Influences

Inhabited by Native Americans, from the Shasta tribe in the north, to the Miwoks in the central coast and Sierra Nevada, to the Yokuts of the southern Central Valley, Northern California was among the most densely populated areas of pre-Columbian North America.

The California Gold Rush took place almost exclusively in Northern California from 1848–1855.

The decades following the Gold Rush brought dramatic expansion to Northern California, both in population and economically - particularly in agriculture.

Highways developed along historical travel routes and political and social ties among counties were influenced by the ability of people to move from area to area.

Interstate 5 is the major north-south artery bisecting the region and connecting central and southern California with Oregon and Washington.

The one-way traffic at Mt. Shasta Agricultural Station in Siskiyou County was estimated at 2,298,309 vehicles in 1991-92.