Cottonwood’s post office opened in 1852, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
More historic than 42% of U.S. towns · #206 of 847 in California. What drives it
Most of Cottonwood was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1982. 1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 4 buildings. Below: maps from 1900 on and the census since 1970.
Founding year: the first Cottonwood post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Cottonwood’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Cottonwood is more historic than 42% of U.S. towns, #206 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Cottonwood’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 Cottonwood’s 5.4 sits above most of its state (88% of California towns have fewer) while its 4 historic buildings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B. The pre-1940 share (±2.8 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.
Founding year: the first post office (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 Cottonwood’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The single winning ticket for the 5th biggest Mega Millions jackpot ever was sold in Cottonwood. The drawing took place Dec 27, 2024. The total (before taxes) jackpot was $1.22 Billion.
A number of residents in Cottonwood have expressed interest in incorporation. Not only would it allow the town to have stricter building codes, but it would stop the City of Anderson from further annexation of the surrounding areas.
Cottonwood is one of five CDPs in Shasta County that have expressed interest in incorporating. The other towns are Burney, Shingletown, Fall River Mills, and McArthur. Fall River Mills and McArthur would incorporate as one city together.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Cottonwood. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1947Anderson sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Cottonwood.
Every building
Cottonwood, building by building, 1900–1907
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.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
People over time
Cottonwood, census by census
Grew from 1,288 people in 1970 to 6,268 in 2020, 4 times over.
6 censuses, 1970–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Cottonwood’s Wikipedia page.
Places that used to be
Old corners, places now gone and burying grounds
Cottonwood’s post office has been open since 1852.
Hamlets and corners on the map
Amberwood Mobile Home ParkCottonwood Estates
Gone or out of use
Cottonwood Creek Pit Number 2mine
1cemetery inside Cottonwood
Cottonwood
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Cottonwood’s history
What year was Cottonwood founded?
The Cottonwood post office opened in 1852, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Cottonwood rank for history?
Cottonwood is more historic than 42% of U.S. towns, #206 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 Cottonwood?
One place: the Cottonwood Historic District (listed 1973).
How old are the homes in Cottonwood?
2% of Cottonwood’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.8 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1982.
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 (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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 and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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