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Alturas, California
Alturas is a city of 2,681 people in Modoc County, California, founded in September 16, 1901.
Why visit Alturas
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 15 places to eat, 10 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include The Niles Theater, Sacred Heart Catholic Church and NCO Railway Depot.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 21°F.
Weather in Alturas
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Alturas
Alturas (Spanish for "Heights"; Achumawi: Kasalektawi) is the only incorporated city in Modoc County, California, United States, of which it is also the county seat. Located in the Shasta Cascade region of Northern California, the city had a population of 2,715 at the 2020 census. Alturas is located at the confluence of the south and north forks of the Pit River, east of the center of Modoc County, at an elevation of 4,370 feet (1,330 m). Alturas is one of the largest cities in the region and a local economic hub.
From the Wikipedia article Alturas, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks6
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Monument and historic site · Roman Catholic · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic church in Alturas, California, USA
507 East 4th Street, Alturas
NCO Railway Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Railway station in Alturas, the United States of America
Nevada-California-Oregon Railway Co. General Office Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Commercial building in California, United States of America
Modoc County Historical Museum
Museum · 0.8 mi
History museum in California
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes15
3 more on the map.
History
Alturas occupies what was initially an Achumawi (Pit River) village known as Kosealekte or Kasalektawi. The city was initially known as Dorris Bridge or Dorris' Bridge, named after Pressley and James Dorris, who built a bridge across the Pit River at this location.
The Dorris Bridge post office opened in 1871. The town was renamed Dorrisville in 1874 and Alturas in 1876, the latter meaning "heights" in Spanish. The census of 1880 showed a population of 148. However, settlement continued over the next two decades, until the city was incorporated on September 16, 1901. Because of its central location, Alturas became the county seat when Modoc County formed in 1874, even though both Adin and Cedarville were then larger towns.
From the History section of Alturas, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay10
Churches and places of worship11
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Latter-Day Saints · 0.7 mi
104 East 13th Street, Alturas
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare1
Map of Alturas
67 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 21°F | 1.5 in |
| Feb | 47°F | 23°F | 1.0 in |
| Mar | 53°F | 27°F | 1.2 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 31°F | 1.2 in |
| May | 70°F | 37°F | 1.4 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 42°F | 0.7 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 46°F | 0.2 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 44°F | 0.3 in |
| Sep | 81°F | 38°F | 0.4 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 31°F | 0.9 in |
| Nov | 52°F | 25°F | 1.4 in |
| Dec | 42°F | 22°F | 1.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Alturas (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Modoc County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-05-01: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2017-04-01: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2017-03-16: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Lake County-Lakeview Airport (LKV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 47 miles away.
- California Pines 8 mi southwest, about 13 min by car
- Cedarville 20 mi east, about 32 min by car
- Lakeview 50 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Newell 50 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- McArthur 54 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Alturas California 1975, Ethan, CC BY 2.0
- Railroad crossing in Alturas (3080310322), Miguel Vieira from Redwood City, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Niles Theatre Alturas Calif during Covid (54706540886), Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alturas, California (1290014627), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Alturas, California (1290872452), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Alturas, California (1290015403), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Alturas, California (1290871768), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- NCO Depot street side - Alturas California, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Downtown Alturas, California (218935585), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- NCO Depot platform side - Alturas California, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Modoc County Courthouse - Alturas California, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Modoc County Courthouse, Alturas, California (218926125), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Modoc County Courthouse, Alturas, California (218926074), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sacred Heart Catholic Church 1 - Alturas California, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sacred Heart Catholic Church 2 - Alturas California, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Nevada-California-Oregon Railway Co. General Office Building, Bruce Fingerhood from Springfield, Oregon, US, CC BY 2.0
- Nevada-California-Oregon Railway Co. General Office Building (cropped), Bruce Fingerhood from Springfield, Oregon, US, CC BY 2.0
- Classic old GMC? truck (3071658040), brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Tahoe Road trip - Home away from home (3070819061), brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
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