NEVADA COUNTY
County Offices
950 Maidu Avenue
Nevada City 530-265-1218
www.mynevadacounty.com
Chamber of Commerce
248 Mill Street
Grass Valley 530-273-4667
http://grassvalleychamber.com
In Nevada County, the trees are lush green, the skies are a brilliant blue, and the opportunities are pure gold. Proud residents will quickly tell you about the panoramic landscape, rolling foothills, pastures shaded by towering oaks, historic Gold Rush towns, or the backdrop of snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountain peaks. Little wonder that a growing number of young professionals, families, and retirees are leaving behind the stress and congestion of urban life to stake their claim in this rural paradise. “Pine cone gratuities” is the term humorously used to describe the magnetism and allure of life in Nevada County.
In recent years, more than 15,000 newcomers have settled in the beautiful foothills of this scenic region. Distinct new communities are rapidly emerging and joining long established towns like Grass Valley and Nevada City. Steeped in Gold Rush history, both towns are graced by restored and original examples of Victorian and early 20th-century architecture along their winding, tree-shaded streets. Perhaps you prefer the rolling hills, oak trees, and ranches of Penn Valley, the historic folklore of Rough and Ready, the densely forested Banner Mountain, or the rugged and remote San Juan Ridge. Regardless of your home choice, Nevada County promises an unparalleled quality of life in beautiful, natural surroundings.
Services
From timber and cattle to Christmas trees and wine grapes, agriculture continues to play a significant role in the local economy. Wine grape production is expected to double, although the county is already a select supplier for some of the state’s most prestigious wine-making counties. In spite of its rural traditions and setting, the region is also home to an electronic village with a telecommunications infrastructure that ensures global access to world markets. In addition to corporate leaders and national trend-setters, numerous small to medium-sized businesses that manufacture and market everything from software to decorative crafts have also found a welcome home in Nevada County.
More than 30 high-tech and applied-tech companies along with 1,000 hardware and software design and development professionals are creating the “Silicon Valley of the Sierras.” These companies are involved in the design and manufacture of such advancements as multimedia and digital video products, medical data processing, and control and robotics equipment. Abundant resources combine with spectacular scenery and unsurpassed quality of life to attract some of the world’s most talented engineers and scientists.
With an economy that revolves around cutting-edge companies, Nevada County offers impressive demographics in terms of personal income and education. The public school districts are well-supported by the families and communities they serve. The quality public education system is complemented by a selection of private schools that expand the options for alternative learning environments. Nevada County schools offer excellent teacher/pupil ratios, diversity of extracurricular activities, and innovations like the high school/junior college partnerships or the award-winning visual and performing arts programs. Local schools boast some of the state’s lowest dropout rates and some of its highest SAT test scores.
Sierra College opened its Nevada County campus in Grass Valley in 1996, bringing the opportunities for a higher education even closer to home. Through Sierra College’s Center for Applied Competitive Technology, the campus is able to offer highly specialized programs for industry sectors. Even advanced degrees are available through an interactive network. Enjoying a location within Greater Sacramento, students of all ages will find an easy commute to a number of colleges and major universities like the University of California, Davis or California State University, Sacramento.
Meeting the healthcare needs of the county, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital provides a 121-bed acute-care facility in Grass Valley. SNMH offers residents the convenience and security of full medical and surgical services close to home, including emergency, outpatient, transitional, and home care. Affiliations with Mercy Healthcare Sacramento and Catholic Healthcare West ensure access to specialized care and other resources that include connections to Mercy Heart Institute and Mercy General.
Lifestyle
A four-season hub of history, culture, and outdoor adventure, Nevada County is as rare and precious as the gold that was drawn from the glorious Empire Mine. The friendliness of your new neighbors, the intimacy of small town living, and the close proximity to some of the West’s most spectacular scenery make this region unrivaled for sheer quality of life. In the springtime, wildflowers line the riverside walkways or dot the fields. Anglers return to their favorite stream or river, while mountain bike enthusiasts ride through pine-scented forests.
Leading local events include the International Teddy Bear Convention, the Rough & Ready Chili Cookoff, Penn Valley Rodeo, the Grass Valley Friday Night market, and the annual Sierra Festival of the arts in historic downtown Grass Valley. Summertime is completely enchanting with the Music in the Mountains Summer Festival, the Tour of Nevada City Bicycle Classic, Nevada County Fair, Summer Nights in Nevada City, and the Sierra Storytelling Festival. Theatre companies, movie theaters, and weekend concerts create a relaxed but vibrant cultural atmosphere.
As autumn leaves burst into brilliant colors, Nevada City hosts an unusual event for the Gold Rush Country: a Constitution Day Parade, and authentic Civil War re-enactment at Pioneer Park—complete with Union and Confederate camps, cavalry, and cannon fire. As the holiday season draws near, residents celebrate with old-fashioned flair and spirit, listening to carolers and brass bands, relaxing on hayrides, or browsing through the local arts and craft displays. Thanksgiving weekend features two of Northern California’s most well-attended arts and crafts festivals: The Artisans Festival at Miners Foundry in historic downtown Nevada City and the Country Christmas Fair under the pines at the county fairgrounds.
Leisure hours in Nevada County are easy to fill, regardless of your interests or desired activity level. Garden tours, dance clubs, excellent restaurants, lush parks, challenging golf courses, tennis courts, and racquet clubs are all waiting for your discovery and enjoyment. Historic state parks, grand old hotels, and wonderful museums abound in this region—most of them displaying the Gold Rush artifacts and lore. With its expansive hardrock mines, Grass Valley made history as California’s richest mining town.
The modern mother lode in Nevada County might well be affordable and attractive real estate. The dizzying rise in home values in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area have been delayed in the rural stretches of the state. The contrast is so striking that newcomers from the San Francisco or Silicon Valley communities are often able to purchase a new home as well as their own business in Nevada County. Similarly, corporations are reaping lower costs and a higher quality of living for their employees here in the Sierra foothills. Housing options in Grass Valley and Nevada City include restored and original Victorians and turn-of-the-century homes. Along the periphery of the towns, lovely new subdivisions feature more contemporary styling.
Whether you are looking for a starter home at a reasonable price or a million-dollar estate on 20 acres of land, Nevada County is a location where dreams become reality. Affordable homes on spacious lots and excellent public schools make it possible for residents to enjoy an outstanding rural lifestyle within easy access to all the benefits of Greater Sacramento. Combining a large land area with a sparse population, Nevada County presents a kaleidoscope of housing and property options. Home lots of five acres and even larger are commonplace. In the southwestern quadrant, the gated communities at Lake Wildwood and Lake of the Pines are popular for retirement and second homes in close proximity to the major population centers.
With an average elevation of 2,500 feet, the area enjoys a mild climate that invites outdoor activity in every season and at every turn. Less than an hour’s drive from home are some of the world’s finest downhill and cross-country ski resorts, including Squaw Valley of Winter Olympic competition fame. Local golf courses are open to the public, and more than a dozen additional courses are located within an hour’s drive. Also close to home are lakes and rivers for fishing, boating, water skiing, rafting, sailboarding, houseboating, and kayaking. Hiking and mountain biking trials and picturesque campgrounds abound. In the eastern part of the county, the high Sierra Nevadas rise up a full 7,000 feet in elevation.
Unique downtown districts filled with antiques and one-of-a-kind shops invite the avid shopper to stroll the streets until dusk. Community parks provide band shells, picnic areas, barbecues, playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, tennis courts, swimming pools, ballfields, hiking and exercise trails—even fishing opportunities. For residents of Nevada County, the scenes of everyday life seem like one postcard image after another. Once you’ve experienced the unhurried pace of this beautiful alpine-and-meadow countryside and felt the warm handshake of your new neighbors, you’ll see why Nevada County residents are here to stay.
Grass Valley
Municipal Offices
530-274-4310
www.cityofgrassvalley.com
Chamber of Commerce
530-273-4667
http://grassvalleychamber.com
Situated at an ideal elevation, Grass Valley residents enjoy four distinct and lovely seasons below the “snow belt” storms and above the valley’s fog. Just 3 miles from Nevada City on Highway 49, Grass Valley is nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills approximately 60 miles northeast of Sacramento. Although Grass Valley would be considered a small town by most standards, the cultural community is well developed and includes classical music festivals, concerts, and stage productions. Residents enjoy a superb quality of life surrounded by unparalleled natural beauty as well as affordable housing options and outstanding recreational amenities. Access to Interstate 80 ensures a direct link to the vast array of major metropolitan amenities in Sacramento and even San Francisco, from professional sports teams to world-class opera, ballet, theater, and dance. Outdoor enthusiasts will find some of the West’s most celebrated alpine regions. Downhill skiing, mountain biking, fishing, boating, water sports, rafting, kayaking, camping and hiking are just a few of the many popular activities.
Nevada City
Municipal Offices
530-265-2496
www.nevadacityca.gov
Chamber of Commerce
530-265-2692
www.nevadacitychamber.com
The county seat of Nevada City serves as the region’s focal point of culture, history and government. Although Victorian architecture once dominated the early scene, several raging fires left a city that primarily features stately brick buildings with iron shutters. By the late 1960s, residents of Nevada City awakened to the remarkable charm of their town and began restoring and enhancing its streets and structures. Gas lights created from original 1800s molds now grace Broad Street, and the entire downtown district is a National Historic Landmark. Quality restaurants, comfortable lodging, live theatre, specialty shopping, and galleries join fascinating museums that preserve the remnants of the town’s boisterous and chaotic Gold Rush legacy. The beautifully restored Nevada Theatre, distinguished as the oldest building in California constructed for use as a theater, now showcases the finest performing arts groups in Northern California. Business, arts, sports, and entertainment of every genre occur on or around the lively streets of this delightful town. In the spirit of such popular destinations like Mendocino and Carmel—Nevada City is a town to savor and enjoy.
Truckee
Municipal Offices
530-582-7700
www.townoftruckee.com
Chamber of Commerce
530-587-2757
www.truckee.com
The beautiful alpine community of Truckee is a hub for recreation-based industries and services that cater to the many visitors drawn to its historic significance and small-town charm. Many of the town’s permanent residents are outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy the year-round recreational amenities available at nearby Lake Tahoe and deep forests. Small business owners, telecommuters, retirees, and growing families share the civic pride that enhances the quality of life, including a strong arts community. The presence of an extension program of Sierra College ensures convenient access to higher education. The selection of housing is diverse and attractive, although newcomers may be surprised to see floor plans in this mountain environment that place the bedrooms on the lower level of a two-story design. Sleeping in a cooler room is comfortable, while the “heat rises” to the part of the home where the most activity occurs during the waking hours.
