Alturas (formerly,
Dorris Bridge,
Dorris' Bridge, and
Dorrisville) is the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Modoc CountyModoc County is a county located in the far northeast corner of the U.S. state of California, bounded by the state of Oregon to the north and the state of Nevada to the east. As of 2000, its population was 9,449. The current county seat is Alturas, the county's only incorporated city. Previous...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Alturas is located on the
Pit RiverThe Pit River or Pitt River is a major river watershed draining northeastern California into the state's Central Valley. The Pit, the Klamath and the Columbia are the only three rivers in the U.S...
, east of the center of Modoc County, at an elevation of 4370 feet (1332 m). As the county seat, the town is a home to regional government offices, including a
California Highway PatrolThe California Highway Patrol is an agency of the U.S. State of California with patrol jurisdiction over all California highways. The CHP also acts as the state police....
office and a state
Department of Motor VehiclesIn the United States of America, a Department of Motor Vehicles is a state-level government agency that administers vehicle registration and driver licensing. Similar departments exist in Canada...
office. Modoc Subdivision track of the
Union Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest and oldest operating railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
, and the
Lake County RailroadThe Lake County Railroad , based in Lakeview, Oregon, United States, is owned by the Lake County government and operated by the Modoc Northern Railroad. It runs south from Lakeview to Alturas, California, and then back every Thursday...
, (of
Lake County, OregonLake County is a county located in the high desert south central region of U.S. state of Oregon. It is named for the lakes found within its boundaries, including Lake Abert, Hart Lake Reservoir, and Goose Lake. While it is among the largest Oregon counties in land area, it is thinly populated with...
) serve the area.
The population was 2,892 at the 2000 census, and the ZIP code for the community is 96101.
Alturas straddles the North Fork of the
Pit RiverThe Pit River or Pitt River is a major river watershed draining northeastern California into the state's Central Valley. The Pit, the Klamath and the Columbia are the only three rivers in the U.S...
, near its confluence with the South Fork in the north end of South Fork Valley, in the extreme northeastern corner of California at .
Alturas (formerly,
Dorris Bridge,
Dorris' Bridge, and
Dorrisville) is the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Modoc CountyModoc County is a county located in the far northeast corner of the U.S. state of California, bounded by the state of Oregon to the north and the state of Nevada to the east. As of 2000, its population was 9,449. The current county seat is Alturas, the county's only incorporated city. Previous...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Alturas is located on the
Pit RiverThe Pit River or Pitt River is a major river watershed draining northeastern California into the state's Central Valley. The Pit, the Klamath and the Columbia are the only three rivers in the U.S...
, east of the center of Modoc County, at an elevation of 4370 feet (1332 m). As the county seat, the town is a home to regional government offices, including a
California Highway PatrolThe California Highway Patrol is an agency of the U.S. State of California with patrol jurisdiction over all California highways. The CHP also acts as the state police....
office and a state
Department of Motor VehiclesIn the United States of America, a Department of Motor Vehicles is a state-level government agency that administers vehicle registration and driver licensing. Similar departments exist in Canada...
office. Modoc Subdivision track of the
Union Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest and oldest operating railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
, and the
Lake County RailroadThe Lake County Railroad , based in Lakeview, Oregon, United States, is owned by the Lake County government and operated by the Modoc Northern Railroad. It runs south from Lakeview to Alturas, California, and then back every Thursday...
, (of
Lake County, OregonLake County is a county located in the high desert south central region of U.S. state of Oregon. It is named for the lakes found within its boundaries, including Lake Abert, Hart Lake Reservoir, and Goose Lake. While it is among the largest Oregon counties in land area, it is thinly populated with...
) serve the area.
The population was 2,892 at the 2000 census, and the ZIP code for the community is 96101.
Geography
Alturas straddles the North Fork of the
Pit RiverThe Pit River or Pitt River is a major river watershed draining northeastern California into the state's Central Valley. The Pit, the Klamath and the Columbia are the only three rivers in the U.S...
, near its confluence with the South Fork in the north end of South Fork Valley, in the extreme northeastern corner of California at . The tall
Warner MountainsThe Warner Mountains is an 85-mile-long mountain range running north-south through northeastern California and extending into southeastern Oregon in the United States...
lie to the east, the wetlands and
wild riceWild rice is any of the four species of plants that make up the genus Zizania , a group of grasses that grow in shallow water in small lakes and slow-flowing streams; often, only the flowering head of wild rice rises above the water...
fields of South Fork Valley to the south, and the extensive
Modoc PlateauThe Modoc Plateau lies in the northeast corner of California as well as parts of Oregon and Nevada. It is a mile-high expanse of lava flows with cinder cones, juniper flats, pine forests, and seasonal lakes. The plateau is thought to have been formed approximately 25 million years ago...
to the north.
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) and none of it is covered by water.
Climate
Alturas has wet, cold winters and warm, dry summers. The average January temperatures are a high of 41.6°F and a low of 16.5°F. The average July temperatures are a high of 88.2°F and a low of 44.3°F. There are an average of 36.2 days with highs of 90°F (32°C) or higher and an average of 203.8 days with lows of 32°F (0°C) or lower. The record high was 108°F on July 8, 2007, and the record low was -34°F on December 9, 1972. Freezing temperatures have occurred in every month of the year; cool nights are common even on the warmest summer days.
Precipitation averages 12.43 inches annually. There are an average of 78 days with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1998 with 20.89 inches and the dryest year was 1976 with 6.54 inches. The most rainfall in one month was 6.17 inches in October 1962. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 3.51 inches on December 11, 1937. Snowfall averages 30.9 inches. The most snowfall in one year was 85.5 inches in 1952.
History
Alturas now occupies what was initially an
AchumawiThe Achomawi were one of several bands of the Pit River tribe of Native Americans who lived in northeastern California, USA. They lived in the Fall River valley, Tule Lake and Pit River area near Montgomery Creek in Shasta County to Goose Lake on the Oregon state line...
(Pit River) village known as Kosealekte. The city was initially known as Dorris Bridge (or Dorris' Bridge), named after Pressley and James Dorris, who built a bridge across the Pit River at this location. In 1876, the town was renamed Alturas, which means "The Heights" in Spanish.
The Dorris Bridge post office opened in 1871, and changed its name to Alturas in 1876.
Settlement continued over the next few decades, until the city was officially incorporated on September 16, 1901. Alturas is the current seat of Modoc County, and its only incorporated city.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 2,892 people, 1,181 households, and 753 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 1,316.3 people per square mile (507.5/km²). There were 1,367 housing units at an average density of 622.2/sq mi (239.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.89%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.31%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 4.39%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.73%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.10%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 4.84% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.73% from two or more races. 11.89% of the population were Hispanic or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 1,181 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,351, and the median income for a family was $31,385. Males had a median income of $36,500 versus $21,750 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $19,281. About 23.0% of families and 27.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
In the
state legislatureThe California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Alturas is located in the 1st
SenateThe California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
Dave CoxDavid E. Cox is an American politician from Fair Oaks, California. A Republican, he is a member of the California State Senate, representing the 1st district since December 2004....
, and in the 2nd
AssemblyThe California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican
Doug LaMalfaDoug LaMalfa represented California's 2nd Assembly District in the California State Assembly from December 2002 through December 2008. He is a Republican. LaMalfa represented one of the biggest assembly districts when it comes to square miles...
. Federally, Alturas is located in
California's 4th congressional districtCalifornia's 4th congressional district covers the northeastern corner of California along Route 395, covering El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Sierra, Plumas, Lassen, and Modoc counties, as well as parts of Butte County including Oroville and a small portion of Sacramento County including Orangevale...
, which has a
Cook PVIThe Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +11 and is represented by Republican
Tom McClintockThomas Miller McClintock II is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 4th congressional district...
.
Economy
It is the headquarters to the
Modoc National ForestModoc National Forest is a national forest in northeastern California, covering parts of Modoc , Lassen , and Siskiyou counties. Most of the forest was covered by an immense lava flow millions of years ago. The eastern part of the forest east of Alturas contains a spur of the Cascade Range to...
, the Alturas Field Office of the
Bureau of Land ManagementThe Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately 264 million acres or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. Most public lands are located in western states...
, the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge and other recreation areas, and is the trade center for the agricultural region, which produces beef, sheep, potatoes, alfalfa and lumber. Despite its abundance of wilderness, recreational opportunities, hunting and fishing resources, and resplendent natural beauty, tourism is not a major sector of the local economy—largely due to the city's remote location.
Local, State, Federal, and Tribal governments are the largest employers in Alturas. A vibrant timber industry collapsed in the early 1980s due to increased production costs and low market prices for softwood lumber.
The Modoc Joint Unified School District is headquartered in Alturas.
The
Alturas RancheriaThe Alturas Indian Rancheria is a federally recognized tribe of Achomawi Indians in California.The tribe controls 20-acre reservation near Alturas, California, in Modoc County. Tribal enrollment is estimated at 15. Phillip Del Rosa is currently serving as the elected Chairman...
, a band of Pit River Indians, operates a small casino just outside the city limits.
Services
Schools:
HeadStart (Pre-K)
Alturas Elementary School (K-5)
Modoc Middle School (6-8)
Modoc High School (9-12)
Warner High School (Alternative High School, 9-12)
Health Care:
Modoc Medical Center
Modoc Health Clinic
Modoc Indian Health Project, contracted
Indian Health ServiceIndian Health Service is an Operating Division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . IHS is responsible for providing medical and public health services to members of federally recognized Tribes and Alaska Natives...
program
Alturas Railroad Museum
Alturas Municipal Airport
Central Modoc Resource Conservation District
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Alturas office
DMV Alturas office
CHP Alturas office
Dr. Tom Krauel, Optometrist
Automation Solar, SiVly
Modoc County Record
http://www.modocrecord.com
Notable residents
- Kayte Christensen
Kayte Lauren Christensen is an American professional basketball player who has competed internationally and for the Phoenix Mercury and Chicago Sky in the WNBA....
, WNBA basketball player
- Ernest S. Brown
Ernest S. Brown served briefly as a United States Senator from Nevada in 1954.Born in Alturas, California, he moved with his family to Reno, Nevada, in 1906 and attended the public schools. He graduated from the University of Nevada at Reno in 1926, and was admitted to the bar in 1927, commencing...
, United States Senator from Nevada
External links