Flag design (c) 2004 by Bryan Zepp Jamieson.
Used with permission
What is the State of Jefferson?
The State of Jefferson is one of those good ideas that never quite reached
reality. Jefferson is an area that comprises some or all of the six
northern-most counties of California, and some or all of the southern half of
the state of Oregon. While the exact size and shape of the region varies, if you
are in Siskiyou County, you are smack-dab in the middle of the State of
Jefferson. Welcome!
The idea for the state first arose before the Civil War, when there was talk
of adding it as a western anti-slavery enclave. The idea was rekindled in 1941,
when local miners and loggers staged a minor rebellion over the poor condition
of the roads in the region.
Today, the State of Jefferson is mostly a sense of regional identity. The
region features temperate rain forests on the coast, leading to the heavily
forested coast and Cascade mountain ranges, and high desert to the east. Lightly
populated, it is one of the few remaining areas where one can drive for miles
and never see an electric light. Fishing, camping and hunting opportunities
abound.
The State of Jefferson would include Redwood, Lassen, and Crater Lake
National Parks, along with the splendor of the coastline, Mount Shasta, and the
wildlands east of the Cascades. Siskiyou County is one of the last "open
range" counties left in California. Many ranches have no fencing, with
cattle and livestock roaming freely. Please drive slowly and carefully,
and watch where you step!
More information on the State of Jefferson can be found at:
Jefferson State
The Mythical State of Jefferson
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