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Nevada County has more transplants than a big city hospital. Get any group of new acquaintances together and among the first questions asked will be: "Where are you from? How long have you lived here? How did you hear about Nevada City/Grass Valley? What made you decide to move to the foothills?"
Read the obituaries carefully in the local newspaper and note that nearly 99 percent of the people were born elsewhere. Some moved here 25 years ago; others, as recently as five years ago. In fact, one man's obituary startled me because he was born in Nevada City, went to school here, and worked for 35 years in the area. I had to read the facts twice!
Lots of Bay Area transplants, of course, and a sprinkling of residents from Southern California have ended up here. How did these newcomers here about these towns? Mostly through relatives or friends.
What makes the area unique is that, despite their small sizes, Nevada City and Grass Valley have connections to dozens of other California counties. And this phenomenon is not new.
I came to Grass Valley in 1960 and taught at Nevada Union High School for one year. The town had about 6,000 residents. Thereafter, whenever I mentioned Grass Valley, someone would come up to me and exclaim: "My grandfather worked at the Empire Mine;" or "My great-grandmother was born there." Dozens of people had some ties to Grass Valley.
We now have over 13,000 residents in the city proper. It's still a small population, yet the town's tentacles spread to thousands of people.
Most mountain towns exist in relative obscurity. Mention Dunsmuir, Fort Jones, Etna, Weed, Jackson, Scott Valley, and these places do not evoke the same response.
What brings people here? I list a few typical responses: (Elinor) "My parents moved here 30 years ago.
When my father died, I moved in with my mother. I love the place." (Sandie) We visited friends and really liked the area. When a house near them was for sale, my husband and I bought it and moved." (Jack) "I was tired of big-city living, the traffic and high crime rates. My daughter and her husband came here and she taught at an elementary school. I loved visiting here and moved about six years after she had settled here."
Relatives and friends visit and notice the clean air, the swimming areas, the beautiful trees. Those seeking a respite from city woes really do relax and enjoy the Yuba River, the hiking trails, and the surprising restaurant variety. After all, how many small mountain towns have a Thai, an Indian and a Himalayan restaurant?
In addition to the spectacular scenery, these towns have a lively artistic tradition. We have bookstores and art galleries. We have a first-rate theatre troupe; we can boast of a lively music scene; we even have two movie theatres that show foreign and non-Hollywood films. Not many small rural towns can offer such creative entertainment.
So, for all you transplants out there, consider yourselves in good company. You probably outnumber the natives by about 10 to one!
ooo
Mary Lu Leon lives in Grass Valley.
Read the obituaries carefully in the local newspaper and note that nearly 99 percent of the people were born elsewhere. Some moved here 25 years ago; others, as recently as five years ago. In fact, one man's obituary startled me because he was born in Nevada City, went to school here, and worked for 35 years in the area. I had to read the facts twice!
Lots of Bay Area transplants, of course, and a sprinkling of residents from Southern California have ended up here. How did these newcomers here about these towns? Mostly through relatives or friends.
What makes the area unique is that, despite their small sizes, Nevada City and Grass Valley have connections to dozens of other California counties. And this phenomenon is not new.
I came to Grass Valley in 1960 and taught at Nevada Union High School for one year. The town had about 6,000 residents. Thereafter, whenever I mentioned Grass Valley, someone would come up to me and exclaim: "My grandfather worked at the Empire Mine;" or "My great-grandmother was born there." Dozens of people had some ties to Grass Valley.
We now have over 13,000 residents in the city proper. It's still a small population, yet the town's tentacles spread to thousands of people.
Most mountain towns exist in relative obscurity. Mention Dunsmuir, Fort Jones, Etna, Weed, Jackson, Scott Valley, and these places do not evoke the same response.
What brings people here? I list a few typical responses: (Elinor) "My parents moved here 30 years ago.
When my father died, I moved in with my mother. I love the place." (Sandie) We visited friends and really liked the area. When a house near them was for sale, my husband and I bought it and moved." (Jack) "I was tired of big-city living, the traffic and high crime rates. My daughter and her husband came here and she taught at an elementary school. I loved visiting here and moved about six years after she had settled here."
Relatives and friends visit and notice the clean air, the swimming areas, the beautiful trees. Those seeking a respite from city woes really do relax and enjoy the Yuba River, the hiking trails, and the surprising restaurant variety. After all, how many small mountain towns have a Thai, an Indian and a Himalayan restaurant?
In addition to the spectacular scenery, these towns have a lively artistic tradition. We have bookstores and art galleries. We have a first-rate theatre troupe; we can boast of a lively music scene; we even have two movie theatres that show foreign and non-Hollywood films. Not many small rural towns can offer such creative entertainment.
So, for all you transplants out there, consider yourselves in good company. You probably outnumber the natives by about 10 to one!
ooo
Mary Lu Leon lives in Grass Valley.
