Grass Valley, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grass Valley, California
City
Holbrooke Hotel and Restaurant (2017)
Location of Grass Valley in Nevada County, California
Grass Valley, California Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Nevada
Incorporated	March 13, 1893
Area
• Total	5.25 sq mi (13.59 km2)
• Land	5.25 sq mi (13.59 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation	2,411 ft (735 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,016
• Density	2,669.7/sq mi (1,031.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	95945, 95949
Area code	530
FIPS code	06-30798
GNIS feature IDs	277525, 2410651

Grass Valley is a city in Nevada County, California, USA. It is located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The city is about 2,500 feet (760 m) above sea level. In 2010, about 12,860 people lived there. Grass Valley is about 57 miles (92 km) from Sacramento and 88 miles (142 km) from Reno.

History of Grass Valley

A geologic map of Grass Valley, showing where the North Star, Empire, and Maryland mines were located.

Grass Valley started during the California Gold Rush. It was first called Boston Ravine, then Centerville. Gold was found at Gold Hill in October 1850. Many people moved to the area because of the gold. In 1851, a post office was opened. The town was renamed Grass Valley in 1852, but no one knows why. The town officially became a city in 1860.

Famous Gold Mines

The most important gold mines in Grass Valley were the North Star, Empire, and Idaho-Maryland mines. They produced gold for many years. From 1868 to 1900, the Idaho-Maryland mine was the busiest. After that, the North Star and Empire mines produced the most gold until 1925. In 1932, the Empire and North Star mines were connected deep underground.

Grass Valley was home to the Empire Mine and North Star Mine. These were two of California's richest mines. George Starr, who managed the Empire Mine, and William Bowers Bourn II, who owned it, gave land that became Memorial Park. William Bourn Jr. took over the Empire Mine in 1878. He changed it from using water power to steam power. In 1884, he bought and improved the North Star mine.

The Idaho and Maryland mines joined together in 1893. In 1925, Errol MacBoyle bought the Idaho-Maryland mine. By 1938, it was the second largest gold producer in the USA. However, gold mining stopped during WWII. This was because of a government order called Limitation Order 208. After the war, people tried to restart mining, but it was no longer profitable by the mid-1950s.

Cornish Heritage

Many people who settled in Grass Valley were tin miners from Cornwall, United Kingdom. Most of them arrived between 1860 and 1895. They made up about three-quarters of Grass Valley's population.

Grass Valley still celebrates its Cornish heritage. They have an annual Cornish Christmas and St. Piran's Day celebrations. Cornish pasties are a popular local food. Some restaurants in town still use old family recipes for pasties. Grass Valley is also a sister city with Bodmin in Cornwall, UK.

Historical Events

After the American Civil War ended, some people in Grass Valley celebrated the death of President Lincoln. When soldiers from the 1st California Cavalry Battalion heard about this, they sent 25 men to the town. These soldiers got into a fight with 10 local people. Two soldiers were hurt. The soldiers arrested the 10 locals and took them to Camp Low.

Geography and Climate

Grass Valley is located at 39°13′9″N 121°3′30″W / 39.21917°N 121.05833°W / 39.21917; -121.05833. The city covers an area of about 4.7 square miles (12 km²), all of which is land.

Local Geology

Grass Valley sits on different types of rock. These include igneous (volcanic) and metamorphic (changed by heat and pressure) rocks. The downtown area is on granitic rock, like quartz diorite. Other areas have metavolcanic rock and diabase. Some neighborhoods are on ultramafic rock. This rock creates poor soil, so the plants there are often gray pines and different kinds of oaks. Areas with richer soil have thick forests of ponderosa pines.

Weather in Grass Valley

Grass Valley has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm to hot, dry summers and cool, wet, rainy winters. Summers are very dry, but sometimes there are thunderstorms. The area gets a lot of rain, over 50 inches (1,300 mm) each year. This is very different from the drier valleys nearby. The high rainfall makes the area very green, like places with an oceanic climate.

Winters are cool but usually not extremely cold. It snows at least once a year, often in late winter. Some years have big snowstorms, while others have very little snow.

On average, Grass Valley has about 36 days a year where the temperature reaches 90 °F (32 °C) or hotter. It rarely gets to 100 °F (38 °C). There are about 61 days a year where the temperature drops to 32 °F (0 °C) or colder.

People of Grass Valley

The famous spire of the Del Oro Theatre.

In 2010, Grass Valley had a population of 12,860 people. Most people (89.4%) were White. About 10.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Most people (96.4%) lived in homes. About 25.4% of homes had children under 18. The average home had 2.04 people. The average family had 2.78 people.

About 20.4% of the people were under 18. About 23.5% were 65 or older. The average age was 43.2 years.

Economy and Jobs

Shops on Main Street in Grass Valley.

Grass Valley and nearby Nevada City have a mix of different types of businesses. Tourism is a big part of the local economy because of the area's gold rush history. Many people who live here are retired. Some working adults travel to cities in the Sacramento Valley for their jobs. These cities include Roseville, Yuba City, and Sacramento. Some even travel as far as the Bay Area.

Many people also work locally in shops, trade, engineering, and construction. There are also jobs in local and state government. Several high-tech electronics companies are in the area too.

Agriculture and Local Businesses

Farming is also an important part of the local economy. The soil in Nevada County is very good for growing things. During the Gold Rush, farmers planted orchards and vegetables. Ranchers brought in cattle and sheep. Even though less land is used for farming now, it's still important. The area is also becoming known for its growing wine industry.

Some of the biggest employers in Grass Valley include:

• Nevada Union High School
• Nevada Irrigation District
• Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital
• Golden Empire Nursing and Rehab Center
• AJA Video Systems, Inc.
• Briar Patch Food Co-op

The Grass Valley Group is a company that creates media technology. It was started in the city in 1959.

Education in Grass Valley

The Grass Valley High School girls' basketball team in 1918.

The public library in Grass Valley, named after Josiah Royce.

Colleges and Universities

• Nevada County Campus of Sierra College

Public Schools

• Bear River High School
• Bell Hill Academy
• Bitney College Prep Charter High School
• Clear Creek Elementary School
• Cottage Hill Elementary School
• Forest Charter School
• Grass Valley Charter School
• Lyman Gilmore Middle School
• Magnolia Intermediate School
• Nevada Union High School
• Nevada City School District
• Pleasant Ridge Elementary School
• Scotten Elementary School
• Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning
• Union Hill Middle School
• William and Marian Ghidotti Early College High School
• Yuba River Charter School

Public Libraries

• Josiah Royce Public Library

Getting Around Grass Valley

Grass Valley is where State Route 49 and State Route 20 meet. You can use public transportation called Gold Country Stage [1]. This service mostly covers the city areas.

Historical Places to Visit

Grass Valley has several important historical landmarks:

• Empire Mine State Historic Park (California Historical Landmark #298)
• Grass Valley Public Library (National Register of Historic Places #92000267)
• Holbrooke Hotel (California Historical Landmark #914)
• Home of Lola Montez (California Historical Landmark #292)
• Home of Lotta Crabtree (California Historical Landmark #293)
• Lyman Gilmore Middle School
• Mount Saint Mary's Convent and Academy (California Historical Landmark #855)
• North Star Mine Powerhouse (California Historical Landmark #843)
• Overland Emigrant Trail (California Historical Landmark #799)
• Site of the First Discoveries of Quartz Gold in California (California Historical Landmark #297)

Sister Cities

Grass Valley has two sister cities, which are towns it shares a special friendship with:

• Bodmin, Cornwall, United Kingdom
• Limana, Italy

Famous People From Grass Valley

See also

In Spanish: Grass Valley para niños