Norval, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Norval
Former settlement
Norval Location in California
Country	United States
State	California
County	Calaveras County
Elevation	689 ft (210 m)

Norval was once a small place in Calaveras County, California. It was located right next to the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks. Today, Norval is considered a "former settlement," which means it's no longer a populated place. It sat at an elevation of 689 feet (about 210 meters) above sea level. The only official record of Norval is on a special map from 1944, called the 15' Valley Springs series USGS quad.

Exploring Norval: A Lost California Spot

Norval is a bit of a mystery! It's known as a "former settlement" because people no longer live there. Imagine a place that once had buildings or a few homes, but over time, everyone moved away, and the buildings might have disappeared. This is what happened to Norval. It's like a tiny ghost town, but without many stories left behind.

Where Was Norval Located?

Norval was found in Calaveras County, a historic area in California. This county is famous for its role in the California Gold Rush. It's a place with rolling hills, oak trees, and a rich history of mining and pioneering. Norval was situated in this interesting landscape, not too far from the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Norval's Elevation: How High Up Was It?

The settlement of Norval was located at an elevation of 689 feet (or 210 meters). To give you an idea, that's almost as tall as two football fields stacked on top of each other! Being at this elevation means it was in a valley or on a lower hillside, not high up in the mountains. The elevation would have influenced the local weather and what kind of plants grew there.

The 1944 Map: Norval's Only Official Appearance

It's quite rare for a place to only show up on one map! Norval was noted on the 1944 15' Valley Springs series USGS quad map. USGS stands for the United States Geological Survey. These maps are very detailed and show land features, roads, and settlements. The fact that Norval only appears on this one map suggests it was a very small place, perhaps a temporary stop or a tiny community that didn't last long. It might have been a small camp, a railroad siding, or a place where a few families lived for a short time.

The Railroad Connection: Why Norval Existed

The most important clue about Norval is its connection to the Southern Pacific Railroad. Railroads were super important in developing California, especially in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Railroads and California's Growth

In the past, railroads were like the internet of their time. They connected towns and cities, helped transport goods like lumber, minerals, and farm products, and allowed people to travel across the state. Many small settlements, like Norval, grew up along these railway lines. They might have been places where trains stopped to refuel, where workers lived, or where goods were loaded and unloaded.

What Was the Southern Pacific Railroad?

The Southern Pacific Railroad was one of the biggest and most important railway companies in the western United States. It built many tracks across California, helping to open up new areas for farming, mining, and settlement. Norval's location along this railroad suggests it was somehow connected to the railway's operations, even if it was just a small stop or a place for railroad workers.

Why Do Settlements Disappear?

It might seem strange that a place like Norval can just vanish from maps and memory. But it's actually quite common for small settlements, especially those tied to a specific industry, to disappear over time.

The Rise and Fall of Small Towns

Many small towns in California, especially those from the Gold Rush era or early industrial periods, were built around a single purpose. For example, a town might grow around a gold mine, a logging camp, or a railroad junction. If the gold ran out, the trees were all cut down, or the railroad changed its route, the reason for the town to exist would disappear. People would then move away to find work elsewhere, and the town would slowly fade.

Norval's Possible Story

While we don't know the exact reason Norval became a "former settlement," we can guess. Perhaps it was a small camp for railroad workers that was no longer needed once the tracks were laid. Maybe it was a tiny farming community that struggled to thrive. Or it could have been a place where a specific resource, like timber or a small mineral deposit, was extracted, and once it was gone, so was the settlement. The fact that it only appears on a 1944 map suggests its existence was brief or very minor.

Remembering Norval

Even though Norval is no longer a populated place, its mention on old maps reminds us of California's rich history and the many small communities that once dotted its landscape. These forgotten places are a testament to the changing times and the way industries and transportation shaped where people lived. Norval might be gone, but its name lives on in historical records, inviting us to imagine what life was like in this tiny, lost settlement.