Shasta County History

Shasta County, CA
History

Last Updated 3-31-2010

Shasta County's First Dwelling

Memories of Pierson Barton Reading and Shasta County's first dwelling – an adobe that served as the county government's first headquarters – are being rekindled by the Shasta County Historical Society. Only the ruins of one wing of the reading adobe remain today, but the historical society is hopeful that the foundations of the former home can be uncovered and restored, and the entire domicile rebuilt. So high are these hopes that the society has purchased the adobe ruins plus one acre of land surrounding them from Mr. And Mrs. Charles Hess of Cottonwood. Reading was 28 years of age when he came to California in 1844 and settled in the region that was to become Shasta County. Governor Micheltorena made him a grant of land that covered 26,633 acres and extended 18 miles along the west bank of the Sacramento River from Cottonwood on the south to Salt Creek on the north, somewhat beyond the present town of Redding. This vast grant, more than 160 miles from the nearest settlement at that time, became known as Rancho Buena Ventura. And as the years went by Reading added nine rooms to his adobe home that stood high on a bluff overlooking the confluence of Cottonwood Creek with the Sacramento River. The home totaled 12 rooms when Reading died in 1868. He is buried in a small cemetery about a mile from the adobe. Dale Champion, writing in the Redding Record-Searchlight, says: “Reading's first attempt to settle the rancho was marked by adversity. A cabin built in 1845 in the extreme southeastern corner of the estate was fired by Indians, who also looted the property of cattle and horses. In 1847 Reading stocked the rancho again and engaged Indians to build the adobe. Eight years later a frame addition was built to offer enlarged accommodations... At night a large lantern was placed atop the house as a signal of hospitality for wayfarers passing through the sparsely settled countryside.” It was around the great fireplace of this isolated home that many of the builders of California gathered – men like Sutter, Lassen, Bidwell and Fremont. And it was by an act of the state's first Legislature that Reading's ranch was named county seat of Shasta County on Feb. 14, 1850. “It was a sprawling county then,” Champion pointed out, “embracing parts of present-day Tehama, Trinity, Siskiyou and Plumas Counties and all of Lassen and Modoc Counties... On Feb. 10, 1851, a court of sessions was organized at the Reading home and voted to shift the county seat to the bustling mining town of Shasta. Reading died at 51 years of age, a man remembered as a participant in the Bear Flag rebellion, the discoverer of gold on Clear Creek, and a candidate for governor on the Whig ticket in 1851. Twelve years after the pioneer's death fire ravaged the ranch mansion, leaving only the adobe standing.

[ Oakland Tribune - Oakland California, Sunday, September 5, 1954. Transcribed by Debbie Gibson]

Redding Once Reading

Pierson B. Reading's name was quickly attached to the town today known as Redding. Strange enough, his name was pronounced “Reding,” and often so spelled. But even that does not account for the town's name today. Looking at the brief compilations of Erwin Gudde in his “California Place Names” we find: “Redding was laid out south of the present city and first called Latona, and later Reading, in honor of Pierson B. Reading.” Regarding the name Latona, the Shasta Courier of Nov. 2, 1861, pointed out: “While upon this matter we have to record an objection to the name 'Latona.' it is not a proper name for a town or anything else that we know of. As well as we can remember, Latona was the name of one of the high old goddesses of Grecian mythology, who conducted herself in a very improper manner. We would take the liberty of suggesting the name of 'Reading' as by far the more appropriate.” After which, Professor Gudde reports: “After the Central Pacific had acquired the right-of-way, the present town was laid out in 1873 by B. B. Redding, land agent for the company, former secretary of state of California and future state fish commissioner, and was named for him. The local people, however, wished to keep the pioneer name, and in January, 1874, the Legislature enacted solemnly: 'That the name of the Town of Redding, Shasta County, shall hereafter be known and spelled Reading, in honor of the late Pierson B. Reading, the pioneer of Shasta County'... This did not end the confusion, for the railroad refused to recognize the change. In the end, the friends of the living railroad official were more influential than those of the dead pioneer, and in April, 1880, the Legislature changed the name back to Redding... Mr. Redding showed his appreciation by donating a fine 245-pound bell to the Presbyterian Church of Redding...”

[ Oakland Tribune - Oakland California, Sunday, September 5, 1954. Transcribed by Debbie Gibson]