California City, incorporated in 1965, is a city located in the northern Antelope Valley in Kern County in the U.S. state of California. The population was 8,385 at the 2000 census. Estimated population in July 2006 is 12,659.

California City has one prison (the California City Correctional Center, operated by the Corrections Corporation of America), one landowners' resort, one PGA golf course, and one municipal airport (site of a skydiving club). Much of the city's workforce is supported by Edwards Air Force Base, which is located just to the south of the city. Other major sources of employment include California City Prison, Silver Saddle, and nearby cities such as Tehachapi, Ridgecrest, Boron, Palmdale, and Lancaster.

California City had its origins in 1958 when real estate developer and sociology professor Nat Mendelsohn purchased 80,000 acres (320 km²) of Mojave Desert land with the aim of master-planning California's next great city. He designed a model city, which he hoped would one day rival Los Angeles, around a Central Park with a 26 acre artificial lake. Growth did not happen quite as quickly as he expected. To this day a grid of crumbling paved roads, intended to lay out residential blocks, extends well beyond the developed area of the city. California City was incorporated in 1965.

Wikipedia articles for california city

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