| Lassen County | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — County — | |||
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| Location in the state of California | |||
| California's location in the United States | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | California | ||
| Region | Northeast California | ||
| Incorporated | 1864 | ||
| County seat | Susanville | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 4,720.37 sq mi (12,225.7 km2) | ||
| • Land | 4,557.27 sq mi (11,803.3 km2) | ||
| • Water | 163.10 sq mi (422.4 km2) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 34,895 | ||
| • Density | 7.6/sq mi (2.9/km2) | ||
| Time zone | Pacific Standard Time (UTC-8) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7) | ||
| Website | www.co.lassen.ca.us | ||
Lassen County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,895, up from 33,828 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Susanville, the only incorporated city in the county.
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Lassen County was formed on April 1, 1864 from parts of Plumas and Shasta Counties following the two-day conflict known as the "Sagebrush War", also called the Roop County War,[1] that started on February 15, 1863. Due to uncertainties over the California border, the area that is now Lassen County was part of the unofficial Nataqua Territory and Roop County, Nevada during the late 1850s and early 1860s.
The county was named after Peter Lassen,[2] along with Lassen Peak, which is in adjoining Shasta County. Lassen was one of General John C. Fremont's guides, and a famous trapper, frontiersman and Indian fighter. He was murdered under mysterious circumstances near the Black Rock Desert in 1859, and his murder was never solved.
By the 1880s small towns began to spring up all over Lassen County. Bieber was at the north end of the county, in rich farm land. Hayden Hill was where a gold discovery happened, and a small town sprang up to support the miners. Hayden Hill no longer exists: as the mining stopped, the town's people left for other communities. Madeline was formed at the north end of another rich farming valley, and along the railroad tracks heading north to Alturas, California, this community to this day has about 50 people living in and around the town. A narrow gauge railroad ran through Lassen County from 1880 to 1927, and was called the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway. The N.C.O.R. was the longest small gauge of the century. It was meant to connect Reno, Nevada to the Columbia River, but only 238 miles (383 km) of track were laid, from Reno to Lakeview, Oregon.
In 1913 the Fernley & Lassen Railroad was built and would tap the large timber supplies of Lassen County. Along with this railroad being built, along came the Red River Lumber Company,[3] who built the town of Westwood, California to support their massive logging operation. Two other lumber mills followed the Red River Lumber Co. They built their mills in Susanville, California. The Lassen Lumber & Box Company and the Fruit Growers Company both operated mills in Susanville for several decades.
In May 2007, Sierra Pacific Industries, based in Redding, California, closed the last lumber mill in Susanville, due to the lack of large timber for the mill. The mill was a large-timber mill, and would have required several million dollars to convert it to small timber. Sierra Pacific was reluctant to invest in the mill, and elected to close it permanently.[4]
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 4,720.37 square miles (12,225.7 km2), of which 4,557.27 square miles (11,803.3 km2) (or 96.54%) is land and 163.10 square miles (422.4 km2) (or 3.46%) is water.[5] Part of Lassen Volcanic National Park extends onto a western corner of the county.
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Lassen Rural Bus (LRB) runs a local service in Susanville, and longer distance routes to Westwood and Doyle.
Susanville Municipal Airport, Herlong Airport and Westwood Airport are all general aviation airports.
| Year | GOP | DEM | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 65.8% 7,483 | 31.5% 3,586 | 3.2% 364 |
| 2004 | 71.0% 8,126 | 27.6% 3,158 | 1.5% 166 |
| 2000 | 66.9% 7,080 | 28.2% 2,982 | 5.0% 524 |
| 1996 | 52.6% 5,194 | 33.6% 3,318 | 13.8% 1,363 |
| 1992 | 37.2% 3,836 | 32.7% 3,388 | 30.3% 3,004 |
| 1988 | 58.6% 5,157 | 39.2% 3,446 | 2.3% 199 |
| 1984 | 61.1% 5,352 | 37.1% 3,254 | 1.8% 155 |
| 1980 | 54.5% 4,464 | 35.9% 2,941 | 9.7% 793 |
| 1976 | 43.0% 3,007 | 54.3% 3,801 | 2.7% 190 |
| 1972 | 50.8% 3,618 | 44.0% 3,134 | 5.2% 370 |
| 1968 | 41.1% 2,553 | 47.1% 2,930 | 11.8% 735 |
| 1964 | 34.3% 2,124 | 65.7% 4,072 | 0.1% 5 |
| 1960 | 40.2% 2,365 | 59.1% 3,472 | 0.7% 40 |
| 1956 | 42.5% 2,533 | 57.2% 3,412 | 0.3% 18 |
| 1952 | 43.7% 3,313 | 55.8% 4,237 | 0.5% 39 |
| 1948 | 34.0% 1,960 | 62.9% 3,632 | 3.1% 181 |
| 1944 | 33.9% 1,896 | 65.8% 3,678 | 0.3% 15 |
| 1940 | 30.1% 1,902 | 69.2% 4,367 | 0.7% 44 |
| 1936 | 19.6% 1,035 | 79.5% 4,193 | 0.9% 48 |
| 1932 | 26.9% 1,167 | 70.4% 3,056 | 2.7% 117 |
| 1928 | 56.7% 2,111 | 42.9% 1,597 | 0.4% 13 |
| 1924 | 40.8% 1,072 | 13.5% 356 | 45.7% 1,201 |
| 1920 | 66.2% 1,582 | 26.9% 643 | 6.9% 164 |
Lassen 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.
Lassen is part of California's California's 4th congressional district, which is held by Republican Tom McClintock. In the state legislature, Lassen is part of the 3rd Assembly district, which is held by Republican Dan Logue, and the 1st Senate district, which is held by Republican Ted Gaines.
On Nov. 4, 2008 Lassen County voted 71.3 % for Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 1,327 |
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| 1880 | 3,340 | 151.7% | |
| 1890 | 4,239 | 26.9% | |
| 1900 | 4,511 | 6.4% | |
| 1910 | 4,802 | 6.5% | |
| 1920 | 8,507 | 77.2% | |
| 1930 | 12,589 | 48.0% | |
| 1940 | 14,479 | 15.0% | |
| 1950 | 18,474 | 27.6% | |
| 1960 | 13,597 | −26.4% | |
| 1970 | 14,960 | 10.0% | |
| 1980 | 21,661 | 44.8% | |
| 1990 | 27,598 | 27.4% | |
| 2000 | 33,828 | 22.6% | |
| 2010 | 34,895 | 3.2% | |
| [6][7][8] | |||
The 2010 United States Census reported that Lassen County had a population of 34,895. The racial makeup of Lassen County was 25,532 (73.2%) White, 2,834 (8.1%) African American, 1,234 (3.5%) Native American, 356 (1.0%) Asian, 165 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 3,562 (10.2%) from other races, and 1,212 (3.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6,117 persons (17.5%).[9]
| Population reported at 2010 United States Census | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Population |
|
American |
American |
|
Islander |
races |
more races |
or Latino (of any race) |
| Lassen County | 34,895 | 25,532 | 2,834 | 1,234 | 356 | 165 | 3,562 | 1,212 | 6,117 |
|
city |
Population |
|
American |
American |
|
Islander |
races |
more races |
or Latino (of any race) |
| Susanville | 17,947 | 11,269 | 2,249 | 612 | 198 | 111 | 2,928 | 580 | 4,259 |
|
place |
Population |
|
American |
American |
|
Islander |
races |
more races |
or Latino (of any race) |
| Bieber | 312 | 264 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 8 | 72 |
| Clear Creek | 169 | 149 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 15 |
| Doyle | 678 | 583 | 14 | 37 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 27 | 55 |
| Herlong | 298 | 187 | 38 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 44 | 46 |
| Janesville | 1,408 | 1,283 | 13 | 32 | 11 | 3 | 27 | 39 | 118 |
| Johnstonville | 1,024 | 929 | 7 | 16 | 13 | 0 | 26 | 33 | 73 |
| Litchfield | 195 | 176 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 25 |
| Milford | 167 | 150 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 11 |
| Nubieber | 50 | 26 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 10 |
| Patton Village | 702 | 552 | 48 | 27 | 4 | 5 | 18 | 48 | 62 |
| Spaulding | 178 | 168 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Westwood | 1,647 | 1,430 | 3 | 104 | 10 | 2 | 49 | 49 | 179 |
|
communities |
Population |
|
American |
American |
|
Islander |
races |
more races |
or Latino (of any race) |
| All others not CDPs (combined) | 10,120 | 8,366 | 461 | 353 | 113 | 36 | 443 | 348 | 1,186 |
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 33,828 people, 9,625 households, and 6,776 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 12,000 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 80.81% White, 8.84% Black or African American, 3.26% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.43% Pacific Islander, 3.23% from other races, and 2.69% from two or more races. 13.84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 13.8% were of German, 12.1% Irish, 10.5% English, 8.7% American and 5.0% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000. 88.2% spoke English and 10.3% Spanish as their first language.
There were 9,625 households out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the county the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 168.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 192.2 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,310, and the median income for a family was $43,398. Males had a median income of $37,333 versus $26,561 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,749. About 11.1% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
| Modoc County | ||||
| Shasta County | Washoe County, Nevada | |||
| Lassen County, California | ||||
| Plumas County | Sierra County |
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