This gold rush era town was once the county seat for Shasta County. Now a state Park, it features a museum and the preserved ruins of the main street. These structures were made of brick and had metal shutters, since the town burned down several times. This street used to sit on the main north-south road through California, before the railroad opened up the Sacramento River canyon, and made Redding the main town. An easy few minutes from central Redding, this is well worth a stop on your way to Whiskeytown Lake.

photos by Skip Murphy all rights reserved