City Profile
Welcome to the City of Shasta Lake! We are situated along Interstate 5 and are 170 miles north of Sacramento. We are a full service city, providing electrical, water, and sewer services to residents.
The modern history of the City goes back to at least the late 1930s when construction of the Shasta Dam was announced in 1937. Hundreds of workers and their families migrated to the area and many businesses flourished. By the time construction commenced in 1938, the workers and their families had created new communities known as Central Valley, Pine Grove, Project City, Toyon, and Summit City. Except for the period during World War II when many workers left the area to join the services, for the next thirty years the communities thrived as the area's timber industry grew. With the decline in timber production and public works projects in the 1970s, the communities declined. Businesses closed, leaving vacant buildings behind. Homes that had been constructed nearly fifty years earlier and designed for temporary housing continued to house individuals and families, without structural upgrades to assure safety.
Today, the communities that prospered during the Dam era, now comprise the City of Shasta Lake. Primary industry continues to include timber along with government and manufacturing. Property taxes account for over forty percent of general revenues. In response to the desire to beautify the City, public improvements such as curbs, gutters, street paving, and sidewalks in residential neighborhoods have come underway. The City has a small town vibe and boasts community events such as Friday Night in the Park, Shasta Damboree, and a Veteran's Day parade. The City welcomed the completion of the Wintu Cultural Center – Museum & Gift Shop.
Shasta Lake has a strong commitment to its residents' safety, well-being, and cultural activities. We are striving to be a self-contained community that meets the commercial, retail, social, cultural, educational, and recreational needs of its citizens.