Tehama, Tehama County California

Tehama, Tehama County, PO 12 miles south of Red Bluff, is on the west bank of the Sacramento River, at the crossing of the California and Oregon Railroad, 123 miles from Sacramento city. Previous to the completion of the railroad, the transportation business was carried on by steamers on the river, and Tehama was quite an important shipping point; but now the carrying is chiefly done by rail, the place, however, continuing the depot for an extensive and prosperous region of country.

This is also the shipping point of lumber from the mills of the Empire Lumber Company, whose seat of operations is at Belie Mills, some 40 miles north-eastward, in the pineries of the Sierra, whence lumber is sent by flume to within one mile of the town, at a mere nominal cost, the flume having a capacity of floating 80,000 feet a day. The locality is a very pleasant one, with the beautiful river in front, and a fertile soil studded with broad spreading oaks surrounding it.

In the early history of California the place was known as Hall's Crossing of the Sacramento, and was the junction of the two roads to the northern part of the State and to Oregon, one up the west bank of the river, and the other via Marysville, Neal's, Bidwell's, and Lassen's ranches. At this favorable locality naturally grew up a town, and the quiet and pleasant village of Tehama is the result.

This is the most northerly of the purely agricultural towns of the State: Red Bluff, a few miles to the north, depending more on its commerce than on the farming country about it. The broad plains of the Sacramento, which extend in one unbroken field of great fertility from the mouth of the river, embrace Tehama before closing against the bluffs, a short distance above. The town has a population of about 600, has lodges of Masons, Odd Fellows, and Good Templars, numerous fine buildings, schools and churches, and is steadily improving.

Baumgarten Henry, wagon maker
Burge di, Washington, warehouse proprietors
Fish & Aitken, butchers
Force J M, postmaster and druggist
Gyle Herman, tobacco, books, stationery, and varieties
Gyle S A & Company, general merchandise, and agricultural implements
Harrington & Townsend, livery stable
Harvey Charles, insurance agent
Harvey, Simpson & Company, general merchandise, manufacturer agricultural implements, and tinware, and agents Wells, Fargo & Company
Heider Chris, proprietor Heider House
James Joseph, proprietor Tehama House
Lalaune E, barber
Mathews W P, physician
Mays W H, physician
Merrill S N, attorney at law and notary public
Mullen L, liquor and oyster saloon
Muller Max, furniture, upholstery, paints, oils, and undertaker
Murray John, tailor
Nangle Charles, shoe maker
O'Maley John J, liquor saloon
Peterson A, carpenter and lumber dealer
Small & Hobson, livery stable
Staser & Nelson, blacksmiths
Stephenson Thomas, liquor saloon
Stores J A, livery stable
Worthington George, harness and saddle

California Gazetteer | AHGP California

Source: Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1876-78, Compiled by Henry G. Langley, San Francisco, 1875