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Nevada City, California

Coordinates: 39°15′41″N 121°1′7″W / 39.26139°N 121.01861°W / 39.26139; -121.01861
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Nevada City
City
Broad Street, Nevada City Downtown Historic District, in 2020
Broad Street, Nevada City Downtown Historic District, in 2020
Official seal of Nevada City
Seal
Location in Nevada County and the state of California
Location in Nevada County and the state of California
Nevada City is located in the United States
Nevada City
Nevada City
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 39°15′41″N 121°1′7″W / 39.26139°N 121.01861°W / 39.26139; -121.01861
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyNevada
IncorporatedApril 19, 1856[1]
Government
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • MayorGary Petersen
 • Vice MayorAdam Kline
 • City CouncilDoug Fleming
Daniela Fernández
Lou Ceci
 • City ManagerSean Grayson [2]
Area
[3]
 • Total
2.19 sq mi (5.67 km2)
 • Land2.19 sq mi (5.66 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)  0.17%
Elevation
[4]
2,477 ft (755 m)
Population
 (2020)[5]
 • Total
3,152
 • Density1,400/sq mi (560/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
95959
Area code530
FIPS code06-50874
GNIS feature IDs1659211, 2411225
Websitewww.nevadacityca.gov

Nevada City is the county seat of Nevada County, California, United States, 60 miles (97 km) northeast of Sacramento, 84 miles (135 km) southwest of Reno and 147 miles (237 km) northeast of San Francisco. The population was 3,152 as of the 2020 census.

History

[edit]
Nevada City c. 1856 by Julia Ann Rudolph

The settlement was originally a Nisenan village named Ustumah.[6][7]

European Americans first settled Nevada City in 1849,[8] during the California Gold Rush, as Nevada (Spanish for "snow-covered", a reference to the snow-topped mountains in the area). It was later called Deer Creek Dry Diggins, and Caldwell's Upper Store.[9] The Gold Tunnel on the north side of Deer Creek was the city's first mine, built in 1850.[10] The first sawmill in Nevada City was built on Deer Creek, just above town, in August 1850, by Lewis & Son, with a water wheel.[11] In 1850–51, Nevada City was the state's most important mining town, and Nevada County the state's leading gold-mining county. In 1851, The Nevada Journal became the first newspaper published in the town and county.[12] The first cemetery in town, the Pioneer Cemetery, was founded around 1851 behind the Nevada City United Methodist Church, Nevada County's first denominational church.[13][14]

The town of Nevada was incorporated on April 19, 1856. In 1864, the word “City” was added to its name to relieve confusion with the nearby state of Nevada, and the town has legally been known as Nevada City ever since. The former town of Coyoteville later became Nevada City's northwestern section.[9][15]

Geography

[edit]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km2), 99.83% of it land and 0.17% water.

Nevada, Missouri, is named after Nevada City.[16]

Most of Nevada City lies on brown sandy loam soils of the Hoda series which developed on granitic rock.[17]

Climate

[edit]

Owing to its exposed location on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, Nevada City receives moderate to heavy rainfall for California at 59 inches (1.5 m), though its climate is otherwise fairly typical for the state, classified as Mediterranean (Csa/Csb). Although exceedingly heavy snow falls on the nearby mountains, it rarely falls in the city. During a typical year, there are 31 days with temperatures of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher, 75 freezing nights, and 60 days where the temperature fails to reach 50 °F (10 °C).[18] The record high temperature is 111 °F (44 °C), set on August 14, 1933, and the record low is −1 °F (−18 °C), set on January 21, 1937, and on December 9, 1972.[19]

Climate data for Nevada City, California, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 83
(28) 		86
(30) 		92
(33) 		94
(34) 		101
(38) 		104
(40) 		106
(41) 		111
(44) 		107
(42) 		99
(37) 		90
(32) 		86
(30) 		111
(44)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 62.0
(16.7) 		66.4
(19.1) 		72.1
(22.3) 		79.1
(26.2) 		85.7
(29.8) 		93.0
(33.9) 		96.0
(35.6) 		95.6
(35.3) 		92.4
(33.6) 		84.9
(29.4) 		70.8
(21.6) 		59.5
(15.3) 		98.2
(36.8)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 50.6
(10.3) 		52.8
(11.6) 		57.0
(13.9) 		62.5
(16.9) 		70.6
(21.4) 		79.4
(26.3) 		87.2
(30.7) 		86.7
(30.4) 		81.8
(27.7) 		70.6
(21.4) 		57.0
(13.9) 		49.8
(9.9) 		67.2
(19.5)
Daily mean °F (°C) 42.0
(5.6) 		43.5
(6.4) 		46.7
(8.2) 		50.9
(10.5) 		58.8
(14.9) 		66.0
(18.9) 		73.0
(22.8) 		72.4
(22.4) 		67.8
(19.9) 		58.5
(14.7) 		47.4
(8.6) 		41.4
(5.2) 		55.7
(13.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 33.4
(0.8) 		34.1
(1.2) 		36.3
(2.4) 		39.3
(4.1) 		46.8
(8.2) 		52.3
(11.3) 		58.8
(14.9) 		58.1
(14.5) 		53.8
(12.1) 		46.2
(7.9) 		38.0
(3.3) 		33.1
(0.6) 		44.2
(6.8)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 26.1
(−3.3) 		26.0
(−3.3) 		28.2
(−2.1) 		30.0
(−1.1) 		36.1
(2.3) 		43.4
(6.3) 		51.7
(10.9) 		51.2
(10.7) 		44.2
(6.8) 		35.8
(2.1) 		29.3
(−1.5) 		25.2
(−3.8) 		22.4
(−5.3)
Record low °F (°C) −1
(−18) 		5
(−15) 		12
(−11) 		18
(−8) 		21
(−6) 		28
(−2) 		35
(2) 		34
(1) 		27
(−3) 		16
(−9) 		13
(−11) 		−1
(−18) 		−1
(−18)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 10.17
(258) 		9.59
(244) 		9.28
(236) 		4.60
(117) 		2.33
(59) 		0.84
(21) 		0.05
(1.3) 		0.16
(4.1) 		0.63
(16) 		3.17
(81) 		7.09
(180) 		10.34
(263) 		58.25
(1,480.4)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 3.0
(7.6) 		5.6
(14) 		4.2
(11) 		0.9
(2.3) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.8
(2.0) 		3.6
(9.1) 		18.1
(46)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 13.6 12.2 12.2 9.1 6.2 2.6 0.3 0.9 2.0 4.4 9.1 12.2 84.8
Average snowy days (≥ 0.01 in) 1.5 2.2 1.8 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 1.2 8.0
Source: NOAA[20][21]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18804,022—
18902,524−37.2%
19003,25028.8%
19102,689−17.3%
19201,782−33.7%
19301,701−4.5%
19402,44543.7%
19502,5052.5%
19602,353−6.1%
19702,314−1.7%
19802,4315.1%
19902,85517.4%
20003,0015.1%
20103,0682.2%
20203,1522.7%
2023 (est.)3,224[22]2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[23]

2020

[edit]

The 2020 U.S. Census[6] showed that Nevada City had a population of 3,152. The racial makeup of Nevada City was 2,684 (85.2%) White, 26 (0.8%) African American, 55 (1.7%) Native American, 53 (1.7%) Asian, 4 (0.12%) Pacific Islander, 65 (2.1%) from other races, and 265 (8.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 268 persons (8.5%).

There were 1,373 households and 1,623 housing units in Nevada City. 158 housing units (9.7%) are vacant.

There were 14.4% under 18 in Nevada City.

2010

[edit]

The 2010 United States Census[24] reported that Nevada City had a population of 3,068. The population density was 1,399.7 inhabitants per square mile (540.4/km2). The racial makeup of Nevada City was 2,837 (92.5%) White, 26 (0.8%) African American, 28 (0.9%) Native American, 46 (1.5%) Asian, 0 (0%) Pacific Islander, 40 (1.3%) from other races, and 91 (0.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 205 persons (6.7%).

The Census reported that 2,829 people (92.2% of the population) lived in households, 56 (1.8%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 183 (6.0%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,356 households, out of which 317 (23.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 510 (37.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 155 (11.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 79 (5.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 97 (7.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 15 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 488 households (36.0%) were made up of individuals, and 168 (12.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09. There were 744 families (54.9% of all households); the average family size was 2.67.

The population was spread out, with 517 people (16.9%) under the age of 18, 199 people (6.5%) aged 18 to 24, 720 people (23.5%) aged 25 to 44, 1,075 people (35.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 557 people (18.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.8 males.

There were 1,510 housing units at an average density of 688.9 units per square mile (266.0 units/km2), of which 786 (58.0%) were owner-occupied, and 570 (42.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.8%. 1,678 people (54.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,151 people (37.5%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

[edit]

As of the census[25] of 2000, there were 3,001 people, 1,313 households, and 740 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,425.0 inhabitants per square mile (550.2/km2). There were 1,415 housing units at an average density of 671.9 units per square mile (259.4 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.3% White, 0.4% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population.

There were 1,313 households, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.6% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.71.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.7% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,667, and the median income for a family was $46,149. Males had a median income of $32,070 versus $29,183 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,399. About 1.7% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

[edit]
Commercial Street

Tourism

[edit]

Nevada City's tourist attractions include:

Arts and culture

[edit]
Nevada Theatre
Fire House #1 Museum
Chamber of Commerce, formerly South Yuba Canal Office
Charles Marsh house

Live music, theater and dance are performed at Miners Foundry Cultural Center, and the Nevada Theatre.[citation needed]

Museums

[edit]

Recurring events

[edit]

Recurring and annual events include:

  • Mardi Gras, Fourth of July Parade, Teddy Bear Convention, and Psychic Faire.[citation needed]
  • Constitution Day Parade, founded in 1967; one of the oldest and largest Constitution Day observances in the western United States.[27]
  • Wild and Scenic Film Festival, founded in 2003, showcasing films about environmental issues, outdoor adventure, and extreme sports.[28]
  • Nevada City Film Festival, founded in 2001.[29]
  • Nevada City Storytelling Festival, founded in 1985.[30]
  • Summer Nights, an outdoor street festival of art and music.[31]
  • Victorian Christmas street fair.[32]
  • Nevada City Classic,[33] founded in 1960, a professional cycling race.[34]

Buildings and structures

[edit]
Main article: Buildings and structures in Nevada City, California

The Nevada City Downtown Historic District included several sites on the National Register of Historic Places or which have California Historical Landmark status.

Government

[edit]

Nevada City elects a five-member city council. Council members select the mayor and vice mayor from their ranks. Council members appoint residents to a five-member Planning Commission.

Nevada City launched a "Goat Fund Me" campaign to raise $25,000 to have goats graze through dense brush in the municipal greenbelt. Nevada City is considered particularly at risk of wildfire, a "very high fire hazard severity zone" because of its wooded steep hillsides, narrow streets, 19th-century Gold Rush-era homes, and thick tree canopy.[35][36][37]

County, state, and federal representation

[edit]

Nevada City is in Nevada County.[38] The District 1 Supervisor is Heidi Hall.[39]

In the state legislature, Nevada City is in the 1st Senate District, represented by Republican Megan Dahle,[40] and the 1st Assembly District, represented by Republican Heather Hadwick.[41]

Nevada City is in California's 1st congressional district, represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa.[42]

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Nevada City has 2,353 registered voters. Of those, 1,225 (52.1%) are registered Democrats, 384 (16.3%) are registered Republicans, and 297 (12.6%) have declined to state a political party.[43]

Education

[edit]

Nevada City has its own school district with three schools: Deer Creek (K–4), Seven Hills (5–8) and Nevada City Charter School (K–8).[44] Other large schools in the area include Nevada City School of the Arts, Yuba River Charter School, and Forest Charter School[45]

After 8th grade, most students attend Nevada Union High School in nearby Grass Valley as part of the Nevada Joint Union School District. Other high schools in the area include Silver Springs High School, Ghidotti High School, Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning, Forest Charter, Bitney Prep High School, and Bear River.[46]

Higher education

[edit]

Other local schools include the California College of Ayurveda and Connected Communities Academy.

Notable people

[edit]
[edit]

Nevada City was the setting for the 2006 Hallmark Channel original movie, The Christmas Card.

Twin cities

[edit]

Nevada City is twinned with Penzance, a seaside town in Cornwall, UK, and the nearby tin and copper mining town of St Just in Penwith, Cornwall, UK.[52] The twinning is a result of Cornish migration during the Californian gold rush in which Cornish mining expertise migrated to the area. City Hall has a room dedicated to the twinning and houses Cornish memorabilia and items donated on various exchanges. Penzance Youth Wind Band has joined forces with Nevada Union High School's instrumental music department on two occasions.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  2. ^ "Official Website". Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  3. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  4. ^ "Nevada City". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  5. ^ "US Census Bureau". www.census.gov. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Brower, Maria E. (November 15, 2023). Nevada City. Arcadia. ISBN 9780738530628.
  7. ^ Middleton, Elisabeth Rose (2008). "We were here, we are here, we will always be here": A political ecology of healing in Mountain Maidu country. University of California, Berkeley. pp. 387–. ISBN 978-1-109-10064-8. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
  8. ^ "About Nevada City - Nevada City, CA". www.nevadacityca.gov. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Nevada City, Queen City of the Northern Hills". ncgold.com. Archived from the original on January 17, 1997. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
  10. ^ Lindgren, Waldemar (1896). The Gold-quartz Veins of Nevada City and Grass Valley Districts, California (Public domain ed.). U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 207–. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  11. ^ Sargent, Aaron Augustus (1856). Brown & Dallison's Nevada, Grass Valley and Rough and Ready Directory ...: For the Year Commencing ... Embracing a General Directory of Citizens, with an Historical Sketch of Nevada County (Public domain ed.). Printed at the Town Talk Office. pp. 20–. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  12. ^ Bean's history and directory of Nevada County, California: Containing a complete history of the county, with sketches of the various towns and mining camps ... also, full statistics of mining and all other industrial resources (Public domain ed.). Printed at the Daily Gazette Book and Job Office. 1867. p. 40. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  13. ^ Brower, Maria E. (2005). Nevada City. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 70–71. ISBN 978-0-7385-3062-8.
  14. ^ "Nevada City United Methodist Church to host annual Craft Faire". The Union. November 19, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  15. ^ Hoover, Mildred Brooke; Douglas E. Kyle; Hero Rensch (2002). Historic spots in California. Vol. 5. Stanford University Press. p. 258. ISBN 978-0-8047-4482-9.
  16. ^ Eaton, David Wolfe (1918). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. p. 368.
  17. ^ "SoilWeb: An Online Soil Survey Browser - California Soil Resource Lab". casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  18. ^ "Climatology of the United States No. 20: NEVADA CITY, CA 1971–2000" (PDF). NOAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  19. ^ "NEVADA CITY, CALIFORNIA - Climate Summary". Wrcc.dri.edu. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  20. ^ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  21. ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  22. ^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023". United States Census Bureau. June 25, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  23. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  24. ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA – Nevada City city". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  25. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  26. ^ McKowen, Dahlynn; McKowen, Ken (2009). Wine-Oh! Guide to California's Sierra Foothills: From the Ordinary to the Extraordinary. Wilderness Press. pp. 32–. ISBN 978-0-89997-492-7.
  27. ^ "43rd Annual Constitution Day Parade & Celebration Sept. 12–13 in Historic Nevada City". nevadacitychamber.com. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  28. ^ "Wild and Scenic Film Festival". wildandscenicfilmfestival.org. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
  29. ^ "Nevada City Film Festival". nevadacityfilmfestival.com. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  30. ^ "Queen of storytelling festivals celebrates its 24th year". sierrastorytellingfestival.org. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  31. ^ "Nevada City Summer Nights 2017 - Nevada City California". Nevadacitychamber.com. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  32. ^ "Nevada City Victorian Christmas 2017 - Nevada City California". Nevadacitychamber.com. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  33. ^ "Nevada City Classic Bicycle Race". ncclassic.com. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  34. ^ Valentinsen, Thomas (June 22, 2009). "Lance Armstrong Wins 2009 Nevada City Classic". roadcycling.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  35. ^ Ryan Sabalow; Phillip Reese; Dale Kasler (April 14, 2019). "A real life gamble: California races to predict which town could be the next victim". Destined to Burn. Reno Gazette Journal. The Sacramento Bee. p. 1A.
  36. ^ Westervelt, Eric (May 29, 2019). "After Paradise, Living With Fire Means Redefining Resilience". NPR News. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  37. ^ Simon, Matt (January 10, 2019). "To Prevent Fires, One California Town Says 'Goat Fund Me'". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  38. ^ "Supervisorial District 1". Mynevadacounty.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  39. ^ "Home Page". Archived from the original on April 7, 2012.
  40. ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  41. ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
  42. ^ "California's 1st Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
  43. ^ "CA Secretary of State – Report of Registration – February 10, 2019" (PDF). ca.gov. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  44. ^ "Welcome ::". Archived from the original on October 7, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
  45. ^ "2015-16 Enrollment Summary - as of October 7, 2015" (PDF). Nevco.org. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  46. ^ "Nevada Joint Union High School District - Nevada County Superintendent of Schools". nevco.org. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  47. ^ Ferry, David (June 11, 2019). "Inside the mysterious sport of 'country collecting'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  48. ^ Comstock, David Allan. "Charles Marsh: Our Neglected Pioneer-Genius," Nevada County Historical Society Bulletin, pp. 9, 10, Volume 50, No. 2, April 1996.
  49. ^ "Nevada City Man Aims For Congressional Seat". Auburn Journal. January 7, 1980. p. 3. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  50. ^ "SARGENT, Aaron Augustus". Biographical Directory of United States Congress. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  51. ^ Kellar, Liz (November 8, 2010). "Andersen gets 2 years in death of NC artist Sievert". The Union. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  52. ^ "Twinning - Penzance Town Council, Cornwall". www.penzancetowncouncil.co.uk. Retrieved March 8, 2019.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
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