Shasta, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shasta
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Historic Masonic Hall
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 Shasta, California
Location in California
Shasta, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Shasta |
| Area | |
| • Total | 10.982 sq mi (28.444 km2) |
| • Land | 10.978 sq mi (28.433 km2) |
| • Water | 0.004 sq mi (0.012 km2) 0.04% |
| Elevation | 843 ft (257 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,043 |
| • Density | 94.97/sq mi (36.669/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 2583135 |
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Shasta State Historic Park
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| Location | Shasta, California |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000199 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 14, 1971 |
Shasta is a small community in Shasta County, California, United States. It is located about 843 feet (257 meters) above sea level. In 2020, about 1,043 people lived there. This number is lower than the 1,771 people who lived there in 2010.
A special place in Shasta is the Shasta State Historic Park. This park protects the remains of an old gold rush town. It is sometimes called a ghost town because most people have left.
Contents
History of Shasta
Shasta was a very busy town from the 1850s to the 1880s. It was the biggest settlement in Shasta County back then. People often called it "Old Shasta." The town was a major trading hub. It was a key stop for mule trains and stagecoaches. These carried goods and people to and from mining towns in northern California.
When gold was found near Shasta in 1848, many "Forty-Niners" came looking for riches. They traveled along the Siskiyou Trail. Most of them passed through Shasta and used it as their main base. Some stayed to dig for "placer gold" nearby. This type of gold is found in riverbeds. They worked in short-lived mining camps like Horsetown and Whiskeytown, California.
Shasta is about six miles (10 km) west of Redding, California. It once had about 3,500 residents. It was also the county seat, which means it was the main government center. The town had a busy shopping area.
However, things changed in 1873. A new railroad was being built to Oregon. It went through Redding instead of Shasta. This caused Shasta to slowly become a ghost town. In 1888, Shasta lost its county seat status to Redding.
By the 1900s, after several fires, only a few old buildings from the gold rush era were left. These buildings on Main Street were made of brick and had iron doors. People wanted to save them and the stories of the town.
The writer Joaquin Miller wrote about Shasta in his 1870s book, Life Amongst the Modocs. His book was based on his own experiences living in the area in the 1850s.
Shasta State Historic Park
Today, the old town site is a California State Historic Park. It is called Shasta State Historic Park. Many of the original brick buildings from the 1800s are still there. Some have been fixed up. Shasta now has the ruins of the gold mining town, a post office, a church, and a store. It also has the oldest Masonic lodge in California.
In 2018, the park was damaged by a big wildfire called the Carr Fire. The elementary school was destroyed. The old brewery and the cemetery were also damaged.
Geography and Climate
Shasta covers an area of about 11.0 square miles (28.4 km2). Almost all of this area is land. Only a tiny part is water.
Shasta has a hot-summer mediterranean climate. This means it has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Shasta was 115°F (46°C). This happened on July 28, 1976, and again on August 8, 1981. The coldest temperature ever recorded was 14°F (-10°C) on December 21–22, 1990.
People of Shasta
In 2010, about 1,771 people lived in Shasta. Most of the people were White (91.0%). There were also smaller groups of African American, Native American, and Asian people. About 3.2% of the people were of Hispanic or Latino background.
The population was spread out by age. About 19.1% were under 18 years old. About 40.4% were between 45 and 64 years old. About 18.6% were 65 years or older. The average age was about 50.6 years.
Most homes in Shasta (85.9%) were owned by the people living in them. The rest were rented.
Politics
In the state government, Shasta is part of the 1st Senate District and the 1st Assembly District. For the federal government, Shasta is in California's 1st congressional district.
Notable People
- Jim Hanks, an actor and the brother of Tom Hanks, was born in Shasta.
- Bronco Charlie Miller, a famous horse trainer and Pony Express rider, also lived here.
See also
In Spanish: Shasta (California) para niños
- French Gulch Historic District
- California Historical Landmarks in Shasta County
- Reading's Bar
