These descriptions of California counties were taken from volume II of California State Gazetteer and Business Directory, R. L. Polk & Company, published in 1890. They give you an idea of the counties as they were at that point in history.
Alameda County
Alameda County is situated on the eastern shore of San Francisco bay, six miles from San Francisco. It has an area of 737 square miles. In wealth and population it ranks third of the counties. Its population, according to the census of 1880, was 69,976, but it is now estimated at 120,000. Oakland, the county seat, is noted for its handsome streets and gardens, and its many churches and schools. It furnishes suburban homes for many San Franciscans, as it is connected with the metropolis by two lines of ferries. Other large towns are Alameda, Berkeley the seat of the State University, and Livermore. The county consists mainly of gently rolling foothill land, admirably adapted to fruit and the vine. Its wheat fields are rapidly being converted into orchards and vineyards. Oakland is one of the great shipping points for green fruit to the East, as well as the seat of large manufactures. Its growth in two years has been marvelous, and it now has 60,000 people. The county produces all kinds of fruit and garden produce, wheat, barley, hay and sugar-beets. Its assessed valuation in 1889 was $71,986,282.
Alpine County
Alpine County is one of the extreme eastern counties, bordering on Nevada, and in the heart of the Sierra. It contains 882 square miles, but its cultivated lands comprise less than 1,000 acres. Population, according to the census of 1880, was 539. The surface is broken by high mountains, amid which are many beautiful valleys. The western part is extremely wild, and is used mainly for pasture of cattle and sheep. Markleeville, the county seat, is on the Carson River, and is the center of a good mining country. Vast forests of fir, tamarack, pine and spruce form the chief wealth. Lumbering, dairying and mining are the main pursuits. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $282,835.
Amador County
Amador County is one of the foot-hill counties, in the eastern part of the state, stretching from Alpine on the east to Sacramento and San Joaquin on the west; its area is 565 square miles, and its population estimated at 18,000. The census of 1880 gave it 11,384. Jackson is the county seat, a city of 2,500 people. The surface of the county is rugged, and mining has always been the chief industry. For many years the county ranked high for mineral production, and the gold output now averages $2,000,000 yearly. Much attention has been devoted lately to agriculture and fruit-growing, the soil being especially adapted to all kinds of fruit. There has been a large increase in acreage of fruit trees and vines within two years. Experiment has shown that soil and climate are favorable to the raisin grape. The assessed valuation for 1889 was $4,281,699.
Butte County
Butte County lies on the east side of the great Sacramento valley, between the Feather and Sacramento rivers; it has an area of 1,765 square miles, and a population of 30,000; the census of 1880 gave a population of 18,384. Chico, the chief city, lies in the center of a rich country, and is noted for its many handsome residences, and the Rancho Chico of General Bidwell, the greatest fruit farm in the state. It is also the seat of the new Normal School for northern California. Oroville, the county seat, is the center of a rapidly growing fruit section, where the orange grows to perfection. About one-third of the county is rich alluvial river bottoms, devoted to wheat and barley, but many of these fields, as well as the foothills, are being converted into orchards and vineyards. Grain-growing is still the leading source of wealth, but within three years fruit-raising has taken great strides, and in 1886 there were no less than 115,873 fruit trees. Last year many thousand orange trees were planted around Oroville. Mining and stock-raising are also profitable industries. The assessed valuation for 1889 was $19,894,614.
Calaveras County
Calaveras, a foot-hill county, just south of Amador and east of San Joaquin, has an area of 971 square miles, and an estimated population of 12,125; the census of 1880 gave the population as 9,094. The county seat is San Andreas, the center of a rich mining region. Other towns are Milton, Copperopolis, Murphys and Angels. Calaveras is pre-eminently a mining county, and its places were among the richest in California in early days. Now quartz mining is extensively carried on. Besides gold, there are rich deposits of copper, iron, coal and marble, all of which will repay working when the cost of transportation is reduced. The county is also rich in timber, the yearly product being 5,000,000 feet of fine lumber and 2,000,000 shingles. Like the other old mining counties, fruit-growing and agriculture are gaining ground every year. Many of the choicest fruits flourish well in these foot-hill valleys. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $4,315,361.
Colusa County
Colusa County lies in the heart of the great Sacramento valley; it stretches from the river on the east to the Coast range on the west, and is the banner wheat county of California or of the United States. Its area is 2, 300 square miles, mainly rich alluvial land. Its population is estimated at 20,000; the census of 1880 gives 13,118. Colusa, the county seat, is a city of 2,500 people, the center of immense grain ranches. Other towns are Willows, noted for the beauty of its homes, Orland, Germantown, Maxwell and Arbuckle. The valley land is so rich that the county has a record in many years of 10,000,000 bushels of wheat. . The land was formerly held in great ranches, the most famous of which is the Glenn ranch, that follows the Sacramento for seventeen miles; but many of these are now being cut up, and orchards are taking the place of grain fields. In the western part stock raising and lumbering are pursued. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $24,500,000.
Contra Costa County
Contra Costa lies across the bay from San Francisco, and adjoins Alameda, its northern boundary being the San Joaquin River and the bays that form the mouth of the Sacramento. Its area is 734 square miles, of which fully one-half is cultivated. Its population is estimated at 17,500; the census of 1880 gives 12,525. The county seat, Martinez, is on the line of the Central Pacific, and looks’ over the beautiful Suisun bay. Other gr-owing towns are Antioch, Brentwood, Byron Springs and Port Costa, the seat of the greatest wheat warehouses in California. The county is divided by the Coast range, the great feature of which is Mt. Diablo, the highest point of the range, 3,896 feet above sea level. Agriculture is the chief pursuit, and wheat the main product, although fruit and garden vegetables are rapidly nearing grain in value. Soil and climate are well adapted to all fruits and vines, while the olive flourishes on the hill lands, once regarded as fit for nothing but the wild oat. All along the shore at many points are large factories, while at the docks at Port Costa is loaded eighty per cent, of the wheat ships. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $15,195,592.
Del Norte County
Del Norte County is the extreme northwest corner of the state, with the Pacific on the west and Oregon on the northern boundary; its area is 1,546 square miles. The estimated population in 1889 was 3,500; census of 1880 gave 2,584. Crescent City, the county seat, is on the coast, and nearby are valuable mines of gold-bearing black sand. Other important towns are Smith River, Altaville, Gasquet and Happy Camp. The surface of the county is broken by mountains, and only about one-third is capable of cultivation. The mountains, however, are covered by some of the finest redwood, pine, spruce and fir in the state. Lumbering, dairying and mining are leading industries. When the Klamath Indian reservation is thrown open, a great stimulus will be given to the lumbering interest in the heavily timbered country along the river banks. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $1,925,031.
El Dorado County
El Dorado County, one of the oldest and richest of the foot-hill mining counties, extends from Sacramento County on the west to the state line of Nevada on the east. Its area is 1,890 square miles, and its population, given by the census of 1880 as 10,683, is now estimated at 12,000. Placerville, the county seat, is in the center of a once rich mining country, but now devoted to almost equally profitable fruit-growing and agriculture; it once ranked among the leading cities of California. Coloma, once the county seat, is celebrated as the place where gold was first discovered, in Sutter’s mill-race. The country rises by gradual ascent from the Sacramento valley region to the Sierra, crowned by snow the year round. All the western part, consisting of fertile plains and foothills, is especially adapted to fruit, and within five years a great area has been planted to the choicest varieties. Besides agriculture and fruit-growing, for which the system of mining ditches furnishes ample irrigation when required, mining is still carried on extensively. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $3,879,887.
Fresno County
Fresno County lies midway in the great San Joaquin valley, between Merced and Mariposa on the north and Tulare on the south. It is the third largest county in the state, having an area of 8,093 square miles. Its population, given by the 1880 census as 9,478, has increased enormously within the last five years, and is now estimated at 33,000, while the yearly increase is fully 5,000. Fresno, the county seat, is in the geographical center, and is the seat of the greatest raisin-producing section in the United States. The new acreage planted to raisin grapes this season is 10,000 acres, making the total acreage 36,000. Other large towns are Madera, Huron, Kingsburg and Selma. Two-thirds of the county is level as a barn floor, with soil of inexhaustible fertility. Here an elaborate system of irrigating canals has converted thousands of acres into one great vineyard of raisin grapes. While other fruits are less profitable than the grape, they are largely cultivated for drying and canning. The irrigating canals are capable of watering one thousand square miles, and this capacity can be increased. Besides all the ordinary agricultural products, Fresno produces a. large amount of alfalfa, honey, sorghum, sweet potatoes and Egyptian corn. In the eastern part of the county are some of the loftiest peaks of the high Sierra, rising more than 14,000 feet above sea-level. The mountain slopes are clothed with the finest growth of redwood and sugar pine. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $35,387,173.
Humboldt County
Humboldt County lies along the Pacific coast, directly south of Del Norte. Its area is 4,093 square miles, and its population, given by the census of 1880 as 15,512, is now 30,000. Eureka, the county seat, is on Humboldt Bay, the best harbor between San Francisco and Puget Sound, and has a population of 8,000. Other towns are Areata, Trinidad, Rohnerville and Ferndale. The surface of Humboldt is extremely rugged, being broken by many spurs of the Coast range, and it has several navigable streams, chief of which are the Klamath and Trinity rivers. More than 450,000 acres are covered with the heaviest growth of redwood in the state, while there are 200,000 acres of pine, cedar, spruce and fir. The timber yet uncut amounts to more than the entire timber reserve of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Naturally lumbering is the chief industry. Lumber exports for 1887 were 104,519,726 feet. Only about 30,000 acres are under cultivation, but Humboldt grain, potatoes and fruit are well known for superior quality. Mining is extensively carried on in the northern part, and ship-building and stock-raising are sources of wealth. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $18,440,872.
Inyo County
Inyo County is situated at the extreme east of the state, with the Sierra for a western boundary, has an area of 10,156 square miles, the greater part being mountainous land. It is shut off from the rest of the state by the enormous mountain chain, of which the highest peak is Mt. Whitney, 14,887 feet above sea-level. Its population, given by the 1880 census as 2,928, has now increased to about 5,000. Independence, the county seat, is in the midst of a rich mining country. Only a few thousand acres in Owens valley are under cultivation, but large irrigating projects are now under way, which will convert the sage-brush desert into fertile fields. Mining has always been the chief source of wealth, but large deposits of borax and soda are worked in Death Valley, and a vast quarry of the purest marble. The Carson and Colorado Railroad now furnishes transportation, which was formerly lacking. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $1,548,695.
Kern County
Kern County lies at the southern end of the San Joaquin valley, and has Tulare to the north and Los Angeles and Ventura to the south. Its area is about 8,100 square miles, and its population, put at 5,601 by the census of 1880, now numbers 13,000. Bakersfield, the county seat, is in the Kern valley, and has many fine public buildings. About one-third of the county is rich agricultural land, capable of raising any crop with irrigation that is furnished by ditches or artesian wells. The Kern River furnishes water for a series of canals that cost not less than $5,000,000. Alfalfa is largely raised for feed, and the raising of cattle, horses, sheep and hogs forms the main industry. All agricultural products grow with tropical luxuriance, and fruit-raising is beginning to attract attention. Other industries are lumbering and quartz mining. The assessed valuation for 1889 was $10,278,996.
Lake County
Lake County is shut in between two ridges of the Coast range, with mountains also to north and south, and with Clear Lake, 25 miles long by 6 wide, Lake County bears away the palm for picturesque scenery. It is one of the central California counties, with an area of about 1,078 square miles, and a population now estimated at 10,000; census report of 1880 gives 6,596. Lakeport, the county seat, is on Clear Lake, and is the center of a good trade. The country is very broken, but the valleys are extremely fertile. Large quantities of wheat, barley, oats, corn, potatoes and hops are grown, while many sheep and hogs are raised. Fruit growing is also increasing, the county being especially adapted to the winter apple. There are also mines of quicksilver. The county has many popular tourist resorts, as it has a dozen mineral springs, famous for their waters. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $4,022,484.
Lassen County
Lassen County is situated far to the north, adjoining the state of Nevada. It has an area of 4,750 square miles, of which fully three-quarters is mountainous. Its population in 1880′ was returned as 3,340, but is now estimated at 5,500. The county seat is Susanville, in Honey Lake valley, at an elevation of 4,184 feet above the sea level. Despite the high altitude the climate is not severe. The leading industries are stock-raising and lumbering. The mountain grasses are peculiarly nutritious, and large herds graze in a country so rough that it would be the despair of the cattlemen of the plains. The foot-hills are covered with valuable forests of sugar and yellow pine, cedar and fir. Fruit-growing is receiving much attention. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $2,527,449.
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County has a shore-line of 90 miles on the Pacific, but the greater part of the county lies inland. It is just south of Kern county, and is cut off from the north by a spur of the Sierra. It is the most famous of the southern California counties, and is in the heart of the semi-tropical belt. Its area is 4,812 square miles, and its population, given as only 33,381 in 1880, has increased by the unexampled immigration from the East to 150,000, making it the second county in population and assessable wealth in the state. Los Angeles, the county seat, is the second city in the state, and claims 70,000 people; it covers an area of 36 square miles, but most of the houses are surrounded by large gardens. Its trade is large, as it is the natural railroad center for southern California, and is surrounded by colonies, where many wealthy people have made their homes. Large towns immediately about Los Angeles are Pasadena, Santa Ana, Orange and Tustin, while thriving colonies are Pomona and Anaheim. The whole county within a radius of twenty miles of Los Angeles has been converted into colonies and villas. Orange and grape growing, wine-making, market gardening and general agriculture form the chief industries, while the tourist business adds largely to the wealth of the county. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $84,386,319, while that of 1866 was only $37,560,880.
Marin County
Marin county lies between the Pacific ocean and San Francisco bay; it has an extensive coast line; it is northeast from San Francisco, and is bounded to the north and east by Sonoma county. Its area is 509 square miles, and its population, given as 11,324 in the census of 1880, is now estimated at 15,000. San Rafael, the county seat, is one of the prettiest of the suburban resorts about San Francisco bay, and is the home of many rich people. It has many beautiful residences, and a large first class hotel. Other towns are Sausalito, Nicasio and Tomales, while a dozen new suburban resorts have sprung up near San Rafael and Sausalito. The county is noted for its large dairy ranches that stretch along the shore of the Pacific, and its butter and cheese command high prices. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $11,108,657.
Mariposa County
Mariposa County is situated between Tuolumne and Fresno. This county is celebrated as containing the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa grove of big trees. Its area is 1,543 square miles, and its population is estimated at 6,500; the census of 1880 gives 4,339. The county seat, Mariposa, lies 45 miles from the Southern Pacific Railroad, and is reached by stages. Other towns are Hornitos, Coulterville and Cathay. The surface of the eastern half is extremely rugged and covered by heavy forests of redwood and pine. The western half consists of foothills and plains, which are immensely productive when irrigated. Mining is still the chief industry, many valuable quartz mines being worked. Lumbering, agriculture and stock-raising are profitable, and fruit growing is receiving attention. The assessed valuation for 1889 was $1,900,000.
Mendocino County
Merced County
Merced County is situated in the heart of the San Joaquin valley, between Stanislaus and Fresno. This has long been known as one of the greatest Wheat counties of California. Its area is 1,968 square miles, and its population, reported in 1880 by the United States census as 5,646, is now put down at 9,000. The county seat is Merced, which has many fine public buildings. Most of the land in the county is plain or foot-hill. It is watered by the San Joaquin and Merced rivers, which furnish facilities for irrigation. The county boasts of the largest irrigating ditch in this country, the Merced canal, which is 29 miles long, and terminates in a huge reservoir of 640 acres, five miles from Merced City. It will irrigate 300,000 acres, and it cost $2,500,000. Wheat and barley have long been the staple products, being grown without irrigation, but many acres have recently been planted to fruit and vines, and with irrigation these will prove far more profitable than grain. Stock-raising is also carried on in the foot-hills. The assessed valuation for 1889 was $14,000,000.
Modoc County
Modoc County lies at the far northeast corner of the state. It has an area of 4,296 square miles. The population is now about 7,000, but the census of 1880 gave it 4,399. Alturas, the county seat, lies at the meeting of the north and south forks of Pitt River, and is the center of a large trade. The surface is broken, more than half the area consisting of mountainous land, while a great tract, 100 miles by 60, in the northeastern part, is covered by the lava-beds, and is fit only for grazing. Stock raising is the chief pursuit, and large herds are driven annually out of the mountains. Dairying and lumbering also are important industries. Only lack of rail communication prevents Modoc from being a fine grain and agricultural country. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $3,000,000.
Mono County
Mono County extends along the boundary between Nevada and California, with Inyo County to the south. Its area is 2,796 square miles. The estimated population is 3,200, while the census of 1880 gives 7,499. The decrease is due to changes wrought by mining excitement, but the steady growth of the last few years is of the class that makes homes, and remains. The surface is extremely mountainous, and mining has always been the chief industry. The eastern part is composed of alkali plains, interspersed with salt-pools and volcanic remains. The lower foothills are covered with a heavy growth of sugar and yellow pine. Bodie, the largest town, was once the center of extraordinary rich mines. Of late these mines have been reopened, and the bullion yield last year was over a half million dollars. Cheap transportation is all that is needed to cause a general revival of mining in many long-deserted camps. Lumbering and stock-raising are also important industries. The assessed valuation for 1889 is $941,010.
Monterey County
Monterey County, situated on the coast south of Santa Cruz and north of San Luis Obispo, contains 3,328 square miles; its population is estimated at over 20,000, though by the census of 1880 it was placed at 11,302. Salinas city is the county seat and largest town, other places being Monterey, Castroville, Pajaro, Soledad and Gonzales. Monterey is one of the leading cereal-producing counties in the state, nearly half a million acres being annually sown to grain. Through the center of the Salinas valley runs the Salinas River, which empties into the ocean at Moss Landing, the seaport of Castroville. The Pajaro valley, a portion of which is in Santa Cruz county is watered by the Pajaro river. Its soil is very rich, and particularly well adapted for the growth of fruits and vegetables, especially sugar beets. The Carmel valley, in which is located the Mission of San Carlos, also contains considerable arable land. Farming, wool-growing, and stock-raising constitute the chief industries of the county. Monterey, the former capital of the state, is one of the principal watering places on the Pacific coast. It has many “places of historic interest, and the scenery in the vicinity is very picturesque. About a mile east of the old town is the Hotel Del Monte, built by the Southern Pacific Company, one of the finest seaside hotels in America. Pacific Grove Retreat, nearby, is also a popular summer resort. The assessed valuation of the county in 1889 was $15,536,037.
Napa County
Napa County is in the central part of the state, with Lake County on the north and San Pablo bay on the south. It is over fifty miles long by from thirty to thirty-five miles wide, and has an area of 789 square miles. The population, according to the United States census of 1880, was 18,234, but it is now estimated at 20,000. Napa City, the county seat, is on the Napa River, in a beautiful section, and has many substantial buildings. Other important towns are St. Helena, the center of a rich wine-making district, and Calistoga, a famous health resort. The soil of Napa, largely made of volcanic remains, is peculiarly adapted to the choicest wine grapes, and the county stands at the head for the quality of its fine wines. There are now over 15,000 acres planted to wine grapes, and the yearly increase is from 500 to 1,000 acres. Of fruit-trees there are also nearly 300,000, the olive having been largely planted on the hill lands. Some of the largest wine-cellars in the state are in the neighborhood of St. Helena. The county produces one-third of all the wine made in California, and its main valley, the Napa, for a distance of thirty miles is almost one continuous vineyard. The other products are wheat, oats, barley, hay and quicksilver. It has many mineral springs, popular as health resorts, and its climate is unsurpassed for equability. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $14,970,181.
Nevada County
Nevada County is one of diversified topography, gradually rising from the level of the upper Sacramento valley to the summit of the Sierra, on the eastern border of the state; its area is 1,125 square miles. In 1880 the population was 20,823, but it has now increased to 25,000. Nevada City, a city of about 7,000 inhabitants, is the county seat. Grass Valley, Colfax, and North San Juan are other important places. In the eastern or mountainous part of the county lumbering is the chief industry; in the central section gold-mining is prosecuted on an extensive scale, while the less elevated lands are devoted to grazing and the raising of grain and fruit. The quartz and drift mines of this county are steadily productive, though the suspension of hydraulic mining caused a period of dullness; the yield of the precious metal is now increasing, the quartz being worked with gratifying success. The many lumber-mills along the Truckee River send to market in the neighborhood of 35,000,000 feet annually. All kinds of fruit, including oranges, are grown in the county. It is a peculiarity of this county that it produces the finest Bartlett pears grown in the state, and the acreage in this fruit is very large. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $6,500,000.
Orange County
The southwestern part of Los Angeles County, a territory about forty miles long by twenty wide, was made into the new county of Orange last year. It is a citrus-growing district, highly cultivated, and supporting a large population, estimated at 20,000. The chief city is Santa Ana, which has grown into a place of 5,000 people, with many handsome buildings, within about seven years. The second city is Anaheim, the center of the oldest colony in Southern California. Other large and growing towns are Tustin, Garden Grove, El Modena, Westminster, Newport and San Juan Capistrano. The county has an admirable system of irrigation, and most of its land is planted to oranges, raisin grapes and other fruit. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $9,300,000.
Placer County
Placer County is long and narrow, extending to the summit of the Sierra and running down within a few miles of the Sacramento river, embracing 1,429 square miles of valley, foot-hill and mountain lands, and possessing resources extremely varied in nature. The population, rated at 14,232 in 1880, is now about 26,000. Auburn, a thrifty town of 2,000 inhabitants, is the county seat. Rocklin, Penryn, Newcastle, Dutch Flat, Alta, Cisco and Summit are other towns and villages. All of these towns are on the line of the Central Pacific railroad, the station at Summit being 7,017 feet above the sea. The resources of Placer are extremely varied. All kinds of fruit, from apples to oranges, are shipped to all parts of the state and to the East; millions of feet of lumber are annually exported; the chief granite quarries of California are here, and the gold mines, from which at least $35,000,000 have been extracted, are still far from exhausted. As attractions for the tourist, Placer boasts of Donner Lake, Soda Springs, and Lake Tahoe. Irrigation is practiced to a considerable extent, abandoned mining-ditches being used to conduct the waters of the Bear River to the lower lands. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $10,118,060.
Plumas County
Plumas County is one of the chain of mountain counties, and is bounded by Shasta, Lassen, Pitt and Tehama; its area is 2,656 square miles; in 1880, the population was 6,180, and is now about 7,000; Quincy is the county seat; Laporte, Meadow Valley and Taylorville are other towns. Although situated among the Sierra Nevada, containing several lofty peaks, and noted for its picturesque scenery, Plumas embraces many sheltered valleys of rich alluvial soil, and well-watered grassy meadows, supporting a prosperous agricultural community. Mining, however, as in the earlier days of California, is still the most profitable industry. The American valley and the Mountain meadows are noted for their succulent vegetation, and in dry seasons furnish a grazing-ground for stockmen from other counties. The north and middle forks of the Feather River take their rise in this county, and in winter rush in torrents to join the Sacramento. The resources of Plumas are in large measure undeveloped, yet the salubrious climate and productive soil of its elevated valleys as well as its hidden mineral wealth, are attracting a constantly increasing tide of immigration. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $2,230,000.
Sacramento County
Sacramento County, a quadrangular shaped county, with an area of 968 square miles, is situated nearly in the geographical center of the state, of which its county seat, Sacramento, is the capital. The population was 34,390 in 1880, and is now about 47,000. Nearly the entire area of the county consists of rich valley lands, through which flow the Sacramento, American and Cosumnes rivers. The former stream, the largest in the state, is lined with extensive orchards, and the annual product of fruits is not excelled by any other county. The vineyards are constantly increasing in extent; the shipments of grain and hay are extensive. In 1889, 1,700 car loads of green fruit were shipped east from Sacramento City. The city of Sacramento, at the junction of the Sacramento and American rivers, has a population of 35,000; contains the state capitol, an imposing structure costing over $3,000,000, the Crocker Art Gallery, the new Roman Catholic Cathedral, and the shops of the Central Pacific Railroad Company, employing about 2,000 men. The trade of Sacramento amounts to $60,000,000 a year. Folsom, where the branch State Prison is located, is famed for its granite quarries. The assessed valuation of the county in 1889 was $34,460,174.
San Benito County
San Benito County was formerly a part of Monterey County, by which it is bounded on the south and west; Merced and Fresno are on the east, and Santa Clara constitutes its northern boundary; its area is 1,056 square miles. The population, which in 1880 was 5,584, is now estimated at 8,500. Hollister is the county seat, and is a flourishing town of 2,500 inhabitants. San Juan, seven miles from Hollister, is an old town, and is the site of one of the Franciscan missions. Tres Pinos is a young but enterprising village on the Southern Pacific. Between the Gabilan and Mount Diablo ranges, which enclose the county, are many thousand acres of fine farming land, watered by the San Benito River and Tres Pinos creek. Wool growing is an important industry, and the mineral products of the county have added materially to its prosperity. The famous New Idria quicksilver mines, discovered in 1852, are among the richest in the world, the estimated value of their output to date being over $8,000,000. Limestone of good quality and iron ore and antimony also exist in the Gabilan Mountains. The assessed valuation of the county in 1889 was $6,272,911.
San Bernardino County
San Bernardino county lies south of Inyo, and extends from Los Angeles and Kern counties on the west to the Arizona line; it ranks first in size among the counties, and has an area of 21,172 square miles. The population by the United States census of 1880 was 7,786, but so great has been the influx of immigrants that it is now estimated to have 33,000. San Bernardino, the county seat, is an old town settled by the Mormons, which has suddenly developed, within three years, into an important city, with many costly buildings and a population of 10,000. Other important towns are Riverside, the seat of extensive orange groves and raisin vineyards, Colton, Cucamonga, Redlands. The eastern part of the county includes portions of the Mojave and Colorado Desert, but thousands of acres of what was once regarded as hopelessly sterile have been reclaimed by artesian wells. The southwestern section is very fertile, and with irrigation produces all kinds of fruits, grain and vegetables. Wheat-growing, once the leading industry, has given place to orange and grape culture, and the growing of deciduous fruits and vegetables. San Bernardino produces the finest oranges in the state. Immense irrigation works have been constructed; the largest reservoir is at the head of Bear creek, and is six miles long by three-quarters of a mile wide. Other important industries are mining and lumbering. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $23,267,955 against $8,089,305 for 1886.
San Diego County
San Diego County is situated at the extreme southern end of the state, adjoining Lower California and extending from the Pacific Ocean to Arizona. Its area is 14,968 square miles. The population, given in the United States census of 1880 as 8,618, has leaped in the last five years to 55,000. San Diego, the county seat, had no railroad connection with the outside world in 1886, but today it has through connection with several lines of railroad, has spent $1,500,000 in improvements, and has a population of 30,000. On Coronado beach, directly opposite San Diego, $1,000,000 has been spent on a great hotel and its grounds. Both San Diego and its suburbs have the electric light, motor railroads and all city conveniences, with a system of sewerage that insures good health. All these expenditures have been made on the strength of its advantages as a health resort, the climate being very equable and the water suitable for bathing the most of the year. Other important towns are San Jacinto, Banning and Elsinore. All fruits grow luxuriantly in the county, but the chief drawback has been lack of water. This is now being developed by artesian wells and storage reservoirs in the mountains. The leading products are citrus fruits, raisins, olives and nuts. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $29,560,918, against $9,961,282 for 1886.
San Francisco County
San Joaquin County
San Joaquin County is an agricultural county, bounded by Sacramento, Amador, Calaveras, Stanislaus, Alameda, and Contra Costa. Its area is 1,370 square miles. In 1880 the population was 24,349. It is now 35,000. The San Joaquin, Mokelumne and Calaveras rivers flow through the county, and as they near their outlets, form a vast delta, portions of which have been reclaimed, and found to be extremely productive. Stockton, near the head of tide-water on the San Joaquin River, the county seat, is one of the leading cities of California, its manufacturing interests being very large. Lodi, Woodbridge, Lockeford, Farmington and Lathrop are all lively towns. The county is noted for the fertility of its soil, which produces all kinds of crops, and being so well watered seldom suffers from drought. Wheat is the chief product; the yearly shipments of this cereal running up into the millions of bushels. Fruit is also grown and sent to market in considerable quantities. The assessed valuation of the county in 1889 was 38,702,606.
San Louis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo County lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast range, with Monterey on the north and Santa Barbara on the south. This county embraces 3,578 square miles, and has an estimated population of 20,000, though in 1880 it was given at 9,142. San Luis Obispo is the county seat and business center of the county, the principal towns being San Simeon, Cambria, Avila, Paso Robles, Templeton, Arroyo Grande and San Miguel. Stock-raising, dairying, farming and horticulture are conducted extensively, and the honey product is an important factor in the county’s wealth. Port Harford is the principal seaport, though there are five shipping points along the eighty miles of coast. The fertile interior valleys are drained by the Salinas River and its tributaries; the soil is adobe mixed with sandy loam, and irrigation is not needed. Gypsum is found in large quantities, and other minerals are known to exist. The recent extension of the Southern Pacific has given the interior of this county a new impetus, and its population is rapidly increasing. The most valuable sulphur springs in the state are located at Paso Robles, which is celebrated as a great health resort. When the Southern Pacific coast line is completed from Santa Barbara, Paso Robles will be one of the main stopping-places on this tourist line, Santa Barbara and Monterey being the other two. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $15,139,117.
San Mateo County
San Mateo County adjoins San Francisco on the south. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by Santa Cruz, and on the east by San Francisco bay and Santa Clara County. Its area is 459 square miles. Redwood City is the county seat. Belmont, Menlo Park, Halfmoon Bay, San Mateo, San Bruno, Millbrae, La Honda, and Pescadero are the other towns best known. The population, now estimated at 13,000, was 8,669 in 1880. Dairying, farming, and lumbering are the principal industries of the county. Pescadero, situated on the ocean, 56 miles south of San Francisco, annually ships many millions of shingles and lumber cut from adjoining redwood forests; it also is the center of the butter and cheese industry. Most of the milk supplied to the metropolis conies from dairy farms in the neighborhood of San Bruno, Millbrae, and San Mateo. At Palo Alto, near San Mateo, is located the famous stock farm of Senator Leland Stanford, and here are being erected the buildings of the Leland Stanford Jr. University, destined to be one of the leading educational institutions of the world. The endowment consists of $12,000,000, and the aim of the founder is to furnish mental, moral, and manual training. Liberal scholarships will be provided, and needy students will be aided. In the university town board will be provided at low rates. In connection with the university will be an experimental farm and shops for learning the trades. At Belmont, and other places along the Southern Pacific Railroad, are many splendid suburban residences of San Francisco millionaires. In 1889 the assessed valuation of the county was $13,888,887.
Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County fronts on the Pacific ocean, and is bounded on the north by San Luis Obispo, on the east by Ventura, and on the south by Santa Barbara channel flowing between the mainland and the islands of Santa Cruz, San Miguel, and Santa Rosa, It contains 2,265 square miles, and an estimated population of 20,000, which has increased from 9,513 in 1880. Santa Barbara, the county seat, famous for the salubrity of its climate, has rapidly grown in business importance since its connection with the railroad system of the state. It is a city of 8,000 inhabitants. Other towns are Lompoc, Guadaloupe, Carpenteria, Goleta, and Central City. Sheep-raising has heretofore constituted the most important industry of the county, the Channel Islands furnishing their share of the product, but agriculture and fruit-growing are coming to be regarded as more reliable sources of profit. Olive oil is being produced on a large scale, and Santa Barbara has entered into, successful competition with her neighbors in the growth of citrus fruits. The assessed evaluation of the county in 1889 was $16,000,000.
Santa Clara County
Santa Clara is a valley county at the southern extremity of San Francisco Bay, with an area of 1,296 square miles, and a population of 75,000, against 35,039 in 1880. It is one of the most important grain and fruit producing sections of the state. San Jose, the fifth city in California, is the county seat, and is situated in the center of a magnificent valley; three miles distant is the town of Santa Clara, the two being connected by the famous Alameda. Other places are Gilroy, Los Gatos, Mountain View, Mayfield, New Almaden, and Milpitas. The resources of the county embrace cereals, fruits, wool, livestock, and dairy products. The orchards yield, without irrigation, thousands of tons of the choicest fruit every season, and vast fields of grain cover the valley for miles without a break. At San Jose is located the State Normal School, and on Mount Hamilton, 20 miles distant, is the world-famous Lick Observatory, with its great 36-inch telescope. The assessed valuation of property in 1889 was $52,000,000.
Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz is comparatively a small county on the northern side of Monterey bay, with San Mateo on the north, and Santa Clara on the east. Its area is 437 square miles, and the population, placed at 12,802 in 1880, is now estimated at 32,000. Santa Cruz, a flourishing city of 12,000 inhabitants, noted as a seaside resort, is the county seat. Watsonville, in the Pajaro valley, one of the most fertile sections of the state, is the second town in size. Other places are Soquel, Aptos, Felton, and Capitola. The Coast range here comes down near to the sea, and its slopes and canyons, covered with a dense growth of redwood, furnish a source of wealth and employment to many lumbermen. The powder works near Santa Cruz, and extensive lime works and tanneries, also add materially to the prosperity of the people. The beet-sugar works at Watsonville are the largest in the United States, if not in the world. Santa Cruz annually sends large quantities of fruit to market, and thousands of acres of mountain land have been planted to fruit and vines during the last few years. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $11,160,230.
Shasta County
Shasta County forms the extreme northern point of the great Sacramento valley. Here are the headwaters of the river, which has its source in the defiles of Mt. Shasta, and here is some of the most picturesque scenery in the west. The county is traversed both by the Sierra and the Coast range, and for the most part is extremely mountainous, while the forest is largely virgin. The area is 3,765 square miles, and the population has jumped from 9,492 in 1880 to fully 18,000 at present. Redding, the county seat, is one of the most promising cities north of Sacramento. It lies in a position to command the trade of a rich farming, mining, and lumbering region, and its growth during the last two years has been phenomenal. Other towns are hasta, Cottonwood, and Anderson. Until recently farming, stock-raising, and mining were the chief industries, but experiment has shown that soil and climate in Shasta are specially adapted to fruits, and a very large acreage has been planted, and several flourishing colonies have been established. The completion of the California and Oregon railroad has given a great impetus to the development of the county, and set tiers are rapidly locating on the public lands. The assessed value of the county in 1889 was $6,600,000.
Sierra County
As its name indicates, Sierra is one of the counties that is formed by the great chain of mountains that bars off California from Nevada. It lies to the south of Lassen and Plumas, and most of its surface is broken by mountain peaks and ridges, though there are a number of rich valleys, walled in by spurs of the Sierra Nevada. The area is 781 square miles. The United States census of 1880 gave the population as 6,623; at present the county has about 8,000. Downieville, the county seat, was once the seat of very important mines, and it still commands a large trade. Other towns are Sierra City and Forest City. Mining has always been the leading industry. The county was rich in mineral deposits, and in the early days it produced large quantities of gold. Now, when only a small number of mines are worked, the yield is still something over $1,000,000 a year. Agriculture is carried on in the elevated valleys, the land being extraordinarily fertile. The assessed valuation of the county in 1889 was $1,700,000.
Siskiyou County
At the far northern end of the state, Siskiyou includes the mountains that form the natural wall between California and Oregon. It lies between Modoc and Del Norte, and comprises some of the finest scenery in the state. At the eastern end are portions of the historic lava-beds. The canyons of the Sacramento and Pitt rivers form the natural highway to Oregon, while the whole western part is a series of broken mountain ridges. Yreka, the county seat, is a flourishing town, while other new towns along the railroad are Sisson’s, Upper Soda Springs, and Montague. The area of the county is 6,078 square miles, and the population, given in 1880 as 8,610, is now estimated at 15,500. The assessed valuation in 1889 was 16,000,000. Mining is still the chief industry, but general farming is rapidly taking its place, as the lands are rich and produce heavy crops of all the cereals. In the northern part stock-raising is carried on. In the southeastern part of the county lies Mt. Shasta. The Southern Pacific Company have proposed to the United States government to set aside the region near Mt. Shasta as a national park, and thus preserve the timber and game. If this be done, the region will become a resort for tourists second only in its attractions to the Yosemite Valley.
Solano County
One of the richest fruit and grain counties in the state is Solano, which borders on the straits of Carquinez and Suisun bay. Its area is 628 square miles, and it has a population of 25,000, a rapid growth from the 18,475 given in the United States census of 1880. Fairfield, the county seat, is the center of a large trade, and other important towns are Suisun, Rio Vista, Benicia, Cordelia and Vallejo. The latter is the largest place in the county, and is noted as the site of Mare Island navy-yard, the only government naval station on this coast. For many years Solano County was chiefly famous for the large crops of wheat that it produced, but of late years it has established an equal reputation for fruit-growing. The Vaca valley region is celebrated as among the great fruit sections of the state. The warmth and equability of the climate in this favored valley insures remarkably early and heavy crops of all kinds of fruit. From Vacaville, the chief town in the valley, no less than ten car-loads of fruit are daily shipped during the season. The county has the best health record in the state. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $19, 182,050.
Sonoma County
Sonoma County has an ocean boundary of 65 miles, between Marin and Mendocino, with Napa County on the east, and San Pablo bay fringing a portion of its southern shore. Its area is 1,500 square miles, and its estimated population 37,500. The United States census of 1880 gave a population of 25,926. Santa Rosa, the county seat, is a city of great commercial importance, while the enterprise of its people has made it one of the most beautiful in the state, with great advantages in the way of schools and churches. Other towns of importance are Sonoma, which was settled by the mission padres in 1823, Petaluma, Healdsburg, Guerneville and Cloverdale. Sonoma, like Napa, is celebrated as one of the chief winemaking counties. Here the first thorough experiments were made in introducing choice foreign varieties of wine grapes, and for many years Sonoma took the lead both in quality and quantity of wine produced. She still takes third rank in the production of wine and table grapes. There has been a great increase in the acreage of grapes during the last five years, and much land formerly regarded as worthless has been shown specially adapted to the vine. Nearly all fruits do well in Sonoma, and the yield is large. Dairying, stock raising, wool-growing and lumbering are all important industries. For the first three, it is unsurpassed, because of the moisture that keeps the natural grasses green until far into the dry season. The redwood belt is extensive, and the great lumbering camps along the Russian river turn out an average of 1,000,000 feet per day. The county’s assessed valuation in 1889 was $31,222,671.
Stanislaus County
One of the great wheat counties is Stanislaus, in the heart of the San Joaquin valley. It extends from the foot-hill counties of Calaveras and Tuolumne to Santa Clara on the west, and is watered by the San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne rivers. Most of the land is level as a barn floor, of exhaustless fertility, and is held in great ranches by owners who derive a princely income from the grain crops, that are seldom known to fail. The area of the county is 1,500 square miles, and the estimated population is 12,000; the United States census of 1880 gave the population as 8,751. Modesto, the county seat, is the center of one of the richest farming districts in the state, and though a young town, it has over 2,500 people. Other towns are Knight’s Ferry, Oakdale, Hill’s Ferry and Turlock. Wheat growing is the leading pursuit, but fruit-growing will soon dispute precedence with it. A very large acreage of fruit trees has been planted during the last five years. Even the citrus fruits flourish here, where frost is almost unknown. The deciduous fruits and grapes from Stanislaus are celebrated for their superior size and flavor. The assessed valuation of the county in 1889 was $17,000,000.
Sutter County
Lying in the heart of the Sacramento valley, Sutter County would be almost a level plain but for the Sutter buttes, that rise to a height of 1,000 feet and form the great landmark in the valley. The county is enclosed between the Sacramento and Feather rivers, and the soil is alluvial material of exhaustless fertility. Where not cultivated, it supports a heavy growth of oak; and it has been cropped from year to year in wheat and other grains without showing any decrease of yield. The area is 610 square miles, and there is almost no waste land. The census of 1880 gave a population of 5,159, but the estimated population to-day is 7,000. The county seat, Yuba City, is situated on the Feather River, directly opposite to Marysville, in Yuba County, the great trading-post for a half-dozen counties. Other towns are Nicolaus, Meridian, Live Oak and Pleasant Grove. The chief industry in Sutter is farming, and the county is noted for the size of its wheat ranches and the wealth of their owners. With the single exception of Colusa, its ranchmen have clung more closely than any others in the state to their original possessions, and the great crops of wheat and barley they raise every year have made them rich. Within a few years fruit-growing has been introduced, and promises to be a great industry, as the soil and climate suit nearly all varieties. The assessed valuation of 1889 was $10,100,000, which makes Sutter the richest county in the state, as far as average wealth is concerned.
Tehama County
The northern end of the Sacramento valley is formed by Tehama County, which reaches from the Sierra to the Coast range, and from Shasta on the north to Butte and Colusa on the south. The area is 8,125 square miles; and the United States census of 1880 gave the population as 9,301, but it is estimated the present population is fully 15,000. Red Bluff, the county seat, is one of the most important cities in northern California. It lies on a high bluff of the Sacramento River, and has many fine buildings and a large and growing trade. Other towns are Corning, Vina and Tehama. The lands of Tehama are fully as rich as those of Sutter, but there is more waste land, which is utilized as sheep pasture. For years the chief industries were wheat and wool-growing, but of late fruit has received special attention. Many of the great wheat ranches have been split up, and sold in small farms to settlers, who are planting prunes, peaches and other deciduous fruits. The county boasts of the largest vineyard in the state, or in the world, the estate of Senator Stanford at Vina, comprising 50,000 acres, of which 3,500 acres are planted to wine grapes. Large fields are sown to alfalfa, and Holstein cattle and thoroughbred horses are also a feature of this ranch. In the northern section lumbering is an important industry. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $11,904,255.
Trinity County
Trinity County is one of the far northern counties, lying just south of Siskiyou, and between Shasta and Tehama on the east and Humboldt on the west. Its area is 2,625 square miles; and the population, given by the United States census of 1880 as 4,999, is now estimated at 6,500. Weaverville, the county seat, is on the Trinity River, and is the natural center for the trade of a large mining district. Other towns are Trinity Center, Lewiston, Junction City and Altoona. The chief industry of Trinity has been mining. The county is drained by the Trinity River, and it is nearly hemmed in on all sides by mountains that contain rich deposits of mineral. Hydraulic mining, which has been enjoined by law in counties that drain into the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, is still carried on here, but quartz-mining is the main source of wealth. The last few years have seen an effort to utilize the fine grazing advantages of the county, and much fruit has been planted in the mountain valleys, where it grows to perfection. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $1,153,344.
Tulare County
Tulare County has an area of 6,406 square miles, and is the sixth in size in California; its topography is exceedingly diversified; from the low plains of the San Joaquin valley it gradually rises until its altitude culminates in Mount Whitney, 14,887 feet above the sea level. Tulare Lake, the largest body of fresh water in the state, is also embraced within its boundaries. Tulare lies south of Fresno and north of Kern, extending from the coast range on the borders of Monterey and Fresno to the peaks of the Inyo sierra. It contains over a million acres of valley land, watered by an extensive system of irrigating ditches from Kings and Kaweah rivers, and is the banner wheat-producing county of the state. Although the climate and soil are perfectly adapted to the growth of raisin grapes, and in fact all of the semi-tropic fruits, they are not yet cultivated on an extensive scale. The tendency, however, each year is to plant less wheat and more vines and fruit trees. The foot-hill section is devoted to agriculture and stock-raising, and in the mountains several prosperous sawmills are located. The population in 1880 was 11,281; now it is not less than 30,000. Visalia is the county seat; Tulare, division headquarters of the Southern Pacific, is the largest town; Traver, Goshen, Hanford, Grangeville, Lemoore, Portersville and Farmersville are growing places. In 1889 the assessed valuation was 824,443,013.
Tuolumne County
Tuolumne is an irregularly shaped county on the western slope of the Sierra, bounded on the north by Alpine, east by Mono, south by Mariposa, and west by Stanislaus and Calaveras; its area is 1,953 square miles; the character of the county is mountainous, though rolling hills, table-lands, and sheltered valleys afford rich grazing lands and many acres of tillable soil. Mining, as in the early days of California, is still the leading industry of the people; quarries of marble and slate are also successfully worked; the timber belt of the Sierra Nevada affords a livelihood to many lumbermen, and fruit growing and diversified farming receive considerable attention. The Stanislaus and Tuolumne rivers flow through the county. In Tuolumne is located the famous Hetch-Hetchy valley, which in scenic grandeur is second only to the Yosemite; two groves of big trees and a mammoth cave are also among the natural wonders of the county. The population is estimated at 10,000; in 1880 it was 7,848. Sonora is the county seat. Columbia and Chinese Camp are other towns. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $2,716,465.
Ventura County
Ventura County is bounded by Santa Barbara and Kern on the north, Los Angeles on the east, and the Pacific Ocean and a portion of Santa Barbara on the west, having 65 miles of sea-coast, and an area of 1,683 square miles. Ventura is noted for the extent of its grazing and farming lands, its petroleum-producing districts, and the healthfulness of its climate. Having until recently been deprived of railroad communication to market, and many of its large ranches being undivided, its progress in the past was slow, but it has now entered upon an era of genuine prosperity. The production of cereals and fruits is increasing, and a desirable class of immigrants are finding homes in the county. The honey industry is very important, over 3,000,000 pounds being marketed in 1887. Ventura, the county seat, is situated near the ocean on the Ventura River and 12 miles from the port of Hueneme, in the oil belt, which promises to be a source of great wealth. The Santa Clara and Ojai valleys are capable of supporting a vast population, and are being rapidly settled up. The population in 1880 was 5,073; now it is at least 16,000. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $8,000,000.
Yolo County
Yolo County is a portion of the great Sacramento valley, bounded by Colusa, Sacramento, Sonoma, Solano, and Lake, embracing 1,017 square miles of land, nearly all of which is adapted to agriculture. There are, however, about 40,000 acres of so-called swamp land, which, though overflowed in the winter, furnish in summer good pasturage for stock. The Sacramento River flows along the eastern boundary of the county, while Putah and Cache creeks and many smaller streams supply over 50 miles of irrigating ditches for the dryer districts. The fruit and vegetables of Yolo are unexcelled; raisins are extensively produced, and the orange crop is increasing yearly. Wheat, barley, and hay, however, are the chief products. Dairying is an important industry, and of late years considerable attention has been paid to the growth of hops. The California and Oregon Railway passes through the county. The population is estimated at 16,000, as against 11,772 in 1880. Woodland is the county seat, and is only 18 miles from the capital of the state. Other towns are Davisville, Knight’s Landing, Yolo, Capay, Dunnigan, Madison, and Washington. In 1889 the assessed valuation of the county was $21,911,235.
Yuba County
Yuba County, with an area of 917 square miles, is bounded by Butte and Plumas on the north, Sierra and Nevada on the east, Nevada, Placer, and Sutter on the south, and Sutter on the west. It was formerly the center of the hydraulic mining industry, and thousands of acres of farming land were ruined by debris; but now that an injunction has been put on the miners, many of their ditches are being used for the purpose of irrigation. Thus, while the output of the mines has very largely decreased, the agricultural and horticultural resources of the county are being developed to a surprising extent. Lumber is manufactured on a large scale, and fruits and grain are produced in constantly increasing quantities. The population of the county, in 1880 11,284, is now about 15,000, but recently it has begun to increase in a greater ratio. Marysville, the county seat, is a well-built city of about 8,000 inhabitants. Wheatland, Smartsville, Camptonville and Brownsville are other towns. In 1889 the assessed valuation of the county was $7,046,316.