Peanut, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peanut, California
|
|
|---|---|
 Peanut, California
Location in California
Peanut, California
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Trinity |
| Elevation | 2,500 ft (762 m) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| Area code(s) | 530 |
| GNIS feature ID | 264592 |
Peanut is a small community in Trinity County, California, United States. It used to be called Salt Creek. You can find it on Highway 3, south of Hayfork. It is high up at 2,500 feet (about 762 meters) above sea level.
Long ago, about 100 people lived there. By 2018, a news report said there were only "a few old horse barns and a few dozen residents nearby."
Contents
The History of Peanut
Before settlers arrived, the Wintu tribe lived in the area that became Peanut. This land was important to them.
Early Days as Salt Creek
In the late 1800s, the area was known as Salt Creek. It was a useful stopping point for travelers. People journeying from nearby Weaverville to the California coast would stop here. They could find fresh water and a natural spring. Even though it's called Peanut, the cool, mountainous climate means peanuts do not grow well here.
The town used to be on Highway 36. Later, the highway was changed to be straighter and better. This made travel shorter between Red Bluff and the coast. It also removed a detour that went into Eureka from Fortuna.
How Peanut Got Its Name
In 1898, the people living in Salt Creek wanted a post office. The closest one was seven miles away in Hayfork. That was a long horse ride! They had a general store called Cuff's.
They wanted to name their town. But a rule from the United States Board on Geographic Names said town names had to be one word. "Salt Creek" had two words, so it was not allowed.
According to a book called California Place Names, the people first thought about naming the town after Mrs. Cuff. But when they talked to the postmaster in Weaverville, A. L. Paulsen, he had another idea. He suggested "Peanut." He said it was a unique name. No other post office in the directory was called Peanut. Some stories say Paulsen really liked peanuts himself. A schoolteacher named Joe McKnight wrote in his memories that Paulsen was eating peanuts when he suggested the name.
The people added Peanut to their list of choices. The United States Post Office Department approved the name Peanut on January 20, 1900.
Local Life and Economy
Peanut was too small to have its own saloon (a type of bar). However, during Prohibition, when alcohol was illegal, people from Peanut became known. They were famous for making and selling high-quality liquor.
Peanut also had a sawmill for cutting wood. This sawmill burned down sometime in the 1940s or mid-1950s. In 1970, the land where the town of Peanut once stood was put up for sale. It was a 12-acre piece of land.
Peanut's Popularity with Tourists
Peanut became quite popular with tourists when Jimmy Carter was president. He used to be a peanut farmer. In 1979, a local resident told Sacramento Bee newspaper about the visitors. They came looking for the Peanut post office. They wanted to mail a postcard with the special "Peanut" postmark. Road maps of the area often included Peanut just because its name was so interesting.
See also
In Spanish: Peanut (California) para niños
