lounge is one of the main public spaces in

4664-557: The facilities (socialite Lady Astor reportedly described the Sentinel Hotel as "primitive" ), and in 1916 the newly formed National Park Service began a concerted effort to attract visitors to the parks and create better accommodations and services. Under the direction of Mather, whose greatest desire was to build a luxury hotel in Yosemite, an attempt was made to build accommodations near Yosemite Falls but it failed due to

4752-407: The first two years. When Holme died in 1929, Tresidder asked Adams to take over the direction of the show. Adams reworked the script considerably in 1931, creating the role of Major Domo, head of the household, for himself while his wife, Virginia Best Adams, played the housekeeper. The dinner was not held during World War II , when the Ahwahnee was functioning as a naval hospital. When it resumed,

4840-607: The health care system, a body of Hmong-speaking faculty and paraprofessionals (including college classes on Hmong culture and language), and media outlets for the Hmong community—cable television channel Channel 11 broadcasts programming to the Hmong community twice per week and radio station KBIF 900 AM airs programming oriented towards Hmong people. While Merced has historically had a proportionally large portion of Hmong (in 1997, 12,000 of Merced's 61,000 residents were Hmong ), demographic shifts have reduced this. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 prompted

4928-462: The hotel also underwent several changes. Artist and interior designer Henry Lovins originally suggested a "Mayan revival" theme with Hispano-Moresque influences. However, the husband and wife team of Arthur Upham Pope and Phyllis Ackerman was selected over Lovins. Drawing on their experience as art historians, Ackerman and Pope created a style that mixed Art Deco , Native American , Middle Eastern , and Arts and Crafts styles. The interior work

5016-409: The hotel could compete with fine dining establishments, and the facility was specifically constructed to handle special events and functions. Regular entertainment is provided at dinner by a pianist. Local Yosemite artist Dudley Kendall played piano in the dining room at the Ahwahnee for years and had his work displayed at the hotel. The Bracebridge Dinner is a seven-course formal gathering held in

5104-485: The hotel for the winter. To avoid this and to keep guests and income flowing, Tresidder centered the hotel around skiing and other winter activities. In order to keep the hotel filled throughout the holiday period, Tresidder also proposed Christmas entertainment. A banquet event was planned based on a story by Washington Irving about an eighteenth-century English Christmas at the home of the Squire of Bracebridge. The cast

5192-506: The hotel. The large space spans the full width of the wing and nearly its full length (minus the solarium). There are two large fireplaces on either end of the room made from cut sandstone. On either side of the lounge is a series of floor-to-ceiling plate-glass picture windows ornamented at their tops with stained glass. The individual border designs in the beams of the Great Lounge are by artist Jeanette Dryer Spencer. Interiors of

5280-410: The idea for the event with his wife Mary Curry, their friends, and park staff. Tresidder hired Garnet Holme for the event's first year to write the script and produce the event, and Tresidder and his wife played the squire and his lady until Tresidder's death in 1948. Photographer Ansel Adams, who was working for the Yosemite Park and Curry Company and was well known in Yosemite for his eccentricities,

5368-449: The interior and the enclosure of the original porte-cochère. After the war, when few people brought servants with them, the owners converted the chauffeur and maid rooms into guest rooms. The 1950s, '60s, and '70s brought several upgrades to the hotel, including fire escapes , a fire alarm system, and a sprinkler system, along with an outdoor swimming pool and automatic elevators, and in the late 1970s, smoke detectors. From 2003 to 2004

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5456-403: The land was owned by other people. They could not get high end agricultural jobs because they did not speak sufficient English and Mexican migrants already held low end agricultural jobs. As such, a great many of Merced's Hmong collected social services and Hmong gangs arose, prompting other residents to perceive them as being the cause of economic troubles. As the Hmong settlement matured and

5544-781: The moderator for a panel discussion on civil rights in baseball on March 28, 2008, that accompanied the second annual Major League Baseball civil rights exhibition game the following day between the New York Mets and the Chicago White Sox.[15] In 2010, Latinos became a majority population in Merced and Merced County as the agricultural industry brought in migrant farm laborers. The area's affordable housing prices attracted both Latino and Asian immigrants. Merced has large Asian-American (e.g. Hmong, followed by Chinese , Vietnamese , Laotian , Cambodian , Filipino , Thai , Korean and Asian Indian ) populations relative to

5632-405: The new hotel was "Yosemite All-Year-Round Hotel", but Tresidder changed it just prior to opening to reflect the site's native name. After the Ahwahnee was built, Tresidder had to overcome a number of financial obstacles. The cost of the hotel was nearly double the original estimate, and as fall approached, the number of guests began to dwindle. Park officials became concerned and suggested closing

5720-605: The park is usually very casual, the Ahwahnee Dining Room used to require a jacket for men, but it later relaxed that tradition. Now collared shirts for men are allowed and women may wear either a dress or slacks and a blouse. The Grand Dining Room was originally designed to accommodate 1,000 guests, but it was eventually scaled down to seat 350. However, the enormous kitchen still reflects the original design concept and includes separate stations for baking and pastries. High quality kitchen appliances were installed so

5808-429: The past twenty years, more diversified industry has entered the area, including printing, fiberglass boat building, warehousing and distribution, and packaging industries. In September 1995, Castle Air Force Base closed after phasing down over the previous three years. This affected residential real estate and some sectors of the retail and service economies, but overall retail continued to increase. Industrial development

5896-654: The population) lived in households, 492 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 588 (0.7%) were institutionalized. There were 24,899 households, out of which 11,484 (46.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 10,958 (44.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 4,921 (19.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,941 (7.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,156 (8.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 167 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 5,356 households (21.5%) were made up of individuals, and 1,823 (7.3%) had someone living alone who

5984-420: The population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 46,188 people (58.5%) lived in rental housing units. As of the census of 2000, there were 63,893 people, 20,435 households, and 14,631 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,216.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,242.0/km ). There were 21,532 housing units at an average density of 1,084.0 per square mile (418.5/km ). The racial makeup of

6072-598: The poverty line, including 36.9% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over. Escaping persecution from Communist forces after the Laotian Civil War , Hmong refugees from Laos moved to the United States in the 1970s and '80s, first settling in Merced and other areas in the Central Valley of California . The Hmong could not initially take part in farming like they had expected, as

6160-517: The roof was overhauled, and virtually the entire slate-tile roof and copper gutter system were replaced. Martech Associates, Inc. of Millheim , Pennsylvania, designed the updated roof and served as the general contractor for the project. The project cost approximately US$ 4 million and is notable for its 97 percent material recycling rate. An article in the Los Angeles Times on March 13, 2009, stated that seismic retrofits might be needed for

6248-822: The script, the entire cast visit and stay in a fictionalized, comedic version of the hotel during a ski vacation to Badger Pass. The hotel and dining room have hosted many notable figures including artists, royalty, heads of state, film and television stars, writers, business executives, and other celebrities. Examples of notable guests include heads of state Queen Elizabeth II , Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower , John F. Kennedy , Ronald Reagan , Barack Obama , and Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi ; business moguls Walt Disney and Steve Jobs ; entertainers Desi Arnaz , Lucille Ball , Charlie Chaplin , Judy Garland , Leonard Nimoy , Will Rogers and William Shatner ; and writer Gertrude Stein . Merced, California Merced ( / m ɜːr ˈ s ɛ d / ; Spanish for "Mercy")

6336-471: The show. In 1979, Andrea Fulton assumed the role of director, which she holds to this day while also playing the role of housekeeper. In 2011, the Bracebridge dinner celebrated its 85th anniversary. Travel + Leisure magazine named Yosemite's Ahwahnee Hotel as one of the best hotels in the United States for the holidays for two consecutive years (2011 and 2012). For much of its history, tickets to

6424-664: The snow load on the roof and potential earthquake stresses. When Prohibition was rescinded in 1933, a private dining room was converted into the El Dorado Diggins bar, evocative of the California Gold Rush period. 1943 saw the United States Navy take over the hotel for use as a convalescent hospital for war veterans . Some of the changes made to the hotel by the Navy included a repainting of

6512-524: The successor must acquire all of the assets of the previous operator at fair market value. The contract with Yosemite Hospitality stated that the company be required to purchase furniture, equipment, vehicles, and "other property", but did not explicitly include intellectual property . In 2015, Delaware North sued the NPS in the United States Court of Claims for breach of contract, claiming that

6600-526: The timber came from land owned by the Curry family. The apparent wood siding and structural timber on the hotel's exterior are actually formed from stained concrete poured into molds to simulate a wood pattern. Concrete was chosen as the material for the outside "wood" elements to make the hotel fire resistant. Construction lasted eleven months and cost US$ 1,225,000 upon completion in July 1927. After construction

6688-474: The total number of rooms to 121. The hotel was designed by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood , who also designed Zion Lodge , Bryce Canyon Lodge , and Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge . It was made to feel rustic and match its surroundings, and the hotel is considered a masterpiece of " parkitecture ". The hotel is situated below the Royal Arches rock formation in a meadow area that previously served as

6776-471: The trademarks while the dispute was unresolved and further claimed that the government did not respond to its offer. The dispute gained national attention after it was publicized in an issue of Outside magazine, which led to the Sierra Club issuing a petition requesting that Delaware North drop the lawsuit. In January 2016, it was announced that due to the trademark dispute with Delaware North,

6864-436: The university's 2009 commencement. There's also the story of the late Charles Ogletree , a Merced native who rose from poverty to become a respected Harvard Law professor. Ogletree taught both Barack and Michelle Obama at Harvard; he remained close to Barack Obama throughout his apolitical career.[13] Ogletree wrote opinion pieces on the state of race in the United States for major publications.[14] Ogletree also served as

6952-406: Was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 30,429, and the median income for a family was $ 32,470. Males had a median income of $ 31,725 versus $ 24,492 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 13,115. About 22.4% of families and 27.9% of the population were below

7040-404: Was 28.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males. There were 27,446 housing units at an average density of 1,177.1 per square mile (454.5/km ), of which 10,637 (42.7%) were owner-occupied, and 14,262 (57.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.5%. 31,690 people (40.1% of

7128-422: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13. There were 17,820 families (71.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.65. The population was spread out, with 25,091 people (31.8%) under the age of 18, 10,475 people (13.3%) aged 18 to 24, 20,986 people (26.6%) aged 25 to 44, 15,484 people (19.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 6,922 people (8.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

7216-449: Was asked to be a part of Tresidder's new winter celebrations in the elaborate, theatrical Christmas dinner with friends from the nearby Bohemian Club . Cast as the "Jester", Adams had asked the director for suggestions but was told to just act like a jester. Adams fortified himself with a few drinks and went on to climb the granite pillars to the rafters. Adams played the Lord of Misrule for

7304-591: Was carried out by a number of artisans under their supervision. Much of the decoration originally used was Persian, and Ackerman and Pope would go on to become art consultants in Iran. The hotel was constructed from 5,000 tons (4,500 t) of rough-cut granite, 1,000 tons (910 t) of steel, and 30,000 ft (9,100 m) of timber. The steel came from the Union Iron Works in San Francisco and

7392-454: Was complete, the company began an advertising campaign to showcase the new amenities. However, just before opening day, the director noticed that the porte-cochère planned for the west side of the building, where the Indian room now sits, would allow exhaust fumes from automobiles to invade the premises. A hastily designed Douglas Fir pole porte-cochère entry and parking area were erected on

7480-405: Was filled with locals from the park, including photographer Ansel Adams . In 1993 the National Park Service required a new concessioner to purchase the Yosemite Park and Curry Company from MCA Inc. and rename the business as a new company. The new concession contract was awarded to Delaware North and required that it assume all the assets and liabilities of the previous operator and deed

7568-455: Was recorded on September 6, 2022. The record lowest temperature of 15 °F (−9 °C) was recorded on December 24, 1990. The wettest year was 1998 with 21.98 inches (558 mm) and the driest year was 2013 with 3.79 inches (96 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 8.00 inches (203 mm) in January 1909. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 2.20 inches (56 mm), which occurred on January 30, 1911, and March 9, 1911. According to

7656-542: Was temporarily renamed the Majestic Yosemite Hotel in 2016 due to a legal dispute between the U.S. government , which owns the property, and the outgoing concessionaire, Delaware North , which claimed rights to the trademarked name. The name was restored in 2019 upon settlement of the dispute. David and Jennie Curry were schoolteachers who arrived in Yosemite Valley in 1899. The couple ran

7744-517: Was wider. As a result, the National Park Service closed down climbing access on the west side of the Royal Arches "as a precautionary effort to reduce risk from rockfall". A section of a hiking trail was also closed, and a detour was established. The Royal Arches, like much of the Yosemite area, feature a great choice of rock climbing sites. The Royal Arches climbing area spans from the Church Bowl to Washington Column. The Royal Arches Route

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