City History

The word Colusa is derived from the name of the Coru Indian tribe.  For hundreds, possibly thousands, of years, the tribe lived on the west side of the Sacramento River.  As the story goes, the Coru Indians came to be known by the French explorers that were coming into the area around the 1840s as the “Colus” because of twisted pronunciation, and the Indians came to accept the new name.  The culture of the Colus was simple and the group was generally peaceful, leaving disputes to be settled by the tribal chief. They gathered nuts, berries and roots and caught waterfowl and fish from the river. Their lives evolved around the river and the children often learned to swim before they could walk. However, in less than a generation after the white man arrived, the Colus and their way of life had passed from the scene.

The town of Colusa was incorporated in 1868. The first Board of Trustees were: Stewart Harris - Mayor, Eric Haplin, Lewis Carey, Henry Culp was the first town Marshall.

Historical Places

Colusa County Court House 547 Market Street Built in 1860 Dedicated California Historical Landmark #890 on July 4, 1976. This is the 2nd Oldest working Courthouse in the State of California.     Judge Harmon M. Albery House 659 Jay Street Built in 1874 Dedicated Colusa Historical Landmark #1 on May 6, 1977       I.O.O.F. Building 141 5th Street Built in 1892 Dedicated Colusa Historical Landmark #2 on May 6, 1977 The building was given a Award of Merit to Colusa Lodge #133, I.O.O.F. for Preservation & Rehabilitation, the Plaque placed by the Preservation Committee, City of Colusa, May 18, 2000.       Old Chinatown District 375 Main Street Built in 1890 Dedicated Colusa Historical Landmark #3 on May 23, 1978       Colusa Grammar School (City Hall) 425 Webster Street Built in 1918 Dedicated Colusa Historical Landmark #4 on December 14, 1977 Colusa City Hall - Dedicated December 14, 1977 City Council: E. Douglas White Jr. - Mayor, Kenneth I. Flagor Sr., Bhupindar Dhillon, Jean Hicok Pechnick and Anthony Zaragoza. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the US Department of the Interior in June of 1978.       Colusa Union High School & Grounds 745 10th Street Built in 1926 Dedicated Colusa Historical Landmark #5 on May 23, 1978 Listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the US Department of the Interior in August of 1976. This Building Dedicated to Truth - Liberty - Toleration by The Native Sons of the Golden West, September 6, 1926.       First Christian Church 725 Jay Street Built in 1869 Dedicated Colusa Historical Landmark #6 on October 8, 1978       Old China Town District 700 Block of Main Street Built in 1890 Dedicated Colusa Historical Landmark #7 on May 23, 1978       Our Lady of Lourdes Church 345 Oak Street Built in 1880 Dedicated Colusa Historical Landmark #8 on October 12, 1981       Carnegie Library (Colusa City Police Department) 260 6th Street Built in 1906 Dedicated Colusa Historical Landmark #9 on October 6, 1981 Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, December 10, 1990       St. Stephens Episcopal Church 642 5th Street Built in 1894 Dedicated Colusa Historical Landmark #10 on January 19, 1986       William Semple Green House 220 6th Street Built 1868 Dedicated Colusa Historical Landmark #11 on May 15, 2002 Listed as California National Landmark by the California State Historical Resources Commission #831-1 on May 15, 2002.