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Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 68,163. The county seat is Lakeport. The county takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest non-extinct natural lake wholly within California (Lake Tahoe is partially in Nevada; the Salton Sea was formed by flooding; Tulare Lake was drained by the agricultural industry). Lake County forms the Clearlake, California micropolitan statistical area. It is directly north of the San Francisco Bay Area. Lake County is part of California's Wine Country, which also includes Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties. It includes five American Viticultural Areas and over 35 wineries.
[edit] History
Lake County has been inhabited by Pomo Native Americans for over ten thousand years. Pomos had been fishermen and hunters, known especially for their intricate basketry made from lakeshore tules and other native plants and feathers. Pomo people continue to live in Lake County. The area had European-American settlers from at least the 1840s. Lake County was created in 1861 from parts of Napa and Mendocino counties. The eastern boundary of Lake County, which was not clearly specified in the 1861 act, was clarified by legislative acts passed in 1864 and 1868. A major effect of the 1868 act was to include in Lake County the entire watershed of North Fork Cache Creek, which had previously been claimed by Colusa County. The 1911 California Blue Book lists the major crops as Bartlett pears and beans. Other crops include grain, alfalfa, hay, prunes, peaches, apples, grapes and walnuts. Stockraising included goats, hogs, turkeys and dairying. Some vineyards were planted in the 1870s by European Americans but the first in the state were established in the 18th century by Spanish missionaries. By the early 20th century, the area was earning a reputation for producing some of the world's greatest wines. However, in 1920, national prohibition essentially ended Lake County's wine production. With authorized cultivation limited to sacramental purposes, most of the vineyards were ripped out and replanted with walnut and pear orchards. [edit] Timeline
[edit] Population History
[edit] CemeteriesCemeteries of Lake County, California, United States [edit] Research Tips
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