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Sierra County, California | |
|---|---|
| County of Sierra | |
   Images, from top down, left to right: Downieville, Conifer forest in the Tahoe National Forest, Stampede Dam | |
 Seal | |
 Interactive map of Sierra County | |
 Location in the state of California | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| Region | Sierra Nevada |
| Incorporated | April 16, 1852 |
| Named for | Sierra Nevada |
| County seat | Downieville |
| Largest city | Loyalton |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–Manager |
| • Chair | Paul Roen |
| • Vice Chair | Sharon Dryden |
| • Board of Supervisors | Supervisors[1]
|
| Area | |
| • Total | 962 sq mi (2,490 km2) |
| • Land | 953 sq mi (2,470 km2) |
| • Water | 9 sq mi (20 km2) |
| Highest elevation | 8,844 ft (2,696 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 3,236 |
| • Density | 3.4/sq mi (1.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (Pacific Daylight Time) |
| Area code | 530 |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
Sierra County (/siˈɛrə/ ⓘ) is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,236,[3] making it California's second-least populous county.[2] The county seat is Downieville;[4] the sole incorporated city is Loyalton. The county is in the Sierra Nevada, northeast of Sacramento on the border with Nevada.
History
Sierra County was formed from parts of Yuba County in 1852. The county derives its name from the Sierra Nevada.
Prior to the California Gold Rush, the area was home to both the Maidu and the Washoe peoples. They generally summered in the higher elevations to hunt and fish, and returned to lower elevations for the winter months.[5] After the discovery of gold in the Sierra foothills sparked the California Gold Rush, more than 16,000 miners settled in Sierra County between 1848 and 1860. Most mining settlements in the county sprung up along the North and Middle Forks of the Yuba River, both of which had rich deposits of gold. While some of the mining boom towns faded away once gold fever died down, other settlements such as Downieville and Sierra City have remained.[6][7]
Notable gold nuggets found in the county include a 26.5 pound specimen, avoirdupois, found by a group of sailors at Sailor Ravine, two miles above Downieville. A 51-pound specimen was found in 1853 by a group of Frenchmen in French Ravine. The 106 pound Monumental Nugget was found in Sept. 1869 at Sierra City.[8]
The Bald Mountain drift mine in Forest City was founded in Aug. 1864, and was the largest of its kind in the state at the time. The Bald Mountain Extension was located in 1874 east of Forest. The Monte Cristo Mine was located in 1854. The largest quartz-mine is the Sierra Buttes Gold Mine was located in 1850 near Sierra City. The Gold Bluff Mine was located near Downieville in 1854. By 1880 the county was "crushing" 70,000 tons of quartz and had 266 miles of mining ditches.[8]
Boundary dispute with Nevada County
Since the enactment of the statute in which the California State Legislature defined the common boundary between Nevada and Sierra Counties in 1874, no survey was conducted to determine where the straight line segment of the common boundary between the two counties ran. In particular, the statute, at the time codified as Section 3921 of the California Political Code, at the time stated:
...thence south on said state line (state of Nevada) to the northeast corner of Nevada County, a point east of the source of the South Fork of the Middle Yuba River; thence west to the source of, and down the South Fork of the Middle Yuba River to a point ten miles above the mouth of the latter.
Since the line was not surveyed and the legislature never defined where the "point east of the source of the South Fork of the Middle Yuba River" was, the location of the straight air line between the state line and this point was unknown. As such, both counties claimed that the point east of the source, which itself was also unknown, was located in different places. This created a situation where a strip of land averaging 1.22 miles in width and around 31.29 square miles were under dispute, with Sierra County claiming that Nevada County was encroaching on their jurisdiction when attempting to levy property taxes. The trial court, that of Plumas County, sided with Sierra County, declaring that the disputed area had always belonged to Sierra County since the legislature defined the boundary in dispute by referencing Public Land Survey System lines. It also determined that the source of South Fork of the Middle Yuba River was that of several springs in the Sierra Nevada, contrary to the artificial English Lake, which ceased to exist after the failure of its dam in 1883, which is where the source of said waterway was in the eyes of Nevada County. The California Supreme Court affirmed the trial courts decision on December 28, 1908.[9]
Geography
Sierra County, California is a vast and beautiful area that covers 962 square miles according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The county comprises 953 square miles of land and 9 square miles of water. The county is located in the Sierra Nevada, known for its rugged mountain ranges and picturesque landscapes. The county is known for its natural beauty and rich history, providing a diverse range of landscapes, from rugged mountains to lush forests, tranquil lakes, and streams, and much more. The area is a great place for outdoor enthusiasts, with opportunities for hiking, fishing, hunting, and exploring the natural wonders of the Sierra Nevada.[10]
Adjacent counties
- Nevada County, California - south
- Yuba County, California - west
- Plumas County, California - north
- Lassen County, California - northeast
- Washoe County, Nevada - east
National protected areas
- Plumas National Forest (part)
- Tahoe National Forest (part)
- Toiyabe National Forest (part)
Politics and government
Because Loyalton is Sierra County's most populous municipality and its only incorporated city, generally half of the meetings of the county's board of supervisors are held in Downieville and the other half are held in Loyalton.[11] The county is governed by the five-member Sierra County Board of Supervisors, consisting of the following members as of August 2021.[12]
- District One (Downieville, Goodyears' Bar, Pike, Alleghany): Lee Adams, Chairman
- District Two (Sierra City, Bassetts, Verdi): Peter W. Huebner
- District Three (Calpine, Sattley, Sierraville): Paul Roen
- District Four (Loyalton): Terry LeBlanc
- District Five (Sierra Brooks): Sharon Dryden
Law enforcement is provided by the Sierra County Sheriff's Department, headed by current Sierra County Sheriff-Coroner Michael "Mike" Fisher. Due to the county's sparse population and geographical obstacles, the Sheriff's Department operates a substation in Loyalton in addition to their main headquarters in Downieville.[13]
Voter registration statistics
| Population and registered voters | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total population[14] | 3,277 | |
| Registered voters[15][note 1] | 2,223 | 67.8% |
| Democratic[15] | 631 | 28.4% |
| Republican[15] | 939 | 42.2% |
| Democratic–Republican spread[15] | -308 | -13.8% |
| American Independent[15] | 126 | 5.7% |
| Green[15] | 24 | 1.1% |
| Libertarian[15] | 30 | 1.3% |
| Peace and Freedom[15] | 4 | 0.2% |
| Americans Elect[15] | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other[15] | 42 | 1.9% |
| No party preference[15] | 427 | 19.2% |
Cities by population and voter registration
| Cities by population and voter registration | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Population[14] | Registered voters[15] [note 1] |
Democratic[15] | Republican[15] | D–R spread[15] | Other[15] | No party preference[15] |
| Loyalton | 890 | 49.1% | 32.3% | 38.7% | -6.4% | 14.6% | 19.9% |
Overview
Sierra County at one time had favored the Democratic party in presidential elections and was one of few counties in California to be won by George McGovern. In more recent times it is a strongly Republican county in presidential and congressional elections. The last Democrat to win a majority in the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 1,142 | 58.65% | 730 | 37.49% | 75 | 3.85% |
| 2016 | 1,048 | 56.40% | 601 | 32.35% | 209 | 11.25% |
| 2012 | 1,056 | 58.70% | 653 | 36.30% | 90 | 5.00% |
| 2008 | 1,158 | 58.16% | 743 | 37.32% | 90 | 4.52% |
| 2004 | 1,249 | 64.12% | 646 | 33.16% | 53 | 2.72% |
| 2000 | 1,172 | 63.45% | 540 | 29.24% | 135 | 7.31% |
| 1996 | 877 | 51.38% | 573 | 33.57% | 257 | 15.06% |
| 1992 | 691 | 36.85% | 653 | 34.83% | 531 | 28.32% |
| 1988 | 860 | 50.71% | 791 | 46.64% | 45 | 2.65% |
| 1984 | 1,078 | 56.86% | 781 | 41.19% | 37 | 1.95% |
| 1980 | 855 | 49.77% | 651 | 37.89% | 212 | 12.34% |
| 1976 | 680 | 43.15% | 841 | 53.36% | 55 | 3.49% |
| 1972 | 629 | 47.51% | 658 | 49.70% | 37 | 2.79% |
| 1968 | 548 | 45.93% | 559 | 46.86% | 86 | 7.21% |
| 1964 | 413 | 33.28% | 828 | 66.72% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 576 | 46.79% | 647 | 52.56% | 8 | 0.65% |
| 1956 | 638 | 50.55% | 620 | 49.13% | 4 | 0.32% |
| 1952 | 822 | 53.76% | 698 | 45.65% | 9 | 0.59% |
| 1948 | 546 | 43.40% | 660 | 52.46% | 52 | Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Sierra_County,_California|