Editing Tehama, California (section)

==History==
A [[Nomlaki]] village of [[Wintun]] people once stood on the site of modern-day Tehama on the western bank of the [[Sacramento River]].

Tehama (pronounced Tuh-HAY-muh) was founded by Robert Hasty Thomes, who arrived in the area that is now [[Tehama County, California|Tehama County]] in the company of Albert G. Toomes, [[William Chard]], and Job Francis Dye.  The four men travelled northward from [[San Francisco]], and were each given land grants from the government of Mexico in 1844, with Thomes' portion being [[Rancho Saucos]].

Tehama was one of the earliest California settlements north of [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]]. Thomes mapped out the city in 1850, with First through Fifth Streets running north–south, and B through I Streets running east–west.  First Street no longer exists; it was eroded away by the river.  It was the last stop for the riverboats for a few years, and the town thrived on the riverboat traffic. When the boats started going farther up the river, [[Red Bluff, California|Red Bluff]] became the center of trade.  When Tehama County was formed in 1856, Tehama was established as the County Seat.  However, the seat was moved to Red Bluff, by county-wide election, the next year.
 
Tehama had a reputation of being somewhat more liberal and freewheeling than the rest of the county, being the last town to go "dry" before [[Prohibition]], and a center for bootleggers and gamblers.

Tehama's population peaked in the 1890s, at about 2000 residents, including a sizable [[Chinese people|Chinese]] quarter.  The city was incorporated in 1906 when plans were being made for an electric railway through the Sacramento Valley, however the railway was never built.  A disastrous fire in 1908 combined with the decline of the riverboat traffic, caused the city to gradually lose prominence and population.

Tehama is generally the first area in the county to flood during the rainy season, although flooding is now controlled by releases from [[Shasta Dam]].  This gives Tehama a distinctive appearance, since by city ordinance, houses must be raised above flood level, so most homes have high foundations and tall stairways to the front door.

Tehama is home to two parks:  Habert Park on C Street, and Belbeck Park, which contains an old brick schoolhouse, now used for the [[Head Start (education)|Head Start]] program.  The Tehama County Museum,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome To The Tehama County Museum On-Line |url=http://www.tco.net/tehama/museum |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010215034254/http://tco1.tco.net/tehama/museum/ |archive-date=February 15, 2001 |website=tco1.tco.net}}</ref> housed in what was once the Masonic Hall, is located at the corner of C and Third Street.