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California, Missouri

19 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1888 and the latest in 1982. It stands in Walker Township. It lies in ZIP code area 65018. The Survey maps it on the California North quadrangle. 4,498 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 892 feet above sea level.

Research this city

California within Moniteau County

On record in California

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 5 records

Population over time

2 figures

California grew from 4,278 to 4,498 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20104,278
20204,498+220 (+5%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

8 surveys from 19 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

15 since 1999

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 15 fires within 5 miles of California between 1999 and 2019, burning about 39 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning7
Missing data/not specified/undetermined4
Smoking2
Recreation and ceremony1
Equipment and vehicle use1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
26 September 2019Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreMissouri Department of Conservation190103-06841-09262019-1950
9 August 2019Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMissouri Department of Conservation190101-06841-08092019-1200
5 August 1999Debris and open burning5.0 acresMissouri Department of Conservationnot named
2 August 2019Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.8 acresMissouri Department of Conservation190100-06841-08022019-0625
19 August 1999Debris and open burning1.0 acresMissouri Department of Conservationnot named
3 July 2019Debris and open burning2.9 acresMissouri Department of Conservation190097-06841-07032019-1600
27 July 2019Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreMissouri Department of Conservation190099-06841-07272019-0520
25 July 2019Smokingunder an acreMissouri Department of Conservation190098-06841-07252019-1700

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Moniteau County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 34 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 34 workings within 5 miles of California: 33 past producers, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Lead, Zinc, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Lead, Barium-Barite, Lead, Zinc. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
New Brady MinesBarium-Barite, LeadPast Producer
Steubinger MineBarium-BaritePast Producer
Unknown - ClayClayPast Producer
Unknown - Lead ZincZinc, LeadPast Producer
Unknown - Lead Zinc IronZinc, Iron, LeadPast Producer
Unknown - Lead Zinc IronIron, Lead, ZincPast Producer
Unknown - Ls Lead ZincStone, Crushed/Broken, Zinc, LeadPast Producer
Unknown - Ls DimensionLimestone, DimensionPast Producer
Unknown - Ls DimensionLimestone, DimensionPast Producer
Crown MineBarium-Barite, Lead, ZincPast Producer

Every working recorded in Moniteau County

Storms near this place

60 of 69 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names California in 69 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 37 thunderstorm wind, 28 hail, 2 flash flood, 1 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 1994Thunderstorm WindCalifornia$50,000Pieces of a tin roof were torn off several barns. Several large trees and power lines were also knocked down.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindCalifornia$5,000Thunderstorm winds blew down a power pole on the south side of town.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindCalifornia$5,000A local radio station reported wind gusts to 79 mph with numerous trees down and shingles blown off roofs on the west side of California.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindCalifornia$5,000A local radio station reported wind gusts of 79 mph which broke 10-inch-diameter tree limbs.
May 1995Thunderstorm WindCalifornia$600The county sheriff's department reported trees and power lines down.
April 1993Thunderstorm WindCalifornia$500no account filed
April 2025Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-A mesonet station measured a 61 mph wind gust near California.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds snapped healthy tree branches of up to 6 inches in diameter.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds blew down several large tree limbs and a short light pole.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous tree limbs around town as well as a tree on Howard Street.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous trees and power lines around town.
March 2017Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds caused minor damage to a roof of a building on the north side of California. The debris landed on Highway 87.
May 2017Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds blew down several large trees around town. Also, a transformer caught fire.
October 2017Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds blew down a tree onto power lines in town.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-A line of severe storms moved through Moniteau County. Numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines were blown down between California and Jamestown.
May 2013Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds blew down a few large trees.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds blew down a large tree on the north side of town. The tree knocked down several power lines.
August 2011Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous tree limbs and several power lines.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds blew down several power poles in town.
April 2010Flash FloodCalifornia-Between 2 and 4 inches of rain fell in a short amount of time causing flash flooding. Numerous roads were flooded including U.S. Highway 50 just west of California and Highway O just north of California. One foot of water was flowing over Parkview Drive in California.
May 2009Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Several trees were blown over onto U.S. Highway 50 five miles west of California.
July 2009Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds snapped off tops of a few large trees. Also, some siding was blown off of a house.
May 2008Heavy RainCalifornia-Several local roads in and near California were flooded due to heavy rain.
September 2007Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-A power line was blown down in California.
May 2007HailCalifornia-A report from the public estimated 2 inch hail.
May 2007HailCalifornia-A storm spotter reported golfball size hail.
April 2005HailCalifornia-The Sheriff Department reported nickel size hail.
May 2005HailCalifornia-The County Sheriff reported 3/4 inch hail.
March 2003Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-The County Sheriff reported wind gusts to 70 mph. Some trees and power lines were downed.
May 2003HailCalifornia-Amateur radio spotters reported 3/4 inch hail just southwest of California.
May 2003HailCalifornia-Storm spotters reported golfball size hail.
December 2002HailCalifornia-The County EOC reported 3/4 inch hail.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines and caused some structural damage. A grocery store, the newspaper office, a fire station and California City Hall all suffered roof damage from the wind gusts. A 20 foot section of the City Hall roof was blown off resulting in considerable water damage inside.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-The County Sheriff reported several trees and power lines down in the south part of town.
April 2001Tornado (F0)California-A small, brief tornado formed near California. A couple of storm spotters observed the brief tornado north of California. The tornado formed over open farmland, kicked up some dirt and dissipated. This was the first of 6 tornadoes that a High Precipitation Supercell produced in the National Weather Service St. Louis County Warning Area.
May 2000HailCalifornia-Storm spotters reported 3/4 inch hail.
April 1995HailCalifornia-Golf ball-size hail was reported in Latham and quarter-size hail was reported southwest of California.
June 1994HailCalifornia-The county sheriff reported large hail in and near California lasting for ten minutes.
June 1994HailCalifornia-The county sheriff reported large hail in and near California lasting for ten minutes.
May 2017HailCalifornia-no account filed
May 2017HailCalifornia-no account filed
July 2014HailCalifornia-no account filed
April 2011HailCalifornia-no account filed
April 2011HailCalifornia-no account filed
May 2009HailCalifornia-no account filed
April 2008HailCalifornia-no account filed
June 2008Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-no account filed
May 2007HailCalifornia-no account filed
March 2006HailCalifornia-no account filed
March 2006Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-no account filed
April 2006HailCalifornia-no account filed
April 2006Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-no account filed
April 2006HailCalifornia-no account filed
April 2006HailCalifornia-no account filed
September 2005Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-no account filed
September 2005Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-no account filed
September 2005Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-no account filed
September 2005Thunderstorm WindCalifornia-no account filed
August 2005Flash FloodCalifornia-no account filed
May 2003HailCalifornia-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Moniteau County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
McGirk4.9 miles18
Clarksburg5.6 miles18
Kliever5.9 miles19
Latham7.7 miles17
Bacon8.2 miles18
Corticelli8.4 miles18
High Point10.0 miles19
Cedron10.1 miles18

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on CaliforniaAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q961237The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 766152. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.