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Fall River Mills, California facts for kids

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Fall River Mills
Census-designated place
Sign welcoming visitors to Fall River Valley
Sign welcoming visitors to Fall River Valley
Nickname(s): 
Northern California's best kept secret
Location in Shasta County and the state of California
Location in Shasta County and the state of California
Country  United States
State  California
County Shasta
Settled 1855
Founded by William H. Winters
Government
 • Type Municipal
Area
 • Total 2.752 sq mi (7.128 km2)
 • Land 2.593 sq mi (6.715 km2)
 • Water 0.159 sq mi (0.413 km2)  5.79%
Elevation
3,195 ft (1,014 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 616
 • Density 223.84/sq mi (86.42/km2)
Time zone UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
96028
Area code(s) 530
FIPS code 06-23532
GNIS feature ID 0260035
Website Town of Fall River Mills Website

Fall River Mills, often called Fall River, is a small town in Shasta County, California, United States. It's not officially a city but is recognized as a census-designated place (CDP). In 2020, about 616 people lived there, which was a slight increase from 573 people in 2010.

What Does Fall River Mills Produce?

This community is well-known for its farming. Farmers here grow many different crops and raise animals. Some of the main products include cattle, special Fall River wild rice, garlic, mint, hay, lavender, and alfalfa.

Schools in Fall River Mills

The town has several schools that are part of the Fall River Joint Unified School District.

  • Fall River Joint Unified School District
  • Elementary Schools:
    • Fall River Elementary School (Kindergarten to 6th grade) – This school has been recognized as a "California Distinguished School."
    • Fall River Elementary Community Day School (Kindergarten to 6th grade)
  • High Schools:
    • Fall River Jr and Sr High School (7th to 12th grade) – Also a "California Distinguished School."
    • Fall River Community Day School (7th to 12th grade)
    • Soldier Mt Continuation School (9th to 12th grade)
  • Other Schools:
    • Migrant Child Education (Kindergarten to 12th grade)

Getting Around: Transportation in Fall River Mills

Fall River Mills Airport
Sign for Fall River Mills Airport.

The Fall River Mills Airport, also known as Tonkin Field, is a public airport right in downtown Fall River Mills. It serves the people of Shasta County. The airport has one runway and is mostly used by small planes for general flying. It's the only airport like it within 75 miles (121 km) of Redding and Alturas.

The airport was first built in the 1940s to train pilots during World War II. Over the years, it has been kept up and improved with money from the California Aid to Airports Program. Today, it has many hangars for planes and sells aviation fuel. Pilots can even turn on the runway lights at night as they get close to the airport.

Where is Fall River Mills Located?

Fall River Mills is located at 41°0′21″N 121°26′27″W / 41.00583°N 121.44083°W / 41.00583; -121.44083.

The town is tucked between two big mountain ranges: the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade mountains. It's in the far northeast part of Shasta County, California. Mountains surround the town in every direction. You can see Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen from anywhere in the Fall River Valley.

The valley floor is mostly flat, with elevations ranging from about 3,200 to 3,400 feet (975 to 1,036 meters). The mountain passes around the valley are higher, from 3,600 to over 4,200 feet (1,097 to 1,280 meters).

The area of Fall River Mills is about 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2). Most of this is land (2.6 sq mi or 6.7 km2), and a smaller part is water (0.2 sq mi or 0.5 km2).

The town gets its name from the Fall River, which flows nearby. This river, along with the Pit River, provides water to the Fall River Valley. The area around the valley is very volcanic, meaning it has features like lava flows and old volcanoes.

What is the Climate Like?

Fall River Mills has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.

Climate data for Fall River Mills, California
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 66
(19)		 72
(22)		 79
(26)		 86
(30)		 92
(33)		 103
(39)		 106
(41)		 104
(40)		 103
(39)		 94
(34)		 82
(28)		 63
(17)		 106
(41)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 43.0
(6.1)		 47.9
(8.8)		 54.5
(12.5)		 62.4
(16.9)		 70.8
(21.6)		 78.2
(25.7)		 87.6
(30.9)		 86.4
(30.2)		 80.4
(26.9)		 68.6
(20.3)		 54.9
(12.7)		 44.7
(7.1)		 65.2
(18.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 20.7
(−6.3)		 24.2
(−4.3)		 29.0
(−1.7)		 34.3
(1.3)		 40.3
(4.6)		 45.9
(7.7)		 49.9
(9.9)		 46.4
(8.0)		 40.9
(4.9)		 33.4
(0.8)		 26.6
(−3.0)		 22.6
(−5.2)		 34.5
(1.4)
Record low °F (°C) −18
(−28)		 −15
(−26)		 3
(−16)		 10
(−12)		 24
(−4)		 28
(−2)		 35
(2)		 30
(−1)		 21
(−6)		 7
(−14)		 −17
(−27)		 −18
(−28)		 27.4
(−2.6)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.69
(68)		 2.38
(60)		 2.20
(56)		 1.53
(39)		 1.22
(31)		 0.85
(22)		 0.18
(4.6)		 0.18
(4.6)		 0.47
(12)		 1.23
(31)		 2.35
(60)		 2.94
(75)		 18.22
(463.2)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 8.4
(21)		 4.1
(10)		 3.2
(8.1)		 3.6
(9.1)		 0.9
(2.3)		 0.1
(0.25)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0.5
(1.3)		 0.4
(1.0)		 2.7
(6.9)		 11
(28)		 34.9
(89)
Average precipitation days 8 6 7 5 7 6 1 2 2 4 8 10 66
Source 1: WeatherBase
Source 2: National Weather Service

Who Lives in Fall River Mills?

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, Fall River Mills had 573 people. Most residents (about 78.5%) were White. About 5.2% were Native American, and 18.3% identified as Hispanic or Latino. The population was spread out in age, with about 24.4% being under 18 years old and 21.5% being 65 or older. The average age was 41.8 years.

Fun Things to Do: Recreation in Fall River Mills

The Fall River Valley offers many fun activities for everyone. There are annual events, festivals, and fairs.

  • Golf: The valley has a world-class golf course.
  • Outdoor Adventures: You can go Mountain Climbing and Spelunking (exploring caves).
  • Fishing: Sport fishing, especially Fly Fishing, is very popular. Several tournaments are held each year.
  • Hunting: The valley is a good place for hunting big game, upland game, and waterfowl.
  • Water Sports: Boating and Canoeing are popular on lakes like Fall River Lake, Eastman Lake, and Big Lake. You can also go White Water Rafting on the rivers and creeks, including the Fall River, Tule River, and Pit River. These rivers come from many fresh water springs, forming one of the largest systems in the country.
  • Nature Viewing: The waters create beautiful waterfalls south and west of Fall River Mills. The Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park, north of town, is special because you can only reach it by water!
  • Arts and Culture: You can find local art in galleries and gift shops.
  • Equestrian Events: Horse riding and Rodeo events happen throughout the year, with the Intermountain Fair Rodeo being a big highlight.
  • Parks: The community has parks like Clark Field, Fall River Lions Community Park, and the Joe Bruce Sports Complex for family fun and sports.
  • Cycling: Cycling is very popular. Hundreds of cyclists come each year for the Fall River Century Bike Ride in late spring.

Visiting Fall River Mills: Tourism

Fall River Mills is in the Fall River Valley, between the volcanic peaks of Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen.

The Fall River is a stream fed by springs. It flows for about 16 miles (26 km) through farmland, but there are places where the public can access it. The river is known for its rainbow trout fishing. The Fall River's water is even piped through Saddle Mountain to power the Pit 1 Power House. You can also enjoy white water rafting and fly fishing on the creeks in the area.

Winters can be very cold, but spring, summer, and early fall have warm days and cool nights. Fall River Mills is a traditional farming community in Northern California. It's famous for its wild rice, cattle, hay, lavender, and mint.

Famous People Connected to Fall River Mills

Some well-known people have connections to Fall River Mills, even if they don't all live there full-time.

  • George Crook (1828–1890): A famous Army officer known for his service in the American Civil War and Indian Wars.
  • William Hanna: The co-creator of many beloved cartoon shows like Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and Scooby-Doo.
  • Dan Hawkins: A football head coach for teams like UC Davis, Colorado, and Boise State. He was born in Fall River Mills.
  • Bing Crosby: A famous actor and singer who helped raise money to build and furnish the only hospital in Fall River Mills.
  • Jamie Pineda: The lead singer of the pop music group Sweetbox, from Fall River Mills.
  • Mark Wilson: An offensive tackle who played for the NFL's Oakland Raiders, also from Fall River Mills.

Gallery

  • Fall River pic 1

    Hwy 299 West, Fall River Mills.

  • Hwy 299 and Main pic 1

    Hwy 299 East & Main Street, Fall River Mills.

  • Hwy 299 and Main pic 2

    Hwy 299 West & Main Street, Fall River Mills.

  • Fall River Fire Dept.

    The Fall River Mills Fire Department.

  • North Main Street

    The Historic Fall River Hotel.

  • Fall River Theatre

    The Fall River Mills Theatre.

  • Fall River Cemetery

    The Fall River Mills Cemetery.

  • The New Round Barn

    Reconstruction of the Historic Round Barn.

  • Fall River Mills Round Barn

    Completed Reconstruction of the Historic Round Barn.

  • Fall River Dam

    Fall River Mills Dam Complex.

  • Fall River Lake

    Fall River Lake, Fall River Mills

  • Fall River Mills Jailhouse

    Fall River Mills Jailhouse, Circa 1900s.

  • Lockheart Ferry

    Lockhart Ferry Historical Marker, Fall River Mills

See also

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