Tehama, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids City of Tehama
City
Tehama County Museum
Location in Tehama County and the state of California
Tehama, California Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Tehama
Incorporated	July 5, 1906
Area
• Total	0.79 sq mi (2.06 km2)
• Land	0.79 sq mi (2.06 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation	210 ft (64 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	435
• Density	469.77/sq mi (181.31/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	96090
Area code(s)	530
FIPS code	06-78106
GNIS feature ID	1659964

Tehama is a city in Tehama County, California, United States. The name "Tehama" comes from the Wintun language, meaning "high water." In 2020, about 435 people lived there.

What Does the Name Tehama Mean?

The name Tehama most likely comes from the Wintun language. It means "high water." However, some people think it could mean "low land," "salmon," "mother nature," or "shallow."

All these meanings fit the area well. The Sacramento River nearby is often shallow enough to cross. Fishermen can often be seen catching salmon when they swim upstream. Also, the area can flood during winter rains.

A Look Back: Tehama's History

A long time ago, a village of Wintun people lived where Tehama is now. This village was on the west bank of the Sacramento River.

How Tehama Was Founded

Tehama was started by Robert Hasty Thomes. He arrived in the area in 1844 with some friends. They all received land grants from the Mexican government. Thomes's land was called Rancho Saucos.

Tehama was one of the first towns built north of Sacramento. Thomes planned the city in 1850. Its streets were laid out in a grid pattern. First Street no longer exists because the river eroded it away.

Riverboats and County Seat

For a few years, Tehama was the last stop for riverboats. This made the town busy and important. But then, boats started going farther up the river to Red Bluff. Red Bluff then became the main trading center.

When Tehama County was created in 1856, Tehama was chosen as the county seat. This meant it was the main government town. But just one year later, the county seat moved to Red Bluff after a county-wide vote.

Changes Over Time

Tehama was known for being a lively town. Its population grew to about 2,000 people in the 1890s. Many Chinese people also lived there. The city officially became a city in 1906. This happened because people planned to build an electric railway through the area, but the railway was never built.

A big fire in 1908 and the decline of riverboat travel caused Tehama to shrink. The city slowly lost its importance and population.

Living with the River

Tehama is often the first place in the county to flood when it rains a lot. Now, Shasta Dam helps control these floods. Because of the floods, houses in Tehama must be built high up. Most homes have tall foundations and long stairways to their front doors. This gives the city a unique look.

Tehama has two parks: Habert Park and Belbeck Park. Belbeck Park has an old brick schoolhouse. This building is now used for the Head Start program. The Tehama County Museum is also in Tehama. It is in what used to be the Masonic Hall.

Where is Tehama?

Tehama is located at 40°1′28″N 122°7′26″W / 40.02444°N 122.12389°W / 40.02444; -122.12389.

The United States Census Bureau says the city covers about 0.8 square miles (2.06 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

How Many People Live in Tehama?

In 2010, Tehama had 418 people. Most people were White (82.8%). About 13.6% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Tehama in 2010 was 44.1 years old. About 23% of the people were under 18 years old.

Famous People from Tehama

• Heather R. Morgan, a rapper and entrepreneur

See also

In Spanish: Tehama (California) para niños