Furnace Creek is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

(CDP) in

Inyo County Inyo County () is a county in the eastern central part of the U.S. state of California, located between the Sierra Nevada and the state of Nevada. In the 2020 census, the population was 19,016. The county seat is Independence. Inyo County ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. The population was 136 at the 2020 census, up from 24 at the 2010 census. The elevation of the village is below sea level. Furnace Creek holds the record for the highest recorded air temperature on Earth at 134 °F (56.7 °C) on July 10, 1913. Furnace Creek also holds the record for the highest recorded natural ground surface temperature on Earth at 201 °F (93.9 °C) on July 15, 1972, and also holds some other temperature records. The visitor center, museum, and headquarters of the Death Valley National Park are located at Furnace Creek.

Geography and climate

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, Furnace Creek has a total area of , over 99% of it being land. Springs in the

Amargosa Range The Amargosa Range is a mountain range in Inyo County, California and Nye County, Nevada. The range runs along most of the eastern side of California's Death Valley, separating it from Nevada's Amargosa Desert. The U-shaped Amargosa River flows ...

created a natural oasis at Furnace Creek, which has subsequently dwindled due to diversion of this water to support the village. Summers are extraordinarily hot and long, while winter is very warm. Daytime temperatures range from roughly in December to in July, while overnight lows typically oscillate from to . From 1911 through 2006, a period of 95 years, Furnace Creek had an average high temperature of and an average low temperature of . During that time period, the hottest month was July, with an average daily high temperature of , and the driest month was June, with an average monthly precipitation of . Furnace Creek holds the record for the most consecutive days above : 43 days, from 6 July through 17 August 1917. The average temperature of July 2018 was , which is the highest temperature of any month for any place in the world. Furnace Creek holds the record for the highest recorded

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various Conversion of units of temperature, temp ...

in the world, reaching on July 10, 1913. Some meteorologists dispute the accuracy of the 1913 temperature measurement. In addition, a ground temperature of was recorded in Furnace Creek on July 15, 1972; this may be the highest natural ground surface temperature ever recorded. (Temperatures measured directly on the ground may exceed air temperatures by 50 to 90 °F (30 to 50 °C).) The former world record for the highest overnight low temperature was , set on 5 July 1918, in Furnace Creek.

History

The William Tell Coleman Borax Company established Greenland Ranch in 1883, named after the green alfalfa fields which they planted there. They established a weather station at the ranch in 1891. Greenland Ranch was renamed Furnace Creek Ranch in 1933. The

Timbisha The Timbisha ("rock paint", Timbisha language: Nümü Tümpisattsi) are a Native American tribe federally recognized as the Death Valley Timbisha Shoshone Band of California. They are known as the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe and are located in sout ...

tribe currently live at the Death Valley Indian Community reservation here. They provided many of the artisans and builders to construct the original

Fred Harvey Company The Fred Harvey Company was the owner of the Harvey House chain of restaurants, hotels and other hospitality industry businesses alongside railroads in the Western United States. It was founded in 1876 by Fred Harvey to cater to the growing ...

resort buildings, the Indian Village, and Park Service structures. They compose the majority of residents of Furnace Creek's permanent population at the tribe's reservation. Furnace Creek was formerly the center of

Death Valley Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. During summer, it is the Highest temperature recorded on Earth, hottest place on Earth. Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the ...

mining and operations for the

Pacific Coast Borax Company The Pacific Coast Borax Company (PCB) was a United States mining company founded in 1890 by the American borax magnate Francis Smith, the "Borax King". History The roots of the Pacific Coast Borax Company lie in Mineral County, Nevada, east of ...

and the historic 20 Mule Teams hauling wagon trains of

borax Borax is a salt ( ionic compound), a hydrated borate of sodium, with chemical formula often written . It is a colorless crystalline solid, that dissolves in water to make a basic solution. It is commonly available in powder or granular for ...

across the

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily ...

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census reported that Furnace Creek had a population of 24. The population density was 0.8 people per square mile (0.3/km). The racial makeup was six (25.0%) White, 16 (66.7%) American Indian, and two (8.3%) from two or more races. The Census reported that 24 people (100% of the population) lived in households. There were 15 households, out of which two (13.3%) had children under age 18, four (26.7%) were married couples living together, four (20.0%) had a female householder with no husband present. Eight households (53.3%) were made up of individuals, and three (20.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 1.60. There were seven families (46.7%), and the average family size was 2.29. The population consisted of two people (8.3%) under 18, two (8.3%) aged 18 to 24, five (20.8%) aged 25 to 44, nine (37.5%) aged 45 to 64, and six (25.0%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 52.0 years. There were 15 occupied housing units at an average density of 0.6 per square mile (0.2/km), of which 11 (73.3%) were owner-occupied, and four (26.7%) were occupied by renters.

Politics

In the state legislature, Furnace Creek is in , and . Federally, Furnace Creek is in .

Tourist facilities

The village is surrounded by a number of

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...

public campgrounds. The Ranch at Death Valley is located there, part of the

Oasis at Death Valley The Oasis at Death Valley, formerly called Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch Resort, is a luxury resort in Furnace Creek, on private land within the boundaries of California's Death Valley National Park. It is owned and operated by Xanterra Parks and R ...

, one of the park's major tourist facilities. The Furnace Creek Golf Course attached to the ranch claims to be the lowest in the world at below sea level. Some lodging is closed in the summer when temperatures can exceed , but the golf course remains open; the resort established a summer tournament in 2011 called the Heatstroke Open which drew a field of 48. There is also a restaurant, café, store, and gas station in Furnace Creek village. The Furnace Creek Airport is located about west of the park headquarters.

California Historical Landmark

Near Furnace Creek is

California Historical Landmark A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance. Criteria Historical significance is determined by meeting at least one of ...

number 442, Death Valley '49ers Gateway, assigned on October 24, 1949. The marker is at the corner of State Route 190 and Badwater Road. The California Historical Landmark reads: :''NO. 442 DEATH VALLEY GATEWAY - Through this natural gateway the Death Valley '49ers, more than 100 emigrants from the Middle West seeking a shortcut to gold fields of central California, entered Death Valley in December 1849. All suffered from thirst and starvation. Seeking an escape from the region, two contingents went southwest from here, while the others proceeded northwest.''californiahistoricallandmarks.com Landmarks chl-442
/ref>

Notes

References

External links

Official Death Valley National Park websiteOfficial Timbisha Shoshone Tribe websiteFurnace Creek interactive map of local points of interest
{{Authority control Populated places in the Mojave Desert Death Valley Death Valley National Park Census-designated places in Inyo County, California Oases of California Timbisha Census-designated places in California