Olivehurst, California

Olivehurst (formerly, Denniston) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Yuba County, California, United States. The population was 13,656 at the 2010 census, up from 11,061 at the 2000 census. Olivehurst is located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southeast of Marysville.

History

Olivehurst was first largely settled by people from the Midwest during the Great Depression who were looking for fertile land, availability of jobs, and a better future. People from the town have been known to refer to this group of people as Okies. "Okies" is a term originally for those from Oklahoma who were escaping the "dust bowl" Oklahoma had become during the Great Depression. This is why some of the streets are named after cities in Oklahoma. These "Okies" were following migrant workers such as those of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Mexican, and Native American background.

The economy has been largely focused on agriculture, but since the 1950s jobs have been increasingly focused on mill and manufacturing work. Today's economy is centered around a "commuter economy" where many of the residents work outside of the town.