Cima, California
{{Short description|Unincorporated community in California, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Cima
|official_name =
|settlement_type = Unincorporated Community
|nickname =
|motto =
|image_skyline = Cima, CA.jpg
|imagesize =
|image_caption = Cima, California
|image_flag =
|image_seal =
|pushpin_map = USA California#USA
|pushpin_label_position =
|pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of California
|pushpin_mapsize =
|image_map =
|map_caption = Location within San Bernardino county
|image_map1 =
|mapsize1 =
|map_caption1 =
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_type1 = State
|subdivision_name1 = California
|subdivision_type2 = County
|subdivision_name2 = San Bernardino
Mojave National Preserve
southeast-Mojave Desert
|government_footnotes =
|government_type =
|leader_title =
|leader_name =
|leader_title1 =
|leader_name1 =
|established_title = Founded
|established_date = 1906
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes =
|area_magnitude =
|area_total_km2 =
|area_land_km2 =
|area_water_km2 =
|population_as_of = 2000
|population_footnotes =
|population_total = 21
|population_density_km2 = auto
|timezone = Pacific (PST)
|utc_offset = -8
|timezone_DST = PDT
|utc_offset_DST = -7
|elevation_footnotes =
|elevation_ft = 4175
|coordinates = {{coord|35|14|16|N|115|29|57|W|type:landmark_region:US|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type = ZIP codes
|postal_code = 92323
|area_code = 760
|blank_name = FIPS code
|blank_info =
|blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
|blank1_info =
|website =
|footnotes =
}}
Cima (Spanish for "Summit") is a small unincorporated community in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, in the United States. It lies in a mountain pass on the divide between the Ivanpah Valley and the Mojave River basin, at an elevation of {{convert|4175|ft|m}}. The Ivanpah Mountains and Interstate 15 are to the north, the New York Mountains are to the east, and the Providence Mountains are to the south. To the northwest is the Cima volcanic field, which contains Cima Dome at {{convert|5745|ft|m}} above sea level, a prominent landmark along I-15. Cima is also home to one of the densest Yucca brevifolia forests in California, located in the Cima Dome.
History
Herbert Graham Gibson established the first store at Cima in 1900. In 1905 the first post office opened in the store. Gibson refused to pump the gas for his customers and therefore may have created the first self-service station in the country.David W. Kean, Wide Places in the California Roads: The encyclopedia of California's small towns and the roads that lead to them (Volume 1 of 4: Southern California Counties), p. 45. The site served as both a railroad siding and a commercial center for ranchers and miners.
Few people now live in the area. In fact, like the neighboring town of Kelso to the southwest, Cima is now usually considered a ghost town.{{Cite web |url=http://home.earthlink.net/~ghosttowns5/ca/index.htm#_Toc68063458 |title=Cima ghost town |access-date=2009-10-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831202913/http://home.earthlink.net/~ghosttowns5/ca/index.htm#_Toc68063458 |archive-date=2009-08-31 |url-status=dead }} Nevertheless, both towns still see considerable activity on the Union Pacific (formerly the Los Angeles and Salt Lake) rail line that brought the towns into being. Between Kelso and Cima lies the Cima Grade, the steepest part of the line between the Los Angeles area and Las Vegas. The tracks rise {{convert|2000|ft|m}} in {{convert|20|mi|km}}. Both sites also lie within the Mojave National Preserve, with the attendant tourist activity.
Climate
For Cima, the average high temperature in July is {{convert|93|°F|°C|abbr=on}}, with an average low of {{convert|67|°F|°C|abbr=on}}. January averages are {{convert|51|°F|°C|abbr=on}} and {{convert|29|°F|°C|abbr=on}}. The highest temperature on record is {{convert|110|°F|°C|abbr=on}} in 1967, and the lowest is {{convert|-2|°F|°C|abbr=on}}, recorded in 1972. Cima receives less than {{convert|10|in|mm}} of rain in an average year.
Cima had a post office, with the ZIP code 92323 and the area code 760. In 2011, the post office was closed,{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2011 |title=Post Office Changes |url=https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2011/pb22324/html/info_001.htm |access-date=September 22, 2023 |website=usps.com}} however the 92323 ZIP code remains in use. The 92323 ZIP Code Tabulation Area had a population of 21 at the 2000 census.{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}
References
{{Commons category|Cima, California}}
{{reflist}}
- {{cite book|first=Stuart|last=Allan|title=California Road and Recreation Atlas|year=2005|publisher=Benchmark Maps|isbn=0-929591-80-1|page=97}}
- National Park Service - [https://archive.today/20011109002345/http://www.nps.gov/moja/upeis/upeap2.htm]
{{San Bernardino County, California}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Mojave National Preserve
Category:Unincorporated communities in San Bernardino County, California
Category:Populated places in the Mojave Desert