Tres Pinos is in the area code. The local prefix is 628-####. The Zip Code is 95075. There is no residential postal delivery and residents must use post office boxes for mail delivery. Tres Pinos Elementary School, a K-8 school, is operated by Tres Pinos Union Elementary School District. The district is overseen by an elected five-member Board of Trustees. Water and waste water treatment services are provided to the community by the Tres Pinos County Water District. The district is overseen by an elected five-member Board of Directors. Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital is located in Hollister, just under five miles north of the town.
History
The town of Tres Pinos was originally located 5 miles south of the town of Paicines. The opposite is true today. The railroad was to build a line to Tres Pinos. By 1873, Southern Pacific Railroad made it to Paicines and it ran two passenger and two freight trains a day. So in 1874 the names of the two towns were switched so the railroad could say they built a line all the way to Tres Pinos. In its heyday the town was not only the end of the railroad line but was also a stage coach stop. There was a Southern Pacific Hotel, rodeo grounds, grain barns, corrals, and many saloons, restaurants and even a brothel. The "Tres Pinos Tragedy" occurred in 1873 when a robbery featuring eight outlaws including Tiburcio Vásquez went wrong, resulting in three murders.
The 2010 United States Census reported that Tres Pinos had a population of 476. The population density was 132.3 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Tres Pinos was 390 White, 3 African American, 8 Native American, 6 Asian, 0 Pacific Islander, 57 from other races, and 12 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 112 persons. The Census reported that 476 people lived in households, 0 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 were institutionalized. There were 166 households, out of which 62 had children under the age of 18 living in them, 107 were opposite-sex married couples living together, 12 had a female householder with no husband present, 10 had a male householder with no wife present. There were 10 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 24 households were made up of individuals and 7 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87. There were 129 families ; the average family size was 3.19. The population was spread out with 115 people under the age of 18, 32 people aged 18 to 24, 96 people aged 25 to 44, 181 people aged 45 to 64, and 52 people who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.9 males. There were 176 housing units at an average density of 48.9 per square mile, of which 127 were owner-occupied, and 39 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.9%. 366 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 110 people lived in rental housing units.
Fairgrounds
Bolado Park, located in Tres Pinos, is home to the San Benito County Fair and San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo. The Bolado Park Golf Course is operated by a concessionaire. The park and fair are operated by the 33rd District Agricultural Association. The association is overseen by a seven-member board of directors appointed by the governor.
