Redding, city, seat (1888) of Shasta county, northern California, U.S. It lies in the northern Sacramento Valley. Founded (1872) on land called Poverty Flat by the California and Oregon Railroad, the city was named for B.B. Redding, a railroad land agent, and developed as a shipping point for minerals and agricultural produce. After World War II lumbering and tourism became the economic mainstays. As headquarters of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, it became a service centre for an extensive recreational area around Shasta-Whiskeytown-Trinity lakes and dams, Trinity Alps Wilderness Area, and Lassen Volcanic National Park; Shasta Dam (built 1938–45) is the country’s second-largest and second-tallest concrete dam. The Redding Museum of Art and History features ethnographic, historical, and fine arts exhibitions. Redding is the seat of a community college (1948) that has several branches. The old mining ghost town of Shasta, preserved within Shasta State Historic Park, is 6 miles (10 km) west. Lake Shasta Caverns are 10 miles (16 km) north of Shasta Dam. Inc. 1887. Pop. (2000) 80,865; Redding Metro Area, 163,256; (2010) 89,861; Redding Metro Area, 177,223.