Sierra County, California

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement

Sierra County (Template:IPAc-en) is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,236,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> making it California's second-least populous county.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat is Downieville;<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Sierra County History, 2008, The Online Guide to Sierra County, accessed April 2, 2013</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Sierra Valley, Sierra County History Template:Webarchive, 2012, East Sierra Valley Chamber of Commerce, accessed April 2, 2013</ref>

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.<ref name="Gilbert">Template:Cite book</ref>

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.<ref name="Gilbert"/>

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: Template:Blockquote 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.<ref>Template:Cite court</ref>

Geography

File:Sierra County California United States 2023 June 01.jpg

Sierra County, California, near Plumas National Forest

Sierra County, California 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. The county has a diverse range of landscapes, from mountains to forests, with numerous lakes and streams. The area has opportunities for hiking, fishing, and hunting.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county is governed by the five-member Sierra County Board of Supervisors, consisting of the following members as of August 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Voter registration statistics

Population and registered voters
Total population<ref name="US-CB-B02001">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 26, 2013.</ref>	3,277
Registered voters<ref name="CA-SS">California Secretary of State. February 10, 2013 - Report of Registration Template:Webarchive. Retrieved October 31, 2013.</ref><ref name="PCT-RV" group=note>Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.</ref>	2,223	67.8%
Democratic<ref name="CA-SS"/>	631	28.4%
Republican<ref name="CA-SS"/>	939	42.2%
Democratic–Republican spread<ref name="CA-SS"/>	-308	-13.8%
American Independent<ref name="CA-SS"/>	126	5.7%
Green<ref name="CA-SS"/>	24	1.1%
Libertarian<ref name="CA-SS"/>	30	1.3%
Peace and Freedom<ref name="CA-SS"/>	4	0.2%
Americans Elect<ref name="CA-SS"/>	0	0.0%
Other<ref name="CA-SS"/>	42	1.9%
No party preference<ref name="CA-SS"/>	427	19.2%

Cities by population and voter registration

Cities by population and voter registration
City	Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	Registered voters<ref name="CA-SS"/> <ref name="PCT-RV" group=note/>	Democratic<ref name="CA-SS"/>	Republican<ref name="CA-SS"/>	D–R spread<ref name="CA-SS"/>	Other<ref name="CA-SS"/>	No party preference<ref name="CA-SS"/>
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.

On November 4, 2008, Sierra County voted 64.2% for Proposition 8, which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the 2009 special statewide election, Sierra County had the highest voter turnout of any county in California and almost double the average statewide, with 53.6% of registered voters participating, according to the Los Angeles Times.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Transportation

The only traffic light in the county is a flashing red light at the intersection of highways 49 and 89 in Sierraville.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:As of the sheriff's department has also erected a radar speed sign in Sierraville.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

County roads

File:Sierra County Route A23 CA.svg County Route A23
File:Sierra County Route A24 CA.svg County Route A24
Henness Pass Road
Stampede Dam Road
Gold Lake Road/Highway

Public transportation

Public transportation in Sierra County is limited to vans run by senior citizen agencies in Downieville and Loyalton, which the general public may ride on a space-available basis.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Airport

Sierraville-Dearwater Field Airport is a general aviation airport located near Sierraville. The closest major airport is in Reno.

Crime

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

Population and crime rates
Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	3,277
Violent crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11">Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. Table 11: Crimes – 2009 Template:Webarchive. Retrieved November 14, 2013.</ref>	13	3.97
Homicide<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>	0	0.00
Forcible rape<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>	0	0.00
Robbery<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>	0	0.00
Aggravated assault<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>	13	3.97
Property crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>	33	10.07
Burglary<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>	15	4.58
Larceny-theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/><ref name="LT-note" group="note">Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.</ref>	28	8.54
Motor vehicle theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>	0	0.00
Arson<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>	1	0.31

Demographics

Template:US Census population

2020 census

**Sierra County, California – Racial and ethnic composition**
Template:Nobold
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2000	% 2010	Template:Partial
White alone (NH)	3,210	2,855	2,615	90.30%	88.12%	80.81%
Black or African American alone (NH)	6	5	7	0.17%	0.15%	0.22%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	56	41	18	1.58%	1.27%	0.56%
Asian alone (NH)	5	12	7	0.14%	0.37%	0.22%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	3	2	1	0.08%	0.06%	0.03%
Other Race alone (NH)	2	1	25	0.06%	0.03%	0.77%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)	60	55	186	1.69%	1.70%	5.75%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	213	269	377	5.99%	8.30%	11.65%
Total	3,555	3,240	3,236	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2015

As of 2015 the largest self-reported ancestry groups in Sierra County, California are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Largest ancestries (2015)	Percent
English Template:Flagicon	19.0%
German Template:Flagicon	18.2%
"American" Template:Flagicon	16.1%
Scottish Template:Flagicon	6.4%
Italian Template:Flagicon	5.9%
Polish Template:Flagicon	4.6%
Portuguese Template:Flagicon	4.0%
Swiss Template:Flagicon	3.6%
Swedish Template:Flagicon	3.2%
French Template:Flagicon	3.1%

2011

Population, race, and income
Total population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	3,277
White<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	3,031	92.5%
Black or African American<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	38	1.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	11	0.3%
Asian<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	3	0.1%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	0	0.0%
Some other race<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	179	5.5%
Two or more races<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	15	0.5%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)<ref name="US-CB-B03003">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B03003. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 26, 2013.</ref>	247	7.5%
Per capita income<ref name="US-CB-B19301">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19301. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>	$26,137
Median household income<ref name="US-CB-B19013">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>	$50,308
Median family income<ref name="US-CB-B19113">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19113. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>	$56,469

Places by population, race, and income

Places by population and race
Place	Type<ref name="US-CB">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>	Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	White<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	Other<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/> <ref name="other" group=note>Other = Some other race + Two or more races</ref>	Asian<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	Black or African American<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>	Native American<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/> <ref name="na" group=note>Native American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native</ref>	Hispanic or Latino (of any race)<ref name="US-CB-B03003"/>
Alleghany	CDP	65	100.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Calpine	CDP	194	100.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Downieville	CDP	192	100.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Goodyears Bar	CDP	156	100.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Loyalton	City	890	89.0%	8.1%	0.2%	1.5%	1.2%	12.5%
Pike	CDP	174	88.5%	3.4%	0.0%	8.0%	0.0%	3.4%
Sattley	CDP	28	100.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Sierra Brooks	CDP	237	100.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Sierra City	CDP	279	96.8%	3.2%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Sierraville	CDP	229	49.3%	45.9%	0.0%	4.8%	0.0%	45.9%
Verdi	CDP	158	100.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%

Places by population and income
Place	Type<ref name="US-CB"/>	Population<ref name="US-CB-B01003">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B01003. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>	Per capita income<ref name="US-CB-B19301"/>	Median household income<ref name="US-CB-B19013"/>	Median family income<ref name="US-CB-B19113"/>
Alleghany	CDP	65	$16,843	$30,278	$30,278
Calpine	CDP	194	$16,634	$15,132	<ref name="ND">Data unavailable</ref>
Downieville	CDP	192	$22,868	$2,499	$52,266
Goodyears Bar	CDP	156	$32,788	$72,794	$73,162
Loyalton	City	890	$23,641	$51,756	$51,893
Pike	CDP	174	$24,933	$35,703	$30,938
Sattley	CDP	28	<ref name="ND"/>	<ref name="ND"/>	<ref name="ND"/>
Sierra Brooks	CDP	237	$33,134	$55,547	$55,703
Sierra City	CDP	279	$27,729	$110,938	$113,750
Sierraville	CDP	229	$17,214	$12,120	$11,944
Verdi	CDP	158	$46,291	$76,987	<ref name="ND"/>

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that Sierra County had a population of 3,240. The racial makeup of Sierra County was 3,022 (93.3%) White, 6 (0.2%) African American, 44 (1.4%) Native American, 12 (0.4%) Asian, 2 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 75 (2.3%) from other races, and 79 (2.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 269 persons (8.3%).<ref>Template:USCensus2010CA</ref>

Population reported at 2010 United States Census
Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Sierra County	3,240	3,022	6	44	12	2	75	79	269
Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Loyalton	769	701	2	21	0	0	20	25	108
Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Alleghany	58	58	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Calpine	205	184	0	0	0	1	10	10	26
Downieville	282	269	0	4	2	0	0	7	12
Goodyears Bar	68	64	0	4	0	0	0	0	1
Pike	134	130	0	1	2	0	0	1	2
Sattley	49	48	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Sierra Brooks	478	466	0	4	1	1	0	6	22
Sierra City	221	200	0	2	3	0	12	4	21
Sierraville	200	187	2	0	0	0	10	1	16
Verdi	162	153	0	0	1	0	5	3	10
Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
All others not CDPs (combined)	614	562	2	7	3	0	18	22	49

2000

As of the census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 3,555 people, 1,520 households and 986 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 2,202 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 94.2% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 1.9% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.0% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Six percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Eighteen percent were of English ancestry, 16% were of Irish, 11% German and 8% Italian ancestry.<ref>Sierra County, CA ANCESTRY & FAMILY HISTORY Template:Webarchive, 2007, accessed April 2, 2013</ref> Over ninety-five (95.3) percent spoke English and 3.4% Spanish as their first language.

There were 1,520 households, out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,827, and the median income for a family was $42,756. Males had a median income of $36,121 versus $30,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,815. About 9.0% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Media

Sierra County is served by two long-running local newspapers. The Sierra Valley region, which is partially within Sierra County, is served by the Sierra Booster, based in Loyalton. This paper has been published bi-weekly since 1949 when it was established by reporter, miner, and airman Hal Wright and his wife Allene.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is today run by their daughter Janice Wright Buck.

The other paper serving the county is the Mountain Messenger, which is based in Downieville. The Messenger has been in constant publication since 1853 and is currently the longest-running weekly newspaper in the state of California. Its more notable former contributor was Mark Twain, at the time in hiding from Nevadan authorities and writing under his birth name of Samuel Clemens.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This paper was the center of considerable media attention in early 2020 when its future was uncertain with the retirement of Don Russell, who had owned and operated it for 30 years; it was saved by local retiree Carl Butz, who purchased the paper and runs it today.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref> Template:Cite news</ref> The Mountain Messenger is printed weekly on Thursdays; it is distributed across Sierra, eastern Plumas and western Nevada counties, and by mail.

Education

The county is entirely in the Sierra-Plumas Joint Unified School District.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref>

Communities

City

Loyalton

Census-designated places

Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns