Rough and Ready, California

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Rough and Ready is an unincorporated town, located in Nevada County, California, west of Grass Valley, California.

Rough and Ready has a population of 1500, according to the road sign. At least 1,000 additional people living in the outskirts cite Rough and Ready as their address. Realistically given its small area, it is more likely that Rough and Ready has a population of only around 150 within its city limits. Rough and Ready is approximately 60 km away from Sacramento.

The first established settlement in Rough and Ready was made in the fall of 1849 by a mining company from Wisconsin known as the Rough and Ready Company. Their leader, Captain A. A. Townsend, named the company after General Zachary Taylor, "Old Rough and Ready", who had recently been elected the 12th President of the United States. Captain Townsend had served under "Old Rough and Ready" when he commanded the American Forces during the Mexican War.

Rough and Ready is the only mining town to "secede" from the Union and then vote itself back in. Populated mostly by miners from the state of Wisconsin hoping to rid themselves of any and all outside laws and other restrictions, it was decided in a town meeting in 1850 to take the drastic step of secession. All this came to an abrupt halt when, preparing for a fourth of July celebration, it was realized the independent country of Rough And Ready, no longer a part of the United States, had no reason to celebrate. Something had to be done even if it meant restoring the new Republic to the United States. This was done by popular vote followed by the most riotous celebration ever held anywhere.

Little is left of the town today but it is easily accessible on highway 20, west of the Grass Valley junction at highway 49. Among the oldest buildings is the blacksmith shop (1850s), the Odd Fellows Hall (1854), and to the east of town the Old Toll House which exacted such fees as 25 cents for a horse and rider and $3.00 for a flock of geese.