Introduction

Even to the casual visitor to Sierra County, it is obvious that the population of the area was much larger in the past than now, as one sees a number of deserted communities and other communities which still exist but which have shrunk in extent and population. Actually, in the twelve decades since the first census of the area (1852), Sierra County’s population has declined in six decades and has risen in the other six. The decreases, however, have tended to be larger than the increases, as is shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Sierra County Population Changes, 1852 - 1970

Year Population Change Since Previous Census

*1852 State Census as given in Federal Report; population was given as 4,855 in the State Report.

Table 1 gives population changes for Sierra County as a whole. The question naturally arises: What have been the changes in distribution of population within the county? In other words, have some areas declined more or less than other areas? Also, although Sierra County has always been entirely “rural” according to the Bureau of the Census, most of its population now lives in a few communities and relatively few people live in the truly rural areas. Another question, then, is whether this pattern of population concentration was more, or less, pronounced in the past.

Sources Of Information

To answer the questions above, information on the present and past population of Sierra County must be collected. Before this is done, one must decide just what is meant by “the” population of Sierra County. According to the Bureau of the Census, the population of an area is the number of persons legally residing in that area that the time of the census (de jure population), and this definition is used here.

The number of people living in Sierra County, like most mountainous areas, changes seasonally as well as year-to-year, so it is unfortunate that the time of year the Federal Census has been taken has changed several times (June 1st, 1850-1900; April 15, 1910; January 1st, 1920; April 1st, 1930-1970), but hopefully the requirement of legal residence has reduced the amount of seasonal change. Also, of course, the number of persons legally residing in Sierra County, or any part of the county, may be quite different than the number of persons actually there at the time (de facto population).

Generally, one would expect the actual population to be greater than the legal population in summer, and less than the legal population in winter. The Rand McNally Company, for example, recognizes this by publishing estimates of both summer and year-round populations for some communities (eg., Calpine). Certainly, the summer populations of some of the mining camps during the Gold Rush were far higher then, say, the 1852 and 1860 census indicate.

The basic source of historical population numbers for and within Sierra County is the U.S. Bureau of the Census (U.S. Census Office for 1900 and earlier), available in published form for Sierra County from 1860 through 1970. Sierra County did not exist separately in 1850, but the results of the State of California Census of 1852 are available.

The amount of detail given in the published censuses varies. Sierra County was reported by townships from 1860 through 1950, but not in 1852, 1960, and 1970. No populations of unincorporated communities are given later than 1900; in 1900, only Downieville was given, and only Loyalton in 1910-1970.

Sierra County Records can be used for indirect information on county population. The various editions of the Great Register (Precinct Register) give the number of registered voters at each election by election precinct and sometimes by Post Office address. Obviously, the number of registered voters (particularly by Women’s Suffrage) is not the same as total population, but the distribution of voters gives at least some idea of the distribution of population.

Particularly in Sierra County, where the majority of the population lives in unincorporated communities, it is unfortunate that the Federal Census has not reported unincorporated communities in the county for 70 years. For this information, it is necessary to turn to other, unofficial, sources. One such source is the Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide (previously Commercial Atlas), published annually and now in its 100th Edition.