Elevation: 2411 feet Land area: 4.11 square miles.
Population density: 3028 people per square mile (average).
Population in July 2009: 12,298. Population change since 2000: +12.6%
History
When immigrants first came through, the meadows provided fodder for the horses, oxen and cattle. The name Grassy Valley seemed appropriate. Later, in 1849, a group of immigrants from Boston settled by the side of Wolf Creek. They built a store and cabins and named their settlement Boston Ravine. The main route through the area ran between Nevada City and Rough & Ready. The area that is now downtown Grass Valley was about halfway between the two settlements, so in 1850, it came to be known as Centreville. The Postal Service opened it's first office under that name. Ultimately the three settlements became one town and adopted the name Grass Valley.
In March 1893, Grass Valley became a Charter City. The Constitution of the State of California grants to Charter Cities a large degree of control over local affairs, independent of the State government. The Charter can be and has been amended several times since it was established. The most recent changes were developed by an appointed Charter Review Committee in January 1993, and approved by Grass Valley voters in May 1996.
Grass Valley was a mining town in the early Gold Rush days of California which pumped out gold in huge quantities until World War II. The 1860's and 70's saw things from 'boom' to 'bust'. WYOD, Pennsylvania, North Star, Empire and Grass Valley mines became known far and wide and drew miners from Cornwall and Ireland. As the mines fluctuated in production, miners came and went. Toward the end of the century the population stabilized and families expanded and became the norm. The commitment to keep the mines open and operating generated employment and opportunity, and as the middle class grew, social clubs, churches and schools provided increasing stability to the community.
Empire Mine was the largest mine in the nation that produced the most gold in the United States. This mining industry produced the gold that became economically foundational to our nation. 150 million dollars in gold was mined from two mines, the Empire mine, and the North Star Mine in their 100 years of service. Nevada County in total produced an unbelievable 440 million dollars in gold during that same time period. Both mines were closed in 1956 and are now a park and a museum open to the public. Grass Valley was one of the fortunate cities who's economy based on its mining efforts was able to prosper even through the Great Depression until the mines were closed by the war production board because of the war in 1940.
Grass Valley mines produced well during the Depression of the 1930's, but closed temporarily during World War II. Not long after the war, production costs went off the scale, and almost one hundred years after it started, it was over. One by one the great mines closed down leaving behind colorful history, miles of subterranean tunnels and shafts - and gold.
Mill Street and its intersection with Main Street, the heart of Grass Valley, still retain much of the historic flavor of the Gold Rush. The spirit that established commercially successful quartz mining helps Grass Valley remain the commercial center of Western Nevada County. The Grass Valley/Nevada County Chamber of Commerce has worked to attract more visitors to appreciate the City's colorful history and structures. An active Downtown Business Association helps maintain a vital business climate. The City of Grass Valley remains committed to providing an attractive and quality environment in which to live and work.
There are many different Christian denominations in the Grass Valley, California area including a few Churches of Christ. It may seem that people are not interested in spiritual things, but they are. They are searching, but they are turned off to Christianity because of the media’s influence against Christianity in addition to the history of the Catholic Church and televangelists. There are 54 Christian-type churches in Nevada County.
A main “religious” mindset is more so agnosticism rather than atheism. It’s not that some don’t believe in God or a higher power, they just don’t know what that higher power is.
There is also a new age (spiritualism) influence present. This involves making oneself their own god and truth is whatever you want it to be. It’s hard to explain this new age thinking because it has so many variations. Some include magic and others do not. It’s a real influence in the Northern California area. Anonda is a cult located north of Grass Valley. They are a hippie cult that practice nudism and sell their feces to a grocery store in the local area for fertilizer since they eat organic vegetarian matter.
The main religion of the area is individualism (included in that is materialism), a self-centered world view. Some may not consider this a religion, but it is. Religion is not only a set of beliefs and practices, it includes a mindset. Individualism fits this as well.
Family and such
California has many broken families. The divorce rate in among the top 50% of the states in the U.S. Families are not usually nuclear in that they are scattered across the state or even the nation. Family is not the central focus of life in many individuals.
Climate
Northern California has four seasons. Grass Valley is located inland at the Sierra Nevada Mountain range.
Recreation
Recreation varies as each individual is different. Since Grass Valley is located in the mountains and close to Sacramento, there is plenty to do outdoors as well as around town. There are many lakes and rivers that allow people to go swimming, boating, water skiing and the like. Since Grass Valley was a gold mining town you can even find locals and visitors trying their hand and gold panning. Since Grass Valley is in the mountains, in the winter there is plenty of snow a little farther north which allows for snow skiing and the like. People ride bikes, go hiking and enjoy being out in nature.
Education
Many families homeschool their children because the public education system in California is very poor. They have a homeschool group in Grass Valley where parents can bring their children to interact with other children on a regular basis. This seems to provide a satisfactory education system for them. California has 203 colleges and universities that include branch campuses and private colleges. There seems to be a high value on higher learning.
Economy
Grass Valley’s economy is wholesale trade, retail trade, information including media recording and telecommunications, real estate including rental and leasing; professional, technical and sciences such as lawyers, accounting; education, health care, recreation and entertainment and food services. The economy is very much service oriented towards the general public and businesses.
The Nevada County area is very much a tourist attraction as well.
