• 1885 County Directory
• 1892 Great Register
• 1948 County Directory
• 1874 - 1879 Great Register
• U.S. Census
  • 1900 U.S. Census
  • 1910 U.S. Census
  • 1920 U.S. Census
• Civilian Draft Reg. 1917 - 1918
• World War II Army Enlistments
• CCC Corps 1938
• Deaths
• Births
• Cemetery Records
  • Adin Cemetery
  • Alturas Cemetery
  • Cedarville Cemetery
  • Ft. Bidwell Cemetery
  • Lake City Cemetery
  • Likely Cemetery
• Marriages
• Biographies
• Surnames, Families, Ahnentafels
• Deeds/Wills/Probate Records
• Notaries Public 1886-1909
• Registered Voters 1874
• Registered Voters 1898
• Officials, Jurors, Clergy
• Schools, Yearbooks
• Newspapers
• Modoc County Picture Album
• Federal Land Records, BLM
• County Histories
  • Japanese Relocation Photographs
  • Tule Lake Relocation Camp
  • Modoc County Storms
  • Ghosttowns.com
  • Historical Landmarks
  • National Registry Historical Places
  • 1869 New Pine Creek History
• County Maps
• Modoc County Stone Quarries
  
  Modoc County Links
• Modoc County Libraries
• Modoc County Website
• Modoc County QuickFacts
  
  Neighboring County Links
• Lassen County History & Archives
• Siskiyou CAGenWeb
• Shasta CAGenWeb
• Lassen CAGenWeb
  
  California Links
• California GenWeb
• Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates
• California Pioneer Project
• CA Genealogy and Family History
• California Birth Index 1905-1995
  
  Other GenWeb Links
• USGenWeb Project
• USGenWeb Archives
• WorldGenWeb Project
  
  Genealogy Links
• Genealogist's Index to the World Wide Web
• Family History Library Resources
• Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites

Modoc county was a part of the Utah Territory, and then transferred into the Nevada Territory when it was created. When Nevada became a state, Modoc County was placed within the boundaries of California, becoming a part of Shasta County. Shasta County contained what is now Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Lassen and Modoc counties. Shasta County was divided into two counties in 1852, Shasta and Siskiyou, with Modoc being placed in Siskiyou County.

In 1872, an effort was made by the residents of Surprise Valley, along with others who had settled in this area, to form a new county. On February 17, 1874, a bill was passed and signed by then Governor Newton Booth authorizing the formation of a new county -- Modoc. It was first purposed to name the new county "Canby" for the General who lost his life in the Modoc Indian War. Later name "Summit" was suggested but there were many objections and it was finally named Modoc.

Modoc county is the most northeastern county of California and is bounded on the north by the state of Oregon, on the east by the State of Nevada, on the south by Lassen County Ca., and on the west by Siskiyou county Ca. Modoc county received its name from the celebrated Native American Indian tribe whose fierce resistance to the progress of the whites in their settlement of the country made this section notorious over the wild United States.

An election was held on May 5, 1874, to elect county officials and to select a county seat. Lake City received the highest votes as to being the county seat; however, the county fathers decided to make Dorris Bridge (now Alturas) the county seat, as it contained the majority of people. It was also felt that Dorris Bridge would serve the interests of the new county to better advantage than Lake City, as it was located at the crossroads of the main north-south and east-west routes.

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