California’s Most Beautiful Undiscovered Town

Michael Beatley is biased when he describes Quincy as Califoria’s most beautiful undiscovered town. Lucky guy, he lives nearby in Meadow Valley and exhibits his photography in Quincy.

Years ago, Quincy’s city leaders buried power lines, so no unsightly electrical lines ruin the view. It’s a classic American hometown with a timeless, turn-of-the-century (20th) mainstreet, a classic Greek revival colonnaded county courthouse, and a gentile central park shaded by towering trees.

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Majestic maple and sycamore surround the courthouse and grow throughout its nearby neighborhood.

Jackson St ,which runs parallel to Main Street (behind the County Courthouse) is lined with homes built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Downtown Quincy is an idyllic setting that locals do very little to promote. There is no visitors bureau in Plumas County. It was closed years ago. And though local business owners and residents welcome visitors, they do it without much fanfare.

Enveloping Quincy are forests and streams where native conifers, golden bigleaf maple, ruby mountain ash, yellow aspen, flame orange-red Indian rhubarb, auburn creek dogwood, and orange black oak grow.

Peak will arrive there within a fortnight. There are already signs that the town’s landmark Judge Theiler sugar maple (on the corner of West High St and Lee Way) is nearing peak. Though Quincy’s typical peak occurs in mid October.

Favorite fall walks include downtown Quincy and its genuine shops, courthouse square, Jackson St. to see sparkling white Community United Methodist Church when it is framed with fall color (see below banner ad), and to hike a forest trail through Boyle Ravine (at the terminus of Coburn St.) amidst bigleaf maple, Pacific dogwood, black oak, alder, fern, violas, cedar, pine and fir trees.

OK, the secret’s out. Quincy is uncrowded, authentic and full of fall color. So how can a place so beautiful remain undiscovered?

• Quincy (3,342′) – Patchy (10-50%)