Sebastopol first took shape in the 1850s, when local farmers established a post office and a smallagricultural trade center. With the Gold Rush in full swing, the local population grewtremendously throughout the 1850s. Early residents began to refer to the outpost as Sebastopolfollowing a heated fistfight between two local men that was said to resemble Britain’s siege of the Russian seaport Sevastopol during the on-going Crimean War, one of the first wars to bewidely covered by international journalists and photographers.
In the 1880s, a number of local farmers began cultivating apples near Sebastopol. Theseventures were a success, and Sebastopol soon became the center of a lucrative apple industry andthe location of the world’s first applesauce cannery. In 1890, the Northwestern Pacific Railroadbegan service to Sebastopol, and by 1904, the community was connected to Santa Rosa andPetaluma via an electric passenger train line. The City of Sebastopol was incorporated on June13, 1902.Starting in the mid 1900s, Sebastopol’s apple industry began to decline amidstcompetition from other apple-producing regions. Although apples are no longer Sebastopol’slargest industry, the area continues to provide the majority of the world supply of Gravensteinapples, and the community hosts an annual apple blossom festival.
More recently, WesternSonoma County has become a significant producer of wine-quality grapes, and the Sebastopolregion now hosts a number of wineries that attract revenue and tourists. The nearby RussianRiver Recreation Region also draws numerous visitors that utilize services in Sebastopol.
Infrastructure
Current Economy
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 63% of Sebastopol residents 16 or older wereemployed in 2000, and 35.2% were not in the labor force (were not actively seeking work). Thecommunity displayed a 2.5% unemployment rate, which fell below the national unemploymentrate of 5.7% (calculated by dividing the unemployed population by the labor force). According tothe City of Sebastopol, the community’s major employers include O’Reilly and Associates (apublisher of computer-related books), Safeway Stores, Analy Union High School, SebastopolUnion School, and Palm Drive Hospital.
Of the employed civilian population, approximately24.4% worked in ‘Educational, health and social services,’ 11.3% in ‘Manufacturing,’ 10.8% in‘Construction,’ 10.3% in ‘Retail trade,’ and 6.6% in ‘Professional, scientific, and technicalservices.’ A total of 17.2% of the employed civilian population was employed by federal, state,and local governments; however none of these employees worked in government services relatedto ‘Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining.’ Only 0.6% of the employed civilian populationwas involved in ‘Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting.’ Many fishermen living inSebastopol likely commute to nearby Bodega Bay, which hosts extensive marina facilities.According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Sebastopol’s per capita income in 1999 was $22,881,a value slightly higher than the national per capita income of $21,587. The median householdincome was $46,436 compared to a national median household income of $41,994. About 6.9%of residents were living below the poverty level in 1999, a value below the national poverty levelof 12.4% for the same year.In 2000, there were 3321 housing units in Sebastopol, 97.9% of which were occupied and2.1% of which were vacant. Of the occupied housing units, 55.9% and 44.1% were owner andrenter occupied respectively. Of the vacant housing units, 16.9% were for seasonal, recreational,or occasional use.
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