California, home to beautiful coastlines, majestic redwoods, and arid deserts, also has its fair share of unusually named towns, according to a recent report from World Atlas.
Here are the seven towns with unusual names in California.
Angels Camp
Nestled in Calaveras County, Angels Camp is the only incorporated city in the area, dating back to 1848. Named after shopkeeper Henry Angell, the town was born from the gold rush and later became a hub for hard rock mining.
According to the report, many people are “tickled to find another ‘City of Angels.’
Eureka
Located in Humboldt County, the town’s roots trace back to the 1849 gold rush and its official motto was adopted by the state in 1963. The word “Eureka” was supposedly exclaimed by the ancient Greek scientist Archimedes during an experiment to measure the specific gravity of gold. The word is Greek for “I have found it!”
Diablo
According to the World Atlas, this town in Contra Costa County was, in fact, named after the devil, however indirectly.
“As the story goes, the Spanish military referred to it as “the thicket of the Devil” after losing the trace of Native Americans they were looking to capture. “
Originally developed as a resort town for San Francisco’s elite in the early 1900s, Diablo now offers scenic hiking, camping, and sweeping summit views.
Shaver Lake
Tucked away in Fresno County’s Sierra National Forest, Shaver Lake was named after pioneer lumberman C.B. Shaver. The lake was initially built for logging operations, but has since become a haven for nature lovers.
Rough and Ready
One of California’s most curiously named towns, Rough and Ready, was established by gold miners from Wisconsin in 1849 and named after then-President Zachary Taylor. The town’s most rebellious moment came in 1850, when it briefly seceded from the Union to protest taxes.
Twain Harte
This literary-inspired town combines the names of Mark Twain and Bret Harte, two authors associated with Gold Rush-era stories. Originally a mining camp in the Sierra Nevada foothills, Twain Harte is now a quaint community offering golf, hiking, and summer concerts.
Vacaville
Spanish for “cow town,” Vacaville was named after Juan Manuel Vaca, a landowner and one of the area’s earliest settlers in 1851. Today, visitors can explore its historic downtown area, attend Andrews Park events, and shop locally at the weekly farmers’ market.
