Visit the Shasta Historical Society
Our Market Street building is closed for repairs, but the office in The Atrium is open Tuesday through Saturday, and the Igo Schoolhouse welcomes visitors every day of the Shasta District Fair.
Contact
Where to find us
| Location | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Society building | 1449 Market Street, Redding, CA 96001 · 530.243.3720 | Closed for repairs |
| Office (The Atrium) | 1620 Market Street #114, Redding, CA 96001 · gabriel@shastahistorical.org | Tue–Fri 10:00am–4:00pm; Sat 9:00am–12:30pm |
| Igo Schoolhouse | Shasta County Fairgrounds, 1890 Briggs Street, Anderson, CA 96007 · 530.243.3720 | 12:00pm–7:00pm daily during the Shasta District Fair |
Directions
Driving directions from I-5
Coming from either direction on Interstate 5, parking is free in the structure across the promenade.
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Take exit 678B
Leave I-5 north or southbound at exit 678B for California 44 West.
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Follow Highway 44
Highway 44 becomes Shasta Street as it enters downtown Redding.
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Turn onto California Street
Turn left from Shasta Street onto California Street.
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Park between Tehama and Butte
Turn left into the parking structure between Tehama and Butte Streets. Parking is free.
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Cross the promenade
The Society is across the promenade from the parking structure, looking east.
Building
Repairs under way
Our other site
The Igo Schoolhouse
A one-room 19th-century schoolhouse, moved by the Society from Igo to the fairgrounds in Anderson and open to visitors throughout the Shasta District Fair.
Built around 1872, in use for nearly a century
Charles Kingsbury built the schoolhouse in or around 1872. It taught several generations of Igo students until it closed in 1970, and very few changes had been made to the building by then. It is one of the few remaining examples of a 19th-century schoolhouse in the county.
Students and teachers at Igo
Six students had to enrol for the school to open at all. Some years brought as many as fifty-two children into the single room; other years enrolment fell short and the doors stayed shut.
Schoolhouses were built within walking distance of the children they served, and staffed by teachers who were usually very young and often lodged with a host family. Most stayed a year or two, and many struggled to last even that — one year it took three teachers to finish the year in Igo.
When Mrs. Kingsbury, wife of the builder, ran the school in 1903, funds ran out and the school closed early in March; she was later thought to have burned the school records in frustration after being asked to leave. Mrs. Jones arrived in 1918 to a term that could not begin until January for want of enrolment, then stayed twenty-five years — an oddity among Shasta County's early teachers. In 1910 a fire destroyed a hotel, store, blacksmith shop and a residence in Igo; the wind blew away from the schoolhouse and it was spared.
Nearby
Other Shasta County history organizations
Two more places to explore local history while you are in the area.
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Behrens-Eaton House Museum
A Victorian home built by John Scott in 1895. Entrusted by Judge Eaton in 2003 as a repository of books, artifacts, letters, illustrations, photographs and papers from his career and Shasta County history.
Visit the museum site → -
Turtle Bay Exploration Park
A natural history, art and science museum set in 300 acres of forest, botanical gardens and animal habitats. The McConnell Arboretum has a Mediterranean display, nursery and children's garden; Wildlife Woods houses rescued animals.
turtlebay.org →
Questions
Before you come
Can I see the exhibits at 1449 Market Street?
Not at present. The building is closed while repairs are undertaken.
How do I make a research request?
Please call or email in advance. Requests and appointments can be booked at bit.ly/gabrielleete, or email gabriel@shastahistorical.org.
When is the Igo Schoolhouse open?
Every day of the Shasta District Fair, 12:00pm to 7:00pm, at the Shasta County Fairgrounds in Anderson.
Is there parking downtown?
Yes. Free parking is available in the structure between Tehama and Butte Streets, across the promenade from the Society.
Plan your visit or book an appointment
Call 530.243.3720, email the office, or check what's coming up on the events calendar.
Office hours: Tuesday–Friday 10:00am–4:00pm, Saturday 9:00am–12:30pm.