Higgins Corner, California

Unincorporated community in California, United States

39°02′34″N 121°05′42″W / 39.04278°N 121.09500°W / 39.04278; -121.09500Country

United StatesState

CaliforniaCountyNevada CountyElevation

^[1]

1,427 ft (435 m)

Higgins Corner is an unincorporated community in Nevada County, California.^[1] It lies at an elevation of 1427 feet (435 m).^[1] Higgins Corner is located 12.5 miles (20.1 km) south of Grass Valley.^[2]

History

Higgins Corner was named after a Gold Rush settler, Michael J. Higgins. The name, Higgins Corner was first recorded in the 1860s. Michael J. Higgins homesteaded 160 acres of land at Wolf Road. A long time resident (since 1955), Willard Shoellerman, states that the area has been called Higgins Corner for a century.^[3]

A Bill Higgins arrived in the area in the late 1800s; while he coincidentally shared the name Higgins, he was not related to Michael J. Higgins.^[4]

During the Gold Rush times, the Higgins Corner Bar was the meeting place that a gold-running gang used as their headquarters. This resulted in the kidnapping and eventual killing of several children.^[4]

In 1952 a temporary San Quentin prisoner forestry camp was located at Higgins Corner.^[5]

Description

A 2014 article on Higgins Corner states that the area includes the Lake of the Pines housing development, several small-scale shopping centers, the Forest Lake Christian School, the Higgins Lions community club, six churches, several ranches and "cottage home businesses".^[3] It also has a fire department that provides service for the area along with the Higgins County Department of Forestry.^[4]

The Lake of the Pines housing complex was formerly a cattle ranch. As of the 1980s it contained 3,000 lots, that sustained housing for 4,500 residents.^[4]

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Higgins Corner has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Higgins Corner, California
^ Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 498. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
^ ^a ^b Brenner, Kei (July 17, 2014). "Higgins Corner: Gateway to South County and to Nevada County history". The Union. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Rushton, Susan S. (August 10, 1987). "Higgins Corner offers foothill variety". Auburn Journal. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
^ Freidericksen, Paul (February 21, 1952). "Temporary forestry prison camp, Higgins Corner moved to Placer Co". Auburn Journal. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
^ Climate Summary for Higgins Corner, California