Tehama County, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tehama County, California
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| County of Tehama | ||
    Pictures of Tehama County, from top to bottom, left to right: Black Rock in the Ishi Wilderness, State Theatre in Red Bluff, Park Headquarters in Lassen Volcanic National Park, and the front of the William B. Ide Adobe
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Location in the state of California
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  California |
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| Region | Shasta Cascade | |
| Incorporated | April 9, 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)
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| • Total | 65,829 | |
| • Density | 22.225/sq mi (8.5809/km2) | |
| GDP | ||
| • Total | $2.517 billion (2022) | |
| 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 (pronounced tə-HAY-mə) is a county in northern California. In 2020, about 65,829 people lived there. The main city and county center is Red Bluff.
Tehama County is part of the Red Bluff area, which is also connected to the larger Redding-Red Bluff area. The Sacramento River flows right through the middle of the county.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The county gets its name from the city of Tehama. Most people think "Tehama" comes from a Wintun word meaning "high water." Other ideas for its meaning include "low land," "salmon," or "mother nature." Some also think it might come from a Spanish word for "shingle."
A Look Back in Time
Tehama County was created in 1856. It was formed from parts of Butte, Colusa, and Shasta Counties.
The first non-Native American settlers to live permanently in this area arrived in 1844. They were Robert Hasty Thomes, Albert Gallatin Toomes, William George Chard, and Job Francis Dye. The Mexican government gave each of them large pieces of land. Later that year, Josiah Belden also received land.
Some famous people from early California history were active here. These include Kit Carson, Jedediah Smith, John C. Fremont, and William B. Ide. William B. Ide was the only president of the short-lived California Republic.
In 1886, the Chinese community in Red Bluff faced a difficult time. Many Chinese residents were forced to move, and later, the Chinatown area was burned down.
Exploring Tehama County's Geography
Tehama County covers about 2,962 square miles. Most of this is land (2,950 square miles), with a small amount of water (12 square miles). Important waterways include Dye Creek, Payne's Creek, and the Sacramento River.
A small part of Lassen Volcanic National Park is in the northeast corner of the county. The highest point in Tehama County is Brokeoff Mountain, which is 9,235 feet tall.
Neighboring Counties
Tehama County shares borders with several other counties:
- Shasta County to the north
- Plumas County to the northeast
- Butte County to the east
- Glenn County to the south
- Mendocino County to the southwest
- Trinity County to the west
Protected Natural Areas
Parts of these important natural areas are found in Tehama County:
- Lassen National Forest
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Mendocino National Forest
- Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge
- Shasta–Trinity National Forest
Getting Around Tehama County
There are several ways to travel in and out of Tehama County.
Main Roads
Major highways that pass through the county include:
Interstate 5
State Route 32
State Route 36
State Route 89
State Route 99
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Public Transport
The Tehama Rural Area Express (TRAX) offers local bus service in Red Bluff. It also connects to Los Molinos and Corning. Long-distance buses like Greyhound and FlixBus also have stops in Red Bluff.
Airports
For air travel, there are two general aviation airports:
- Red Bluff Municipal Airport
- Corning Municipal Airport
People of Tehama County
The population of Tehama County has grown over the years. In 1860, there were just over 4,000 people. By 2020, the population had grown to 65,829.
| 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 |
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Population in 2020
In 2020, the census showed the following groups living in Tehama County:
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Not Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 43,792 | 45,603 | 41,340 | 78.47% | 71.86% | 62.80% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 279 | 349 | 391 | 0.50% | 0.55% | 0.59% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 1,008 | 1,205 | 1,167 | 1.80% | 1.90% | 1.77% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 423 | 625 | 985 | 0.75% | 0.98% | 1.50% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 48 | 64 | 96 | 0.09% | 0.10% | 0.15% |
| Other Race alone (NH) | 109 | 67 | 324 | 0.19% | 0.11% | 0.49% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 1,329 | 1,644 | 3,588 | 2.37% | 2.59% | 5.45% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8,871 | 13,906 | 17,938 | 15.83% | 21.91% | 27.25% |
| Total | 56,039 | 63,463 | 65,829 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Towns and Cities
Tehama County has several communities, including cities and smaller towns.
Cities
Smaller Communities
These are places that are not officially cities:
- El Camino
- Kirkwood
- Loybas Hill
- Mill Creek
- Mineral
Census-Designated Places (CDPs)
These are areas identified by the census for statistics:
Population Ranking of Communities
This table shows the population of the main communities in Tehama County, based on the 2020 census.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | 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
In Spanish: Condado de Tehama para niños
