Modoc County CAGenWeb

Modoc County is available for adoption.

 If you have a local connection to Modoc County or an interest in California in general,
 Please consider joining the CAGenWeb as a County Coordinator.

 
 Contact Bob Jenkins if you are interested.

 In addition:,  we would appreciate any contribution that you would like to make  to this
 site:  biographies, obituaries, birth, marriage, death info,  grave info, photographs....etc

Modoc County, California

Modoc County, established on February 17, 1874, lies in California’s far northeastern corner, bordered by Oregon and Nevada. It takes its name from the Modoc people, who lived for centuries around Lost River and Tule Lake. Their fierce defense of ancestral lands during the Modoc War (1872–1873) brought national attention, as Captain Jack and his band held off U.S. Army forces in the rugged lava beds before eventual defeat and relocation.

Originally part of Siskiyou County, Modoc became its own county after settlers in Surprise Valley petitioned for local governance. The first county seat was briefly Lake City, but the crossroads settlement of Dorris Bridge (now Alturas) was chosen for its central location.

Through the late 19th century, Modoc grew with mining camps, cattle ranching, and agriculture, aided by the arrival of the railroad. The establishment of the Modoc National Forest (1904) and Lava Beds National Monument (1925) added tourism and conservation to its economy.

Today, Modoc remains one of California’s least populated counties, known as “The Last Best Place” and “Where the West Still Lives.” Its landscapes of high desert, fertile valleys, and volcanic plateaus preserve both natural beauty and deep family histories.