Area Resources

Alturas sits in the northeast corner of California in the South Fork Valley where the north and south forks of the Pit River meet. The Cascade Mountain Range is about 75 miles to the west. Twenty five miles to the east across the Warner Mountain Range lies Surprise Valley, gateway to the Great Basin.

Alturas was originally inhabited by a tribe of Native Americans known as the Pit River or Achomawe Tribe. The village was known as Kosealekte. The valley is a prehistoric lake bed formed from alternating erosion and rebuilding of the volcanic flows of the Modoc Plateau which surrounds all but the northeast side of it. Until 1874, Alturas was known as Dorris Bridge (named for James Dorris, the town’s first white settler). He built a wooden bridge across the river at the east end of town and later built a house that became a stopover for travelers and the beginning of Modoc County.

Surprise Valley stills shows the evidence of it’s prehistoric past. The beach lines can be seen etched on the slopes of the surrounding mountains. Approximately 12000 years ago huge deep lakes existed in the valley. Large prehistoric animals roamed the area consisting of Mammoths, Camels, Giant Bison, and Cave Bears. Evidence shows that the first people arrived between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago. During this period of time the area was covered with forests, marshes and grasslands. Some time later the climate became much dryer and much like it is today. The first known settlers to enter the valley were the John C. Fremont expedition in 1843. Ub 1848 Peter Lassen led a wagon train along the Applegate route in Nevada to Goose Lake and then south to the Sacramento Valley, establishing the Lassen-Applegate Trail. The Paiute Indians were the first inhabitants of the valley. In 1863 the first white men settled in the valley. Many of the valley residents are fourth and fifth generation families.

Modoc County Population: 9,499, Elevation: 4,446 ft. Above Sea Level, Land Area: 5,697 Square Kilometers

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