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Surround
California: Sierra County
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Sierra
County is a county located in
California's Sierra Nevada,
northeast of Sacramento on the
border with Nevada. As of 2000 the
population is 3,555. The county seat
is Downieville. The only
incorporated city in the county is
Loyalton.
Description of Needs: Submitted
by former resident
Historically, there has been
division between the two sides of
the county - the Sierra Valley
people and their interests which are
more in agriculture and the
Downieville side where the seat of
government is located and more of
the mining interests were focused.
Not much is happening in Sierra
County in terms of mining now, but
there is still great potential.
The public school system also seems
to be suffering from lack of young
people or people home schooling
their children.
At one time all the churches in
Downieville partnered together for
VBS - including the Catholics,
Assembly of God, Methodists, and a
non-denominational church. It really
was historic, but unfortunately not
repeated. Downieville with its
population of 325, nestled in that
beautiful canyon with the two rivers
converging, is a perfect opportunity
for such unity that community
transformation could occur.
Prayer Focus for Sierra County:
The Unity in the Church would
continue and increase, pastors and
intercessors from many churches
working together.
The Tyranny of Abuse would be
broken: especially sexual abuse,
domestic violence and spiritual
abuse.
Reconciliation between the Church
and the First Nations people would
continue and there would be a great
Harvest as a result.
Repentance to go deeper: The
repentance for all sin done by all
people through the ages here would
begin in the Church and create an
atmosphere for a great Revival in
the Mountain Regions.
A Breaking of Generational Poverty:
There would be a breakthrough for
many and a setting free of
generational poverty.
Call forth Righteousness in the
Justice System: Righteous judges,
police departments, sheriff and
other justice workers would rise up
in the mountain areas and true
justice would be restored.
Continued Prayer mobilization in all
the cities. Pray for leaders'
encouragement to pray and witness in
the public square more and more.
Blessing upon the all industry and
commerce for the fear of God to
attend the tourism industry and for
godly leaders in governmental
offices.
Revival for the Churches and a
Spiritual Awakening to Christ in the
cities.
Decrease in unemployment and the
creation of new jobs. Pray for a
release of entrepreneurial energy
that leads to the creation of new
businesses that are sustainable.
Pray for Christian marriages to be a
witness of life in Christ. Pray for
marriage to be affirmed and
protected in this Counties’ Cities.
Passion for Prayer: Pray God will
rise up prayer leaders in this
county.
Pray for God to break the power of
occultism: Ask God to break the
strongholds of occultism/witchcraft
through a revelation of His love &
salvation to those involved in
occult practices.
Pray for the public school system:
Pray God’s blessing upon the
teachers and families that it will
become a place honored by God and
parents as they work together to
train up children. Pray for local
believers to began to cover the
schools in daily prayer!
Pray for all those in authority:
Pray for all in government and
community office for God’s guidance
and His righteousness to be on
display.
History of Sierra County
Sierra County, California, with its
rich California Gold Rush history,
was created on 16 April 1852, from
Yuba County, an original county. The
northernmost county in the Mother
Lode, Sierra County was named for
the part of the Sierra Nevada which
in Spanish means "snow saw," which
applied to this portion of the
mountain chain with its jagged,
serrated, saw tooth-like peaks.
The Maidu and Washoe Indians were
the first residents of this area of
the Sierra Nevada. The discovery of
gold in January 1848 at Sutter's
Mill on the American River at
Culluma (later changed to Coloma)
drew those in search of the precious
yellow metal. Coloma is northeast of
Sacramento, and only about 85 miles
from Downieville.
Downieville began as a mining town
with a few log cabins. Gold was
discovered in the North Fork of the
Yuba River in November 1849. In
January of 1850, a Scottish
immigrant, Major William Downie,
camped his small party here calling
it "The Forks." Downie's party found
the gravel beds rich with placer
gold and within a year the area had
boomed to a population of 5,000. The
town prospered and soon boasted a
flourishing tent city with saloons
and stores. The town site was laid
out and named Downieville, in honor
of its founder.
By the mid-1850's, Downieville was
one of the largest towns in
California -- surpassed only by San
Francisco, Sacramento, Grass Valley,
and Nevada City. It served as a
trading center for the Northern
mines. It missed becoming the state
capital by only ten votes! The
population soared to 16,000 between
1848 and 1860.
One of the world's largest nuggets,
the "Monumental Nugget," was found
in 1869 at Sierra City, just north
of Downieville. Gold production in
Sierra County from lode mining
operations totals nearly 3 million
ounces, and placer gold production
has been recorded at more than 2
million ounces.
A county of 959 square miles, Sierra
County ranges in elevation from
2,200 to 8,900 feet. With a current
population of just over 3,300 it is
California's second least populated
county. The county seat of Sierra
County, Downieville lies in a
forested canyon in the middle of the
Tahoe National Forest at an altitude
of about 2,900 feet. The small town
of five or six blocks, located at
the confluence of the Downie River
and the north fork of the Yuba
River, invites visitors to step back
in time to the days of the gold
rush.
Located in Northern California,
Sierra County can be reached via
several routes. State Highway 49
leaves Interstate 80 at Auburn
(about 30 miles east of Sacramento)
and travels through Grass Valley and
Nevada City enroute to Downieville.
State Highway 89 can be taken north
from Interstate 80 at Truckee or
south from Graeagle, off State
Highway 70 between Quincy and
Portola. Further east on Highway 70,
you can drive south on State Highway
49 from Vinton. Downieville is about
a two hour (100 mile) drive from
Sacramento and Reno.
The beautiful 100,000 acre Sierra
Valley is located in portions of
Sierra and Plumas counties. It is
the largest alpine valley in North
America.
Today, the county's industry
includes gold mining, lumber,
cattle, dairy, agriculture, tourism,
and recreation.
CSAC Snapshot Info
Official County Website |
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