Colusa dates to 1850, and 18% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 66% of U.S. towns · #73 of 847 in California. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Colusa High School and Grounds, the Colusa Grammar School and the Colusa Carnegie Library. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1870.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1851.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Colusa’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Colusa is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #73 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Colusa’s overall grade.
Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Colusa’s 4.6 sits above most of its state (87% of California towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.2 points). Two sources give 1850.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Colusa’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1850, Charles D. Semple purchased the Rancho Colus Mexican land grant on which Colusa was founded and called the place Salmon Bend. The town was founded, under the name Colusi, by Semple in 1850. The first post office was established the following year, 1851. The California legislature changed the town's (and the county's) name to Colusa in 1854. The town flourished due to its location on the Southern Pacific Railroad. Several travelers rest stops were established at various road distances from Colusa, including Five Mile House, Seven Mile House, Nine Mile House, Ten Mile House, Eleven Mile House, Fourteen Mile House (also called Sterling Ranch), Sixteen Mile House (at the current location of Princeton), and Seventeen Mile House. The original settlement of what became Colusa was originally placed at the site of Seven Mile House but subsequently removed to its current site in 1850.
Passages that mention Colusa, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Colusa and Glenn counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present1918 · page 80Read the page →
Read the text
On April 30, 1886, the first passenger train was run between Colusa and Colusa Junction; and Colusa County had her second railroad. The event was marked by a free excursion and a big celebration. On June 8, 1886, the name of the company was changed from Colusa Railroad Company to Colusa & Lake Railroad Company, and steps were taken to continue the road to Sites, which was accomplished on September 29 of that year.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Colusa and Glenn counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present1918 · page 200Read the page →
Read the text
Removal of the County Seat to Colusa The adherents of the town of Colusa as the location of the county seat drew first blood in the contest in 1851, when Charles Semple had the County Proclamation amended by the legislature by the insertion of the words ' ' and the seat of justice shall be the town of Colusa." Nothing daunted, however, the Monroevilleites proceeded with the work of staking out lots and planning the future of their town. Monroe presented to the county judge a petition
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Colusa, 1850 to 1957
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1850, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Colusa’s post office opened in 1851, and the census of 1870 counted 1,051 people here.
How does Colusa rank for history?
Colusa is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #73 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Colusa?
Three places: the Colusa High School and Grounds (listed 1976), the Colusa Grammar School (1978) and the Colusa Carnegie Library (1990).
How old are the homes in Colusa?
18% of Colusa’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.2 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1972.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (5), the Library of Congress (3), Wikidata (4), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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