Snelling, California

Snelling is a census-designated place in Merced County, California. It is located on the north bank of the Merced River 15mi north of Merced, at an elevation of 256 feet . The population was 231 at the 2010 census.HistoryThe Snelling Ranch post office opened in 1853, was closed for a time during 1861, and changed its name to Snelling in 1870. The name is from the Snelling family that operated a way station at the place beginning in 1851.Snelling's zip code is 95369 and its area code is 209.Snelling was the county seat of Merced County from 1857 to 1872. The courthouse constructed in 1857 continued to serve as a justice court until the 1990s. The two-story building remains standing today and is a rare surviving example of a simple early California courthouse.GeographyAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 0.5 square miles (1.4 km²), all of it land.DemographicsThe 2010 United States Census reported that Snelling had a population of 231. The population density was 427.5 people per square mile (165.1/km²). The racial makeup of Snelling was 206 (89.2%) White, 0 (0.0%) African American, 3 (1.3%) Native American, 6 (2.6%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 13 (5.6%) from other races, and 3 (1.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 33 persons (14.3%).