Redding, officially the City of Redding, is the county seat of Shasta County, California, in the northern part of the state. It lies along the Sacramento River, which provided transportation and power in its early years. Interstate 5 bisects the entire city, which has a population of 89,861, from the south to north before it approaches Shasta Lake, located about 15 miles (24Â km) north of downtown. Redding is the largest city in the Shasta Cascade region, and it is the fourth-largest city in the Sacramento Valley, behind Sacramento, Elk Grove, and Roseville.
History
The site of Redding was settled by Native Americans of the Wintu tribe around the year 1000. The original county seat was Shasta, located approximately 6 miles west on 299W. Redding became the county seat after the railroad was built. Situated along the Siskiyou Trail, Redding became a stop on a trade and travel route connecting California's Central Valley and the Pacific Northwest. During the early 19th century, Hudson's Bay Company trappers and numerous European-American settlers passed through the site while traveling along the Siskiyou Trail.
The first European-American settler in the area was Pierson B. Reading, an early California pioneer. He was an admirer of John Sutter. In 1844, Reading received the Rancho Buena Ventura Mexican land grant for the area occupied by today's Redding and Cottonwood, California, along the Sacramento River. At the time it was the northernmost nonnative settlement in California.
Later, when the Southern Pacific Railroad built its rail line through the Sacramento Valley, it decided that the cost of making a small westerly detour to reach the mining town of Shasta was not in its interest. The railroad routed the tracks through an area then known as Poverty Flats, stimulating the development of the European-American town of Redding.
The railroad stop was named by the Southern Pacific for railroad man Benjamin B. Redding. In 1874 town residents changed the spelling of the name to "Reading", to honor local pioneer Pierson B. Reading. But the railroad did not officially recognize the change and the town restored its original spelling, "Redding", in 1880.
Redding was incorporated on October 4, 1887 with a population of 600 people. By 1910, Redding had a population of 3,572 supported by a significant mineral extraction industry (principally copper and iron). However, with the decline of these industries, which had also produced significant amounts of pollution damaging to local agriculture, the population dropped to 2,962 in 1920. By 1930 the population had recovered to 4,188 and then boomed during the 1930s with the construction of nearby Shasta Dam. The building of the dam, which was completed in 1945, caused the population to nearly double to 8,109 by 1940, and spurred the development of the commuter towns of Central Valley, Summit City, and Project City (all now called Shasta Lake City) â€" together named after the Central Valley Project.
In 1892 brothers John and Charles Ruggles thought that they could make some easy money by robbing a stagecoach. On May 10, 1892, the brothers robbed the Weaverville stage, but the take was small. Later, on May 12, the brothers stopped the stage again but Charles was hit with buckshot fired by a guard riding inside the coach. The brothers were later arrested. On July 24, 1892, a lynch mob wearing masks entered the jail and took the brothers out of their cell. In what became known as the lynching of the Ruggles brothers, the two men were hanged together from a derrick.
The city did not grow markedly until the 1950s, stimulated by postwar expansion of the lumber industry to satisfy pent-up demand for new housing across the country. In addition, construction of the Whiskeytown and Keswick dams brought many workers to the area. Completion of Interstate 5 in the late 1960s brought a higher level of traffic and added to development. By 1970, Redding had grown to 16,659 people.
In the 1970s, Redding annexed the town of Enterprise, located on the eastern bank of the Sacramento River. The city acquired other county areas, increasing the population to around 35,000. Enterprise residents voted to support the annexation primarily to acquire less expensive electricity via Redding's municipal utility, which receives power from the dam.
During the 1970s, the lumber industry suffered from declines in housing starts during the 1973-75 recession. Unemployment in Shasta County peaked at over 20%. The lumber industry was also required to satisfy new regulations to prevent further environmental damage due to the largely unrestricted logging over the previous hundred years. This had caused damage to some flora and fauna, as well as degraded watersheds, rivers, and streams. Other factors affecting the lumber industry were the depletion of virgin forest and automation in remaining mills. Employment levels dropped in the forest products industry below the postwar boom.
The economy of the city of Redding, as well as much of forested (primarily rural) Northern California, has had to make a transition from the industry to a service-based economy. The majority of the once plentiful blue-collar jobs, typical in the timber industry economy for decades, were permanently lost.
With the annexation of Enterprise and other areas of the county, Redding became the largest city of the vast region north of the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento metropolitan area; it has retained this status for well over 30 years. It surpassed the former California timber capital of Eureka, located 150 miles to the west on the coast. By the time of the 1980 Census, the city's total population had grown to 41,995.
After a retail and housing boom of the late 1980s, the city grew to 66,462 in 1990. This boom continued until the mid-1990s, and then a slight slowdown occurred. In 2000 the population was 80,865. As of 2010, the population was 89,861, but as of a 2005 estimate, there were 89,641 people, which means that Redding's growth stagnated in the 5â€"10 years before 2010.
Geography
Redding is located at 40°34′36″N 122°22′13″W (40.576606, -122.370325). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 61.2 square miles (159 km2). 59.6 square miles (154 km2) of it is land, and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) of it (2.50%) is beneath water.
Redding is located at the very northwestern end of the Central Valley, which transitions into the Cascade foothills. The city is surrounded by mountains to the north, east, and west and fertile farm land to the south. Outermost parts of the city are part of the Cascade foothills, whereas southern and central areas are in the Sacramento Valley.
The elevation in Redding is 495 feet (151Â m) on average, whereas anywhere to the north, east, or west of downtown ranges between 550 feet (170Â m) and 800 feet (240Â m) feet. Southern portions range between 400 feet (120Â m) and 500 feet (150Â m).
The Shasta Dam on the Sacramento River provides a considerable level of flood protection for Redding. The dam is capable of controlling flows up to 79,000 cubic feet (7,300 cubic meters) per second. Flow rate exceeded this threshold in both 1970 and 1974.
Soils in and around Redding are mostly of composite of clay or gravelly loam texture, with red or brown mineral horizons. They are slightly or moderately acidic in their natural state.
Climate
Despite its relatively high latitude at 40°N, Redding has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa), with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Winter (Octoberâ€"April) provides the most precipitation of any season in Reddingâ€"the weather tends to be either rainy or foggy and at times, snow occurs. Summers are hot and dry, but rain is possible, usually with a thunderstorm. The average daily maximum temperature in July stays near 100 °F (38 °C). The highest official recorded temperature in Redding was 118 °F (48 °C) on July 20, 1988. That was recorded at the nearby Redding airport. Some people in town recorded as high as 122 °F (50 °C) that same day. Redding has an average possible sunshine of 88%, the second-highest percentage (after Yuma, Arizona) of any US city.
While snow in Redding has become less common, the city receives an average of 4.8 inches (12 cm) of snow annually, although the average annual snowfall increases rapidly heading into the higher terrain immediately to the north of the city. It rarely gets sleet or freezing rain. Frost occurs commonly in December through February, less often in March or November. Redding can have chilly to cold winters like the rest of the Central Valley to the south. In spring, rain is common. Tornadoes are extremely rare; flooding occurs only around the area near the Sacramento river. The coldest temperature recorded in Redding was 17 °F (âˆ'8 °C).
Ecology
Keswick Dam, just upstream of Redding, marks the end of the free-flowing reach of the Sacramento River. It is the highest point upstream at which salmon and steelhead spawn. Fall-, late-fall-, and winter-run chinook salmon spawn in the river's gravel beds.
There are several rare and endangered species in Redding and its immediate vicinity. The Redding Redevelopment Plan EIR notes the California State listed endangered species, slender Orcutt grass (Orcuttia tenuis), occurs in eastern Redding near the municipal airport, where vernal pools are known to exist. This endemic grass is a Federal Candidate for listing and is endangered throughout its range, confined to several populations, and seriously threatened by agriculture, overgrazing, and residential development. Vernal pools provide the preferred habitat for this plant, which the California Native Plant Society considers a rare and endangered species. An ecology park at Turtle Bay in Redding has been created to allow study of native flora and fauna of the local area.
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Redding had a population of 89,861. The population density was 1,468.9 people per square mile (567.2/km²). The racial makeup of Redding was 77,117 (85.8%) White, 1,092 (1.2%) African American, 2,034 (2.3%) Native American, 3,034 (3.4%) Asian, 156 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2,307 (2.6%) from other races, and 4,121 (4.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7,787 persons (8.7%).
The Census reported that 87,841 people (97.8% of the population) lived in households, 1,138 (1.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 882 (1.0%) were institutionalized.
There were 36,130 households, out of which 11,012 (30.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 16,001 (44.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 4,806 (13.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,984 (5.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,570 (99.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 204 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 10,344 households (28.6%) were made up of individuals and 4,622 (12.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43. There were 22,791 families (63.1% of all households); the average family size was 2.94.
The population was spread out with 20,518 people (22.8%) under the age of 18, 9,436 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 21,725 people (24.2%) aged 25 to 44, 23,424 people (26.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 14,758 people (16.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.5 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
There were 38,679 housing units at an average density of 632.3 per square mile (244.1/km²), of which 19,968 (55.3%) were owner-occupied, and 16,162 (44.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.9%. 48,179 people (53.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 39,662 people (44.1%) lived in rental housing units.
Economy
Redding has a diversified service economy with employment spread across a wide range of professional services, including health care services, retail, and tourism.
As of April 2014, the employment rate in Redding was 90.5 percent, with the majority of Redding citizens being employed in the Educational and Health Services industry. Other notable categories of employment includes the Shasta County and Redding Municipal Government, the Trade, Transportation and Utilities industry, as well as the Leisure and Hospitality Industry.
Since the late 1990s, Redding's economy has diversified away from timber mills and other wood-products industries. Through much of the post-World War II era, Redding's economy was supported by timber mills and other wood-products industry based on lumber from the forests, public and private, in the surrounding mountains. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, environmental restrictions, most notably the listing of the northern spotted owl as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, led to a dramatic reduction in timber harvests in the national forest. Industrial logging on private lands continues but automation has also reduced lumber employment. Sierra Pacific Industries, the largest private landowner in California, has its headquarters and several mills in the greater Redding area.
The city is the medical hub of rural far northern California, with two major general hospitals, Mercy Medical Center, and Shasta Regional Medical Center, as well as other specialty hospitals. It is also the major retail center of the North State and the Black Bear Diner restaurant chain is headquartered here. It is the headquarters for many regional government operations.
Simpson University, Shasta College, and a CSU Chico extension campus draw new residents to Redding. The city's population has grown in recent decades even as other timber-dependent parts of rural California have had population declines.
In the early 21st century, Redding has become a growing hub of startups and startup outsourcing, with over 40 startups, including You Caring (third-largest crowd-funding platform), TechniSoil (natural paving product used in 2014 Winter Olympics), and AirCover (Drones). It continues to be a great place for startups with many resources available locally. Emerging investment groups and a unique concentration of creative agencies support new businesses, specializing in branding, marketing and other necessary steps to launching or growing a business.
Driven by its natural resources, Redding is home to several recreational startups and manufacturers such as Sea Breacher, Jetovator, Sky Ski, True Rec, The Fly Shop, Skyway Wheels, Paddleboards, and climbing gear. Startup outsourcing is also a growing trend due to the low cost of business, a tech savvy work force, and relative close proximity to San Francisco. Startups such as Axcient, NComputing, and Citelighter.
Top employers
According to the City's 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, these are the top employers in the city:
Philanthropic entities
The philanthropic landscape in Redding includes community foundations like the Shasta Regional Community Foundation and Redding Rancheria Community Fund, collective giving groups like The Women's Fund, corporate giving through Sierra Pacific Foundation, Mercy North Foundation, and more.
The McConnell Foundation, a private philanthropic organization endowed from the estate of Redding residents Carl and Leah McConnell, plays a major role in the city's economy. It was a major funder of tourism amenities including Turtle Bay Exploration Park and the Sundial Bridge, and has helped finance the construction of a large part of Redding's recreational trail network. The foundation is also a major local landowner, built the new campus of Redding School of the Arts, and runs a large college scholarship program for regional high school graduates.
Government
State and federal representation
In the California State Legislature, Redding is in the 1st Senate District, represented by Republican Ted Gaines, and the 1st Assembly District, represented by Republican Brian Dahle.
In the United States House of Representatives, Redding is in California's 1st congressional district, represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa.
Municipal government
The city council is composed of Mayor Missy McArthur, Vice Mayor Brent Weaver, along with Kristen Schreder, Gary Cadd, and Francie Sullivan. The city manager is Kurt Starman.
Redding is a general law city operating under the council-manager form of government.
Culture and contemporary life
Annual events
Redding has a diverse number of annual events that appeal to all likes and ages. Market Street Faire is Redding's downtown summer community event located in the Promenade Thursday evenings from 5 to 8:30pm. This event includes a farmer's market, live music, performances, food vendors, brewers, wineries, crafts and more. The Sundial Film Festival is Redding's annual film festival, and awards professional and novice film makers and photographers. Two programs are shown each year; student, animated and assorted films are in the afternoon and the premier films along with photography awards in the evening show. Each fall TEDxRedding brings together community minded individuals with ties to Redding and who have "ideas worth spreading". Also monthly TEDxRedding Salons are presented to view pre-recorded TED Talks and create ongoing conversations. The Redding Rodeo happens every May, the Asphalt Cowboys host a pancake breakfast every year with over 10,000 attendees enjoying breakfast in the streets of downtown. Champions Challenge as well as the PRCA make the Redding Rodeo a tour stop. The Lemurian Shasta Classic Mountain Bike Race takes place the last weekend of April, includes a long course, intermediate course and short course in the gnarly terrain west of Redding. The Whole Earth Watershed Festival is a day of events focused on the environment, offering vendors, performances and live music and educational opportunities for the entire family. Recycling education, fun-run and farmer's market, are just a few of the additional opportunities the festival offers. Redding Beer Week is an annual celebration of local beers. The event begins with an opening ceremony and beer tasting followed by a week of 30+ events hosted by local vendors, the closing ceremonies are full of more beer food and live music. The Fourth of July Freedom Festival takes place at the Redding Civic Center and includes a family friendly day of picnics, food vendors, live entertainment and a large fireworks display set to patriotic music. Kool April Nites boasts more than 25 years of classic car excitement. This week-long event attracts participants from all over the country and is full of show and shines, The Friday Nite Cruise, music, dances and the car show at the civic center. Banff Mountain Film Festival highlights outdoor adventure and sports and as part of the international world tour and the Redding event showcases local outdoor sports with a Banff Street Fair on the demonstration block in front of the Cascade Theatre and spotlights local vendors and experts in outdoor fun.
Attractions
In 2004, the Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay was completed. The dramatic pedestrian span was designed by the noted Spanish architect-engineer-artist Santiago Calatrava and links the north and south campuses of the 300-acre (1.2 km2) (1,200,000 m²) Turtle Bay Exploration Park. The pylon holds up the bridge support cables and also acts as a sundial (which is accurate only on the summer solsticeâ€"June 21 or 22).
Turtle Bay Exploration Park, located along the banks of the Sacramento River, contains a museum and 20-acre (81,000Â m2) gardens. The campus features permanent and changing exhibitions highlighting art, history, horticulture, forestry, and natural science.
The historic Cascade Theatre, which opened in 1935, has been restored and now operates as a multi-use performance venue. The theater is an example of Art Deco architecture of the period. It was listed on the California Register of Historic Resources on November 5, 1999, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 17, 2002. The Cascade Theatre was also the recipient of an Art Deco Society of California Preservation Award on March 18, 2000.
The Hotel Lorenz is a prominent feature of downtown Redding. Built in 1902, the Hotel Lorenz is one of the oldest buildings still standing in Redding. This four-story inn was built with the intent to rival the then-thriving Temple Hotel.
Redding is the largest city in the northern Sacramento Valley as well as the largest city on the 470-mile (760 km) stretch of Interstate 5 between Sacramento, California, and Eugene, Oregon; however, in 2010, Redding’s metropolitan population of 177,223 was substantially smaller than Medford, Oregon’s population of 208,545. Both Redding and its neighbor to the south, Red Bluff, are popular with tourists, who use the cities as bases to explore Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lake Shasta, Mount Shasta, Trinity Mountains, and other natural attractions.
Redding is served by the Redding Municipal Airport and has two major hospitals.
Library Park, in downtown Redding, is the spot where the old Carnegie library building once stood. Built in 1903, the library was torn down in 1962 to make room for a parking lot. That lot was reclaimed in 1990 and now serves as a park with an open air stage.
Also downtown is Old City Hall, home of the Shasta County Arts Council and site for many community events, including TEDxRedding, held for the first time in February 2012.
Food and drink
Jack's Grill was built in 1935 as a second-hand store. In 1938, World War I ace pilot Jack Young established Jack’s Bar & Grill. The business catered mostly to the hard-working men who were building Shasta Dam. The second floor was used as a house of prostitution briefly in the 1940s. The décor hasn't changed and still contains the same paintings on the walls. Jack’s Grill is the only remaining bar of that era still in business today.
Black Bear Diner: The company is based in Redding, California. It now claims 62 locations in eight states. It is a restaurant chain in the western United States that serves homestyle and "old-fashioned" comfort foods. The first restaurant was opened in Mount Shasta, California, in 1994 by Bob and Laurie Manley and Bruce Dean.
Damburger: Established in 1938 by Bud Pennington and wife Babe who operated it until 1977, located on Placer St. just west of Pine St. Since then, has been owned by Ron and Kathy Dickey. Since their retirement, their daughter Juliet Malik has managed the restaurant.
Gene's Drive In: This popular old-fashioned drive-in is located at 2515 S. Market Street. It was built in 1954 by Gene Nash and still displays the original neon sign. It serves hamburgers and is a hangout for vintage cars on Thursday evenings.
Active living lifestyle
Redding has a long history of outdoor active living. Formation of the Shasta Wheelmen was announced in the San Francisco Call on May 6, 1896, with 100 members; the group continues today with rides and events weekly. In the 1900s, the Wright Brothers, James and Albert, had a bicycle shop in downtown Redding. They eventually sold bicycles and cars from the same shop, and period photos show them taking ladies in long skirts on bicycle rides from Redding to the nearby town of Palo Cedro.
One of the first organized mountain bike races in the world, the Whiskeytown Downhill, was organized by Gary of Chain Gang in 1981, as a promotion for his bicycle shop. Gary Fisher was the winner. Local mountain biking continues today as a popular activity for locals. The annual mountain biking race, the Lemurian Shasta Classic, occurs on the last weekend in April.
The local manufacturer Skyway Wheels reinvented the wheel for the BMX bicycle. One of their Tuff Wheels has been entered into the Smithsonian Museum. A local manufacturer in Redding for more than 40 years, Skyway Wheels now makes wheels for all types of vehicles and exports globally.
The extensive Redding trail system makes the city an attractive destination. The city built the first piece of the Sacramento River Trail in 1983 and by 1991 had completed the 5.7-mile (9.2Â km) loop from the Diestelhorst Bridge to the Ribbon Bridge. Today, the paved pathway stretches for more than 20 miles (32Â km), takes several names, crosses the river in four places, and includes spur trails to Old Shasta and half a dozen Redding neighborhoods. Key connections came with the 1990 Stress Ribbon Bridge, the first bridge of its kind in North America, and the Sundial Bridge, completed in 2004.
The Sacramento River Trail is one of the few paved pathways; an approximately 220-mile (350Â km) trail system continues to be extended west of Redding, with connections being added to neighborhoods to improve local access west. With few exceptions, the trails are open to people on foot, bicycle, or horseback.
Groups and individuals collaborated on this project, including the City of Redding, Shasta County, Bureau of Land Management, McConnell Foundation, Redding Foundation, Whiskeytown, Bureau of Reclamation, and many others. Friends of the Redding Trails is a local group supporting trail improvements. Local long-boarders from Skate Movement can be seen frequently.
The trails organization American Trails held their symposium in Redding in 2000 and relocated to the area. Shasta Living Streets is a local organization working to support walkable cities and better bikeways locally. Redding received a Bicycle Friendly Community bronze status in 2012 from the League of American Bicyclists.
Public art
- Sculpture park at City Hall
- Calatrava Sculpture (Soon to be relocated to New Domke Plaza by the Sundial Bridge)
Architecture
- Sundial Bridge
- Cascade Theater
- Carnegie Library
- Hotel Lorenz
- The Redding School of the Arts is a charter school that was designed by Trilogy Architecture and completed in the fall of 2011. It is the first new school campus in the world to be awarded LEED for Schools 2009 Platinum certification.
- The Pilgrim Congregational Church was designed in 1958 by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright and is the last church designed by Wright before he died in 1959.
Entertainment
Dance
- Redding City Musical Theatre Company (Including The Redding Arts Project and The Redding City Ballet)
- Redding Arts Project (Official training school for The Redding City Ballet)
- Redding City Ballet
- Redding Dance Centre
Youth productions
Kids Unlimited Institute of the Arts.
Redding also features a number of annual high school productions that range from musicals to dinner theatre. Shasta High School presents a yearly, renaissance-themed Madrigal Dinner in addition to a full-length musical performed on the stage of the David Marr Theatre. Enterprise High School holds a Victorian Dinner each year, and also features Enterprise Starship, an award-winning, traveling variety show. Foothill High School hosts Club Cougar, a murder mystery dinner theatre event set in the roaring twenties. All schools also perform seasonal concerts at Davis Marr.
Venues
- Redding Civic Auditorium accommodates over 2,000 guests and hosts a number of live, touring music and entertainment acts.
- Cascade Theatre
- Riverfront Amphitheatre
- Old City Hall
Many other food and drink venues in town also feature live music. Vintage Wine Bar and Restaurant in downtown redding hosts local and touring groups for regular dinner hours. Vintage also holds occasional concerts on the stage in their back room in collaboration with The Bridge House Bed and Breakfast. Other venues that feature live music include The Post Office, Kelly's Wine Bar, Bombay's, Maxwell's, and more.
Performing arts
- Riverfront Playhouse
- Redding Improv Players
As a project of the Shasta County Arts Council’s, the Redding Improv Players group was formed in 1998. In the years following the inception of the group, they have performed regular shows an Old City Hall.
Organizations (non political/non religious)
McConnell Foundation
The McConnell Foundation is an independent foundation located in Redding, California. As a broad-based funder, it has awarded grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public education institutions, and government entities located primarily in Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tehama, and Modoc Counties in rural Northern California. Individuals and for-profit businesses are not eligible for funding, nor do they make general donations.
Catalyst Redding Young Professional
Catalyst Redding Young Professionals was formed in 2010 as a social network to connect young professionals who wanted to help create, promote and stimulate new and existing culture in Redding.
In 2011 Catalyst Redding Young Professionals produced the first ever TEDxRedding event and has subsequently produced a number of TEDxRedding Salons as well as another main event in 2012.
Other Catalyst Redding Young Professional events include: Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, a production of The Banff Centre, hosted annually at the Cascade Theatre. Proceeds from the event are donated to local charities. Redding Beer Week - A celebration of local (400 mile radius) craftbeer. Indie Element Events - Various events organized to promote independent art, music, and culture.
Arts Council
The Shasta County Arts Council, located in Old City Hall in Downtown Redding, exists to make the arts accessible to all members of the local community through a number of programs and projects. A gallery, located on the first floor, has rotating displays that feature local artists.
Additionally, the Shasta County Arts Council’s mission is to provide avenues for social exchange that promote learning and cultural understanding.
RADD
Redding Area Developers & Designers monthly meet up has a focus on bringing Redding's web development and designer minds together to create an awesome blend of like-minded people in pursuit of exploring and expanding skill sets.
The Active 20/30
The Active 20 30 Club of Redding, as a part of the national Active 20-30 Club, is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide young adults with an opportunity for personal growth, friendships and leadership development while improving the quality of life for the special needs of children in their community.
The Active 20-30 Club in Redding hosts a number of events in Redding, including the Sundial Film Festival and in 2013 the Redding Lighted Christmas Parade.
Viva Downtown Redding
Viva Downtown, a National Main Street Organization, is a volunteer, non-profit group dedicated to enhancing the cultural, social, and economic development of Downtown Redding. Viva Downtown has four standing committees that work on enhancement projects in Downtown Redding: Organization, Design, Business Improvement, and Promotion.
Rotary Clubs
- Redding Rotary Club
- Redding West Rotary Club
- Taste of Redding
- Redding Sunrise Rotary
- Redding East Rotary
Lion's Clubs
- Redding Host Lions Club
- Enterprise Lions Club
Tourism
- Turtle Bay Exploration Park
- WaterWorks Park
Education
Of Redding's population over the age of 25, 89.8% holds a high school education or higher (versus the California average of 81.0%), and 22.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (vs. California's average of 30.5%). The City of Redding is served by eight different school districts and hosts a variety of public and private schooling options ranging from pre-kindergarten to college graduate programs. Redding's school districts are supported by the Shasta County Office of Education, which provides administrative services as well as early childhood programs, special education, alternative education for at-risk students, after school programs, and independent study.
Colleges and universities
Redding is home to six colleges and universities:
- Simpson University, a four-year, private college
- Shasta College, a public community college
- National University, a four-year, private university
- Shasta Bible College and Graduate School, a four-year Christian college
- California State University, Chico, branch campus
Schools
High School
- Shasta Union High - most of the city of Redding is served by this district. Students attend Redding School District and Grant School District if they are on the Westside and Enterprise School District if they are in the southeast or Boulder Creek areas (except where noted below). They attend K-8 in the Columbia district if they are in the northeastern portion of the city.
- Anderson Union High - the southeast portion of Redding south of the Clover Creek Preserve and east of Alta Mesa Drive is served by this district. Students attend Pacheco School District for grades K-8.
- Central Valley High - in the Gateway Unified - students in some of the far northern areas of Redding, known as Mountain Gate(including Tierra Oaks) attend school in Shasta Lake City's Gateway Unified School District for grades K-12
Much of the Redding is served by the Shasta Union High School District for grades 9-12. As for elementary school districts, on the westside of the river they include the Redding School District and the Grant Elementary School District. Most of the eastside is served by the Enterprise Elementary School District while the far eastside is served by the Columbia Elementary School District. A good portion of Southeast Redding attends the Anderson Union High School District and the Pacheco School District in Anderson. Gateway Unified School District serves some areas north of the city (including Tierra Oaks) for grades K-12.
There are 6 middle schools, 46 elementary schools, 6 charter schools, and 30 private schools in Redding. Redding has three major high schools including:
- Shasta High School
- Enterprise High School
- Foothill High School
Other high schools in this area include:
- University Preparatory School
- Bethel Christian School
- Central Valley High School
- Anderson High School
- West Valley High School
- New Technology High School
- Pioneer High School
- Freedom High School
- North State Independence School
- Redding Christian High School
- Liberty Christian High School
- Academy of Personalized Learning
- Stellar Charter School
- Redding Adventist Academy
Charter schools in this area include:
- University Preparatory School
- Monarch Learning Center Charter School
- Stellar Charter School
- Academy of Personalized Learning
- Redding School of the Art
- Rocky Point Charter School
Alternative education
Redding has a variety of schools that offer technical training. Redding's Institute of Technology offers training for vocational programs including Nursing, criminology, and Medical Office Administration. Shasta School of Cosmetology offer training in cosmetology, massage therapy and more. While businesses such as Code IT (for adults) and Build It (for children) offer training in coding, web design, and engineering.
Libraries
The main library in the Shasta County public library system is located in Redding. It is housed in a 55,000 sq-ft, state of the art, two story building that was constructed in 2007. The building incorporates views of Mount Shasta along with sustainable design elements such as a 7,000-sq.-ft. vegetated green roof section, photo voltaic panels and a thermal energy storage system that uses ice to maintain cool temperatures during peak summer hours. Patrons also receive state-of-the-art library services including ebooks, a computer center, genealogy research, and self-checkout.
Media
Newspapers
The Redding Record Searchlight is the main newspaper circulated daily throughout Shasta County.
After Five, a monthly newspaper magazine focusing on local entertainment, was founded in Redding on October 28, 1986.
Television
Radio
FM radio
AM radio
Transportation
Major highways
- Interstate 5 runs through the east central portion of this city.
- CA 299, formerly U.S. 299, runs through the western, central, and northeastern parts of the city.
- CA 44 runs through the middle and eastern part of town. Its western terminus is at Market Street (California 273) in downtown Redding.
- CA 273, was formerly the Interstate 5 Business Route, and also formerly the U.S. 99, directly through the city.
Rail and bus transportation
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Redding, operating its Coast Starlight daily in both directions between Seattle, Washington, and Los Angeles, California VA Portland, Oregon; Sacramento, California; Oakland, California; San Jose, California; Santa Barbara, California and all Intermediate station stops. Amtrak California also provides Thruway Motorcoach service to Stockton or Sacramento for connections to the San Joaquins, which serve the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and the Los Angeles area via bus connections.
Redding provides a city bus transportation system called RABA (Redding Area Bus Authority). RABA provides routes throughout the city of Redding and also provides transportation throughout Redding's suburbs. Transportation is also available by Sage Stage to Alturas and Trinity Transit to Weaverville. Redding is also served by the intercity bus companies Greyhound and Fronteras del Norte.
Air transportation
Air Transportation for the Redding area is provided by two general aviation airports. Redding Municipal Airport, located south of Redding, has four scheduled flights from SkyWest (United Express). The smaller Benton Airpark is located on the western side of Redding. First Class Shuttle also offers shuttle service from the Oxford Suites hotel on Hilltop Dr. to the Sacramento International Airport seven days a week.
City districts/neighborhoods
Notable people
Notable people who were born in or lived in Redding include:
- Ashley Parker Angel, professional recording artist and actor
- Frank Akins, professional football player, Washington Redskins
- David de Berry, theater composer and actor
- Duffy Bishop, electric blues singer and songwriter
- Rick Bosetti, professional baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, and the Oakland Athletics
- Shane Drake, music video director who attended Enterprise High School (Class of 1992) in Redding
- Jim Duckworth, professional baseball player
- Merle Haggard, country musician
- Rich Eisen, sportscaster for KRCR-TV, ESPN and, The NFL Network
- Karan English, former Arizona Congresswoman who attended Enterprise High School
- Mark Eubank, meteorologist for KSL-TV
- John Gibson, host on the Fox News Channel who went to Sequoia Middle School, Shasta High School, and Central Valley High School
- Paul Howard, professional football player for the Denver Broncos who went to Central Valley High School
- Raymond Jacobs, soldier, said to be in photo of first flag raised on Iwo Jima
- Jenna Jameson, adult film actress who inhabited Redding during rehabilitation from drug abuse
- Brian Johnson, a Christian musician, president of Bethel Music, senior worship pastor at Bethel Church
- Kathleen Kennedy, film producer
- Matthew Kennedy, author
- Eddie Machen, top heavyweight boxing contender of the 1950s and 1960s, whose opponents included Joey Maxim, Ingemar Johansson, Sonny Liston, Harold Johnson, Floyd Patterson, Ernie Terrell, and Joe Frazier
- Buck Martinez, professional baseball player, manager of US team in 2006 World Baseball Classic, broadcaster
- Randy Miller, drummer of the Myriad
- Matt Nichols, quarterback in Canadian Football League
- Roy Rogers, guitarist
- Ryan O'Callaghan, football player for the Kansas City Chiefs
- Megan Rapinoe, professional soccer player for the Seattle Reign and the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, Olympic gold medalist
- Ricky Ray, professional football player of the Toronto Argonauts CFL team who attended Shasta College
- Kevin Rose, owner of Digg.com
- Brian Sandoval, Governor of Nevada (2011â€"present)
- D. J. Seeley (born 1989), basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League and the Euroleague
- Jason Sehorn, former NFL cornerback for the New York Giants who played football at Shasta College in Redding
- Bob Woodruff, ABC News anchor seriously injured in Iraq, now an ABC correspondent who worked at Channel 24 in Redding
- Sherri Papini, kidnapped near her home in Redding in November 2016
See also
References
External links
- Redding travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Official website
- Images of Redding from the Eastman’s Originals Collection, Special Collections Dept., University of California, Davis.
- Shasta Historical Society