Jefferson State Bike Tour

The State of Jefferson was a dream, conceived by Northern California and Southern Oregon counties, to create a new state.  The concept was initiated in 1852 when a bill was introduced in the California State Ligature to secede due to perceived under-representation.
In 1941 the dream again was sparked when the areas in California and Oregon decided that they were not being fairly represented or treated by Sacramento and Salem.  The town of Yreka, in Northern California, became the hotbed of succession to form the 49th state.  It was to consist of Siskiyou, Del Norte, and Modoc Counties in California, Curry, Josephine, and Jackson counties in Oregon.  The State would be paid for by opening red light districts and gambling halls.  The wooden nickel would be the “coin of realm”
On December 4th, the Yrekans held an election for their first provisional governor of the State of Jefferson.  John C. Childs, a judge in Crescent City won the election.
However, the attack on Pearl Harbor three days later killed the dream of the 49th State, as the Nation pulled together.