Redding, California

Redding is a city in Shasta County, California, United States. It is the most important city in the Shasta Cascade area of Northern California. Redding sits along the Sacramento River, about 162 miles north of Sacramento and 120 miles south of the border with Oregon. In the year 2020, the city had a population of 93,611 people, making it a busy and growing place to live. It serves as the center for jobs, culture, and community life in the area.

Etymology

During the time of the California gold rush, the area now known as Redding was called Poverty Flats. In 1868, a man named Benjamin Bernard Redding, who worked for the Central Pacific Railroad, bought land there for the railroad to build a train station. The railroad named the new town after Benjamin Redding.

Later, in 1874, some local leaders tried to change the town’s name to Reading to honor another person named Pierson B. Reading. But by 1880, the name was changed back to Redding, where it has stayed ever since.

History

The area now known as Redding has been home to the Wintu tribe of Native Americans, who had many villages in the region. Europeans arrived much later, with the first settlement created in 1844 by Pierson B. Reading, who received land from Mexico.

During the Gold Rush, gold was found nearby, but Redding itself wasn’t wealthy in this way. The town was officially created in 1887 when the railroad reached the area. In the 1900s, mining brought growth, but later the building of Shasta Dam helped the town grow even more. The 1950s saw growth from lumber and tourism.

In recent years, Redding has faced challenges from wildfires, with several large fires causing damage and evacuations.

Geography

Redding, California, covers an area of 61.2 square miles (159 square kilometers), with 59.6 square miles being land and 1.5 square miles covered by water.

The city sits at the northwestern end of the Central Valley and is surrounded by mountains to the north, east, and west, with farmland to the south. Redding’s average elevation is 495 feet (151 meters), but areas to the north, east, and west of downtown are higher. The Shasta Dam on the Sacramento River helps protect the city from flooding. The soil around Redding is mostly clay or gravelly loam and can be slightly acidic.

Redding is home to several rare and endangered species. One example is the slender Orcutt grass, which grows near vernal pools close to the municipal airport. These pools are also important for the vernal pool fairy shrimp, a species protected by federal law.

Climate

Redding has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, with very hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Summers can be extremely hot, with average daily temperatures in July around 100 °F (37.8 °C). The highest temperature ever recorded was 119 °F (48 °C) on July 6, 2024. Winters are rainy, and snow sometimes occurs, although it is rare. The city receives more rain than most places in the Sacramento Valley due to its location near the Cascade and Klamath mountains. Frost is common from December to February. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Redding was 16 °F (−9 °C) on January 17, 2012.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

In 2020, Redding had a population of 93,611 people. Many lived in homes, and others lived alone. The city had many places to live, and some of these places were empty.

Most people in Redding were between 25 and 64 years old. About one-quarter of the people were younger than 18, and another quarter were 65 or older. There were slightly more females than males.

2016–2020 American Community Survey estimates

From 2016 to 2020, the average amount of money a family made in a year was about $68,340. Not everyone had the same amount of money, and some families had less than others.

2010 census

In 2010, Redding had a population of 89,861 people. Most people lived in homes with families, and some lived alone. The city had many places to live, and some of these places were empty.

Economy

Redding is the main economic center for the Shasta Cascade area in Northern California.

The area around Redding was noted in 2019 for having a strong and varied economy with many big companies in different fields.

The Redding Cultural District is one of 14 special arts areas chosen by the California Arts Council. It includes parts of Downtown Redding, the Turtle Bay Complex nearby, and city parks across the Sacramento River.

Top employers

According to the city's 2016 report, the biggest employers in Redding are:

Government

Redding has a council-manager form of government. The city council includes Mayor Jack Munns, Vice Mayor Mike Littau, Erin Resner, Tenessa Audette, and Paul Dhanuka. Barry Tippin serves as the city manager.

In the California State Legislature, Redding is part of the 1st senatorial district, represented by Republican Megan Dahle, and the 1st Assembly district, represented by Republican Heather Hadwick. In the United States House of Representatives, Redding is located in California's 1st congressional district, which is currently vacant.

Parks and recreation

Museums and public art

Redding has a nice sculpture park at City Hall and a special bridge called the Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay, made by Santiago Calatrava. There is also a sculpture by Calatrava at Domke Plaza and a place called the Shasta Historical Society.

Architecture

You can visit the Hotel Lorenz and the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Redding.

Venues

Fun places to go in Redding include the Cascade Theatre, The Dip, IOOF Hall, Riverfront Amphitheater, Old City Hall, Redding Civic Auditorium, and Axiom Repertory Theatre.

Performing arts

Redding has two great places for shows: Riverfront Playhouse and Axiom Repertory Theater.

Education

Redding has many places for students to learn, including colleges and high schools. Some of the colleges include Shasta College, National University, Shasta Bible College and Graduate School, and Simpson University.

There are also several high schools, such as Shasta High School, Enterprise High School, Foothill High School, Pioneer High School, and University Preparatory School. Additionally, there are charter schools like Stellar Charter School and trade schools such as Redding Institute of Technology, Shasta School of Cosmetology, and CloudWise Academy.

Media

Redding has several ways to get news and entertainment.

Print

• Redding Record Searchlight
• After Five

Television

KRCR

Radio

Transportation

Major highways

• Interstate 5 passes through the east central part of Redding.
• CA 299, previously U.S. 299, goes through the western, central, and northeastern parts of the city.
• CA 44 runs through the middle and eastern part of town, starting at Market Street (California 273) in downtown Redding.
• CA 273, once the Interstate 5 Business Route and also previously U.S. 99, runs through the city.

Rail and bus transportation

Amtrak serves the Redding station with its Coast Starlight train daily, traveling between Seattle, Washington, and Los Angeles, California through Portland, Oregon; Sacramento, California; Oakland, California; San Jose, California; Santa Barbara, California, and all stops in between. Amtrak Thruway also offers twice daily trips to Stockton or Sacramento, connecting to the Gold Runner, which reaches the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, and the Los Angeles area by bus.

The local bus system is called RABA (Redding Area Bus Authority). RABA provides service around Redding and its suburbs, and also connects to Burney. Sage Stage goes to Alturas, and Trinity Transit serves Weaverville. Redding is also served by intercity buses like Greyhound and Fronteras del Norte.

Shasta Regional Transportation Agency plans a weekday commuter bus between Redding and the Sacramento Valley Station, similar to the route of the Amtrak Thruway.

Air transportation

You can fly from Redding Municipal Airport and Benton Field for air travel in the Redding area.

Notable people

This section lists well-known people who have connections to Redding, California. They include actors, musicians, athletes, and other influential individuals.

Some famous names from Redding are Ashley Parker Angel, a singer and actor; Francesca Eastwood, an actor; Megan Rapinoe, an Olympic soccer player; and Mel Hein, a famous football player. There are also many musicians and artists who have ties to the area, as well as athletes from different sports.