Nevada City is the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Nevada County, California Nevada County ( ) is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California, in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 102,241. The county seat is Nevada City, Califor ...

, United States, northeast of

Sacramento Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in Northern California's Sacramento Valley, Sacramento's 2020 p ...

, southwest of Reno and northeast of

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

. The population was 3,152 as of the 2020 census.

History

The settlement was originally a Nisenan village named . European Americans first settled Nevada City in 1849, during the

California Gold Rush The California gold rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the U ...

, 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. The ''Gold Tunnel'' on the north side of Deer Creek was the city's first mine, built in 1850. The first sawmill in Nevada City was built on Deer Creek, just above town, in August 1850, by Lewis & Son, with a water wheel. 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. 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. 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 Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...

, and the town has legally been known as Nevada City ever since. The former town of Coyoteville later became Nevada City's northwestern section.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has an area of , 99.83% of it land and 0.17% water. Nevada, Missouri, is named after Nevada City. Most of Nevada City lies on brown sandy loam soils of the Hoda series which developed on granitic rock.

Climate

Owing to its exposed location on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, Nevada City receives moderate to heavy rainfall for California at , though its climate is otherwise fairly typical for the state, classified as

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

(''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 or higher, 75 freezing nights, and 60 days where the temperature fails to reach . The record high temperature is , set on August 14, 1933, and the record low is , set on January 21, 1937, and on December 9, 1972.

Demographics

2020

The 2020 U.S. Census showed that Nevada City had a population of 3,152. The racial makeup of Nevada City was 2,684 (85.2%)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 26 (0.8%)

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 55 (1.7%) Native American, 53 (1.7%) Asian, 4 (0.12%)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 65 (2.1%) from other races, and 265 (8.4%) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

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

The 2010 United States Census reported that Nevada City had a population of 3,068. The population density was . The racial makeup of Nevada City was 2,837 (92.5%)

, 26 (0.8%)

, 28 (0.9%) Native American, 46 (1.5%) Asian, 0 (0%)

, 40 (1.3%) from other races, and 91 (0.4%) from two or more races.

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 , 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

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 3,001 people, 1,313 households, and 740 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,415 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.3%

, 0.4%

, 1.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, <0.1%

, 0.7% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races.

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 Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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 Income is the consumption and saving opportunity gained by an entity within a specified timeframe, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. Income is difficult to define conceptually and the definition may be different across fields. F ...

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 Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $22,399. About 1.7% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Tourism

Nevada City's tourist attractions include: * Nevada City Winery was the first bonded winery to open in Nevada County after

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...

Arts and culture

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

Museums

* Firehouse No. 1 Museum * Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad & Transportation Museum * The Miners Foundry Cultural Center has a small museum

Recurring events

Recurring and annual events include: *Mardi Gras, Fourth of July Parade, Teddy Bear Convention, and Psychic Faire. *Constitution Day Parade, founded in 1967; one of the oldest and largest

Constitution Day Constitution Day is a holiday to honour the constitution of a country. Constitution Day is often celebrated on the anniversary of the signing, promulgation or adoption of the constitution, or in some cases, to commemorate the change to constitut ...

observances in the western United States. *Wild and Scenic Film Festival, founded in 2003, showcasing films about environmental issues, outdoor adventure, and extreme sports. *Nevada City Film Festival, founded in 2001. *Nevada City Storytelling Festival, founded in 1985. *Summer Nights, an outdoor street festival of art and music. *Victorian Christmas street fair. * Nevada City Classic, founded in 1960, a professional cycling race.

Buildings and structures

The Nevada City Downtown Historic District included several sites on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

or which have

California Historical Landmark A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in the U.S. state of California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance. Criteria Historical significance is determined by meetin ...

status.

Government

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.

County, state, and federal representation

Nevada City is in Nevada County. The District 1 Supervisor is Heidi Hall. In the state legislature, Nevada City is in , and . Nevada City is in . According to the

California Secretary of State The secretary of state of California is the chief clerk of the U.S. state of California, overseeing a department of 500 people. The Secretary of state (U.S. state government), secretary of state is elected for four year terms, like the state's o ...

, 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.

Education

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). Other large schools in the area include Nevada City School of the Arts, Yuba River Charter School, and Forest Charter School 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.

Higher education

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

Notable people

* Lexie Alford (born 1998), youngest person to travel to every country * Tina Basich (born 1969), professional snowboarder * Donald J. Butz, U.S. Air Force (born 1933), Major General * Jennie Carter (1830–1881) African-American journalist and essayist * Anthony Chabot (1813–1888), 19th-century businessman and entrepreneur; co-inventor of hydraulic mining in Nevada City * Peter Collier (1939–2019), political author, editor of RAMPARTS magazine * Joseph Cornell (born 1950), naturalist and author * Alela Diane (born 1983), singer/songwriter * Matt DiBenedetto (born 1991), NASCAR driver * Heather Donahue, actress, American writer * Eleanor Dumont (1829–1879), professional gambler * Alasdair Fraser (born 1955), Scottish fiddler and owner of Culburnie Records * Noah Georgeson (born 1975), musician, producer * Felix Gillet (1835–1908), pioneer California horticulturist *

Oakley Hall Oakley Maxwell Hall (July 1, 1920 – May 12, 2008) was an American novelist. He was born in San Diego, California, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and served in the United States Marine Corps, Marines during World War II ...

(1920–2008), novelist * Robert M. Hunt (1828–1902), physician * Roger Hodgson (born 1950), singer/songwriter and ex- Supertramp member * Swami Kriyananda (1926–2013), spiritual teacher and founder of Ananda Village * Cliff Kushler, inventor * Charles Marsh, possibly Nevada City's first resident and namer of the town * Tully Marshall (1864–1943), actor * Jim McClarin (born 1945/1946), politician * John McEntire (born 1970), drummer, recording engineer, and music producer * Thomas Bard McFarland (1828–1908), associate justice of the Supreme Court of California * Stephen McNallen (born 1948), Germanic Neopagan leader and writer * Joanna Newsom (born 1982), harpist, singer/songwriter, and actress * Tim O'Connor (1927–2018), actor * John Olmsted (1938–2011), naturalist, co-creator of The Independence Trail State Park * Utah Phillips (1935–2008), folk singer, activist * Ed Reimers (1912–2009), actor and television announcer *

Terry Riley Terrence Mitchell Riley (born June 24, 1935) is an American composer and performing musician best known as a pioneer of the minimalist music, minimalist school of composition. Influenced by jazz and Indian classical music, his work became notab ...

(born 1935), composer * Gyan Riley (born 1977), guitarist and composer * Alexander Rossi (born 1991), professional race car driver, winner of the 100th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race in 2016 * Julia Ann Rudolph (), photographer who had a studio in the city from 1856 to around 1860 * Aaron A. Sargent (1827–1887), U.S. Senator * Lorenzo Sawyer (1820–1891), Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court * Niles Searls (1825–1907), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California * Claus Sievert (1949–2009), printmaker, illustrator * Mariee Sioux (born 1985), singer/songwriter *

Gary Snyder Gary Snyder (born May 8, 1930) is an American poet, essayist, lecturer, and environmental activist. His early poetry has been associated with the Beat Generation and the San Francisco Renaissance and he has been described as the "poet laureate ...

(born 1930), poet * Rosie Stephenson-Goodknight (born 1953), editor * Evan Strong (born 1986), professional snowboarder * Heinrich Sylvester Theodor Tiling (1818–1871), physician and botanist

In popular culture

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

Twin cities

Nevada City is twinned with

Penzance Penzance ( ; ) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is the westernmost major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated in the ...

, a seaside town in

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

, UK, and the nearby tin and copper mining town of St Just in Penwith, Cornwall, UK. 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.

References

External links

*
Nevada City Chamber of CommerceNevada City
at Western Mining History. Accessed August 22, 2021. {{authority control Cities in Nevada County, California County seats in California Incorporated cities and towns in California Mining communities of the California Gold Rush Populated places in the Sierra Nevada (United States) Populated places established in 1849 Populated places established in 1856 1849 establishments in California 1856 establishments in California Cities in Sacramento metropolitan area