Nevada City

History

The settlement was originally a Nisenan village named . European Americans first settled Nevada City in 1849, during the California Gold Rush, as Nevada (Spanish for "snow-covered", a reference to the snow-topped mountains in the area). Chinese immigrants as well as free and enslaved Black Americans also settled in the area during the Gold Rush. The town was later called Deer Creek Dry Diggins, and Caldwell's Upper Store. The Gold Tunnel on the north side of Deer Creek was the city's first mine, built in 1850. The first sawmill in Nevada City was built on Deer Creek, just above town, in August 1850, by Lewis & Son, with a water wheel. In 1850–51, Nevada City was the state's most important mining town, and Nevada County the state's leading gold-mining county. In 1851, The Nevada Journal became the first newspaper published in the town and county. The first cemetery in town, the Pioneer Cemetery, was founded around 1851 behind the Nevada City United Methodist Church, Nevada County's first denominational church. The town of Nevada was incorporated on April 19, 1856. In 1864, the word “City” was added to its name to relieve confusion with the nearby state of Nevada, and the town has legally been known as Nevada City ever since. The former town of Coyoteville later became Nevada City's northwestern section.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , 99.83% of it land and 0.17% water. Nevada, Missouri, is named after Nevada City. Most of Nevada City lies on brown sandy loam soils of the Hoda series which developed on granitic rock. Owing to its exposed location on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, Nevada City receives moderate to heavy rainfall for California at , though its climate is otherwise fairly typical for the state, classified as Mediterranean (Csa/Csb). Although exceedingly heavy snow falls on the nearby mountains, it rarely falls in the city. During a typical year, there are 31 days with temperatures of or higher, 75 freezing nights, and 60 days where the temperature fails to reach . The record high temperature is , set on August 14, 1933, and the record low is , set on January 21, 1937, and on December 9, 1972.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Nevada Union High
  High · Grass Valley · 1,458 students · 25.1:1 ratio
• John Muir Charter
  High · Nevada City · 558 students · 18.6:1 ratio
• Union Hill Elementary
  Elementary · Grass Valley · 541 students · 20.8:1 ratio
• Grass Valley Charter
  Elementary · Grass Valley · 535 students · 24.3:1 ratio
• Lyman Gilmore Middle
  Middle · Grass Valley · 461 students · 17.1:1 ratio
• Nevada City School of the Arts
  Elementary · Nevada City · 431 students · 16.6:1 ratio
• Seven Hills Intermediate
  Middle · Nevada City · 399 students · 21:1 ratio
• Margaret G. Scotten Elementary
  Elementary · Grass Valley · 383 students · 21.3:1 ratio