Shasta, California, Shasta County – Once a bustling hub of the California Gold Rush, Shasta is now a captivating ghost town that draws visitors with its rich history and remnants of the past. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: Shasta County
Zip Code: 96087
Latitude / Longitude: 40.6021° N, 122.4922° W
Elevation: Approximately 843 feet (257 meters)
Time Zone: Pacific Time Zone (PT)
Established: 1848
Disestablished: Not officially disestablished, but declined significantly by the late 19th century
Comments: Shasta was founded in 1848 during the California Gold Rush and quickly grew as a key supply center for miners in the region. Known as the “Queen City” of northern mining districts, it was the largest settlement in Shasta County during its peak in the 1850s.
Remains: Many historic structures remain, including brick ruins, the Shasta State Historic Park, which preserves several buildings, and the old courthouse, which now serves as a museum. The main street also features remnants of general stores and hotels. Shasta State Historic Park located at Shasta is a ghost town and California State Historic Park.
Current Status: Shasta is preserved as a historic park managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. It is a popular site for tourists and history enthusiasts who want to explore the remnants of its vibrant past.
Situated about six miles (10 km) west of Redding, California Ghost Townlifornia along Highway 299, Shasta was once home to some 3,500 residents and a thriving commercial district. However, in the mid-1880s, the newly constructed Central Pacific Railroad bypassed Shasta in favor of Redding, and the town declined into “ghost town” status.
Remarks: Shasta’s decline began with the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad, which bypassed the town in favor of Redding.
Despite its decline, Shasta offers a unique glimpse into the past with its well-preserved ruins and symbolizes the fleeting nature of boomtown prosperity. A bustling town from the 1850s through the 1880s, Shasta was, for its time, the largest settlement in Shasta County and the surrounding area.
Sometimes referred to today as “Old Shasta,” the town was an important commercial center and a major shipping point for mule trains and stagecoaches serving the mining towns and later settlements of northern California.
The discovery of gold near Shasta in 1848 brought California Gold Rush-era Forty-Niners up the Siskiyou Trail in search of riches – most passed through Shasta and continued to use it as the base of operations.
