Virtual Guidebook to the Sacramento Valley
Shasta
West of Redding on Highway 299 California

The original road connecting the Sacramento Valley north to Oregon avoided the steep canyon of the Sacramento River. Its initial few miles were also the best route to the gold diggings at Weaverville, and for a few years Shasta, just west of Redding, was busy place. But when the railroad was built up the canyon the crossroads site of Redding became more important and Shasta withered away. Now it is just a block or two of brick ruins flanking the highway.