Shasta county

History
Shasta County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Parts of the county's territory were given to Siskiyou County in 1852, and to Tehama County in 1856.

The county was named after Mount Shasta; the name is derived from the English equivalent for the Shasta people, the name of an Indian tribe that once lived in the area. The name of the tribe was spelled in various ways until the present version was used when the county was established. Originally Mt. Shasta was within the county, but it is now part of Siskiyou County, to the north. Its 14,179-foot (4,322 m) peak is visible throughout most of Shasta County.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,847 square miles (9,960 km2), of which 3,775 square miles (9,780 km2) is land and 72 square miles (190 km2) (1.9%) is water.[5] Mountains line the county on the east, north and west. The Sacramento River flows out of the mountains to the north, through the center of the county, and toward the Sacramento Valley to the south.

Flora and fauna
According to Willis Linn Jepson the biota of Shasta County were not explored in a scientific manner until just before the year 1900. Up until the 1920s the Southern Pacific Railroad Company owned vast tracts of natural grasslands; however, during the 1920s the railroad sold off much of its grassland holdings, leading to the rapid clearing of brush and large scale conversion from habitat to agricultural uses.[6] Shasta County has extensive forests, which cover over one half the land area with commercially productive forest systems.[7] Common forest alliances include mixed oak woodland and mixed conifer-oak woodland as well as douglas fir forest. Common trees found include White-bark pine,[8] California Black Oak and California Buckeye.[9]

National protected areas[edit]

 * Shasta-Trinity National Forest (part)
 * Whiskeytown National Recreation Area (part)

Politic
72% Republican

Représentant in California Senate : Zoe Andersen {R} (Allied)

High schools and below

 * 43 elementary schools
 * 10 junior high schools
 * 8 high schools
 * 35 private schools

Colleges and universities
Shasta County has four colleges and universities:
 * Shasta College, Redding: 2 year, fully accredited
 * Simpson University, Redding: 4 year, fully accredited
 * National University, Redding: 4 year, fully accredited
 * Shasta Bible College: 4 year

Major highways

 * Interstate 5
 * State Route 36
 * State Route 44
 * State Route 89
 * State Route 151
 * State Route 273
 * State Route 299

Public transportation
Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) provides service in and around Redding. One route operates to Burney via State Route 299.

Amtrak's Coast Starlight serves Redding Station once a day in each direction. Greyhoundbuses also serve the area.

Airports
Redding Municipal Airport has scheduled passenger flights. Other (general aviation) airports within the county include Benton Field (near Redding), Fall River Mills Airport, and Shingletown Airport.