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Tehama County, California
County of Tehama
Ishi Wilderness.jpg
State Theater 1946 - Red Bluff, CA.JPG
Lassen NP headquarters.jpg
Front of William B. Ide Adobe.JPG
Images, from top down, left to right: Black Rock in the Ishi Wilderness, State Theatre in Red Bluff, Park Headquarters in Lassen Volcanic National Park, front of the William B. Ide Adobe
Official seal of Tehama County, California
Seal
Location in the state of California
Location in the state of California
Country  United States
State  California
Region Shasta Cascade
Incorporated 1856
County seat Red Bluff
Largest city Red Bluff
Government
 • Type Council–Administrator
Area
 • Total 2,962 sq mi (7,670 km2)
 • Land 2,950 sq mi (7,600 km2)
 • Water 12 sq mi (30 km2)
Highest elevation
9,239 ft (2,816 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 65,829
 • Density 22.225/sq mi (8.5809/km2)
Time zone UTC-8 (Pacific Standard Time)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Congressional district 1st
Website www.co.tehama.ca.us

Tehama County (Listeni/təˈhmə/ tə-HAY-mə; Wintun for "high water") is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,829. The county seat and largest city is Red Bluff.

Tehama County comprises the Red Bluff, California micropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Redding-Red Bluff, California combined statistical area. The county is bisected by the Sacramento River.

Etymology

The county is named for the City of Tehama. Tehama is most commonly believed to be derived from the Wintun word for "high water". Others definitions of native origin that have been proposed such as "low land", "salmon", "mother nature" or "shallow". A less accepted theory proposes the names origin is tejamanil, shingle in Spanish.

History

Tehama County was formed from parts of Butte, Colusa, and Shasta Counties in 1856.

The first permanent non-indigenous settlers in the area that is now Tehama County were Robert Hasty Thomes, Albert Gallatin Toomes, William George Chard, and Job Francis Dye. The four men were each given land grants by the government of Mexico in 1844. Thomes received Rancho Saucos, Toomes received Rancho Rio de los Molinos, Chard received Rancho Las Flores, and Dye received Rancho Primer Cañon o Rio de Los Berrendos. Later in the same year Josiah Belden received Rancho Barranca Colorado.

Famous early figures include Kit Carson, who took part in a fight that gave name to Bloody Island and Battle Creek, Jedediah Smith, John C. Fremont, and William B. Ide, the first and only president of the California Republic.

The history of Tehama County includes the January 1886 relocation of Red Bluff's Chinese population, followed by the August 1886 torching of Red Bluff's Chinatown by alleged arsonists. The January 29, 1886, edition of The Daily Alta detailed 'The Anti-Coolie Move' and confirms that a secret anti-Chinese meeting was convened in the town of Tehama, and an organization established to relocate the estimated 2,000 Chinese in and around Vina. Secret daily anti-Chinese caucuses in Red Bluff were also held.

Grammar and High School at Red Bluff Tehama County
School at Red Bluff, 1902

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,962 square miles (7,670 km2), of which 2,950 square miles (7,600 km2) is land and 12 square miles (31 km2) (0.4%) is water. Watercourses in Tehama County include Dye Creek and Payne's Creek. The county is intersected by Sacramento River. A small part of Lassen Volcanic National Park extends into the northeast corner of the county. The highest point of the county is Brokeoff Mountain (9,235 feet).

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Transportation

Major highways

Public transportation

Tehama Rural Area Express (TRAX) operates local service in Red Bluff, with service to Los Molinos and Corning. Greyhound and FlixBus buses stop in Red Bluff.

The Shasta Regional Transportation Agency has proposed a weekday commuter bus to/from Red Bluff and the Sacramento Valley Station, following a route similar to the twice daily Amtrak Thruway 3.

Airports

Red Bluff Municipal Airport and Corning Municipal Airport are two general aviation airports.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1860 4,044
1870 3,587 −11.3%
1880 9,301 159.3%
1890 9,916 6.6%
1900 10,996 10.9%
1910 11,401 3.7%
1920 12,882 13.0%
1930 13,866 7.6%
1940 14,316 3.2%
1950 19,276 34.6%
1960 25,305 31.3%
1970 29,517 16.6%
1980 38,888 31.7%
1990 49,625 27.6%
2000 56,039 12.9%
2010 63,463 13.2%
2020 65,829 3.7%
2023 (est.) 64,896 2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010 2020

2020 census

Tehama County, California - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 45,603 41,340 71.86% 62.80%
Black or African American alone (NH) 349 391 0.55% 0.59%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 1,205 1,167 1.90% 1.77%
Asian alone (NH) 625 985 0.98% 1.50%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 64 96 0.10% 0.15%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 67 324 0.11% 0.49%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 1,644 3,588 2.59% 5.45%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13,906 17,938 21.91% 27.25%
Total 63,463 65,829 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2011

Places by population, race, and income

2010 Census

The 2010 United States Census reported that Tehama County had a population of 63,463. The racial makeup of Tehama County was 51,721 (81.5%) White, 406 (0.6%) African American, 1,644 (2.6%) Native American, 656 (1.0%) Asian, 76 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 6,258 (9.9%) from other races, and 2,702 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13,906 persons (21.9%).

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Census-designated places

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Tehama County.

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2020 Census)
1 Red Bluff City 14,710
2 Corning City 8,244
3 Lake California CDP 3,377
4 Los Molinos CDP 2,098
5 Rancho Tehama CDP 1,572
6 Gerber CDP 1,044
7 Bend CDP 603
8 Tehama City 435
9 Manton CDP 310
10 Richfield CDP 309
11 Proberta CDP 237
12 Vina CDP 198
13 Las Flores CDP 190
14 Mineral CDP 136
15 Flournoy CDP 117
16 Paskenta CDP 110
17 Paynes Creek CDP 54

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Tehama para niños

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