Furnace Creek (formerly Greenland Ranch) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 136 at the 2020 census, up from 24 at the 2010 census. The elevation of the village is below sea level. The visitor center, museum, and headquarters of Death Valley National Park are located at Furnace Creek.

History

Francis Marion Smith and William Tell Coleman's company, the Harmony Borax Works, 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 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 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 mining and operations for the Pacific Coast Borax Company and the historic 20-Mule Teams hauling wagon trains of borax across the Mojave Desert.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Furnace Creek has a total area of , all land.

Springs in the Amargosa Range created a natural oasis at Furnace Creek, which has subsequently dwindled due to diversion of this water to support the village.

Climate

Furnace Creek, like the rest of Death Valley, has an extreme version of a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh), with long, extremely hot summers; short, very mild winters; and little rainfall. Daytime temperatures range from roughly in December to in July, while overnight lows typically oscillate from . 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 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 July 6 through August 17, 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 in the world, reaching on July 10, 1913. Some meteorologists dispute the accuracy of this 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 [28 to 50 °C].) The former world record for the highest overnight low temperature was , set on July 5, 1918, in Furnace Creek.

Demographics

Furnace Creek first appeared as a census designated place in the 2000 U.S. census.

There were 100 households, out of which 5 (5.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 17 (17.0%) were married-couple households, 6 (6.0%) were cohabiting couple households, 18 (18.0%) had a female householder with no partner present, and 59 (59.0%) had a male householder with no partner present. 68 households (68.0%) were one person, and 20 (20.0%) were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.36.<br> The population consisted of 10 people (7.4%) under 18, 12 (8.8%) aged 18 to 24, 29 (21.3%) aged 25 to 44, 45 (33.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 40 (29.4%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 56.0 years.

There were 135 housing units at an average density of , of which 100 (74.1%) were occupied. Of these, 25 (25.0%) were owner-occupied, and 75 (75.0%) were occupied by renters. and .

Federally, Furnace Creek is in .

Tourist facilities

The village is surrounded by a number of National Park Service public campgrounds. The Ranch at Death Valley is located there, part of the Oasis at Death Valley, 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

thumb|Aerial view of Furnace Creek, an [[oasis in Death Valley]]

Near Furnace Creek is California Historical Landmark 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.

:

It is these emigrants who are said to have given Death Valley its uninviting name.

Education

It is in the Death Valley Unified School District for grades PK-12<!--UNI 10680-->.

See also

  • Geology of the Death Valley area
  • Places of interest in the Death Valley area
  • History of California through 1899
  • Harry Wade Exit Route, a 49er path out of Death Valley
  • California Historical Landmarks in Inyo County

Notes

References

  • Official Death Valley National Park website
  • Official Timbisha Shoshone Tribe website
  • Furnace Creek interactive map of local points of interest