Our Town Cohasset, CA

Cohasset is a small, wooded, ridge top community located about 15 miles northeast of Chico, California with elevations from 1900 to 3600 ft. and rugged canyons to the East and West. Average annual precipitation is about 59.66", mixed rain and snow. The original name was North Point, but this was not acceptable when a post office was requested. On February 20, 1888 the name was changed to Cohasset and a post office established.

There was also a town called Cohasset in Massachusetts at the time. The name comes from the Algonquin Indian language meaning "City of pines". Today mail is delivered by rural route from the Chico post office. The Cohasset Ridge area was used for summer camps by the Maidu Indians with occasional visits by Yana, Yahi and Wintun Indians. After 1830 the area saw a few trappers and after 1849 gold seekers passed through the area, but moved on to better diggings. Lumber men moved into the area about 1850 and the first of several sawmills was constructed, as well as the first wagon road leading to the Sacramento Valley below. The prime timber has long since been depleted and there is only a very small mill in operation now. After the area was opened by loggers, families began to move onto the ridge and try farming, raising sheep, hogs and cattle. The best known farm product was the apple. Local apples won the silver and bronze medals at the 1904 St. Louis exposition. The area produced 3,500 boxes of apples in 1910. Hard times, poor soil conditions and limited water have caused the farms and apple orchards to almost disappear. Today the population of about 1000 people is comprised of commuters, self employed, a few with local jobs, and retired people. They are served by a general store, antique store, mobile home park, volunteer fire station, summer time California Department of Forestry fire station, community association, church, cemetery and the Cohasset Elementary School. The North Point School District was formed July 16, 1878 and a schoolhouse was constructed on the lower part of the ridge. In 1888 the Grafton School District was formed with a schoolhouse constructed further up the ridge. These schools later alternated as "summer" and "winter" schools. On July 1, 1921 these districts were merged into the Cohasset School District and only one school operated. This district was merged with the Chico Unified School District on July 1, 1965, followed by the construction of a new elementary school which was completed in October 1965 and is in use today. This article is courtesy of Chuck and Shirley White of Cohasset