Citrus Heights Real Estate Listings of Houses and Homes for Sale in Sacramento County, California


	Citrus Heights Houses for Sale

Citrus Heights

The land around and including what is now Citrus Heights was initially granted to John Sutter by Mexico in the form of three parcels: the Rancho Del Paso, the Rancho De Los Americanos and Rancho Del San Juan, a tract of rich farmland almost 20,000 acres in size. The land changed hands many times and eventually a settlement called Sylvan developed in the mid-19th century. In 1859, the first Sylvan “school” was started. An informal affair, the school was supposedly run out of a local’s backyard. The eventual building of a proper schoolhouse signaled the real birth of the community.

In 1910, Sylvan was renamed Citrus Heights by a developer called Alfred Trainor, who brought settlers by train from the Midwest. Interestingly, at the time it was named, the community was home to more oak than citrus trees. Many of these towering oak trees remain and are estimated to be more than 100 years old. As recently as the 1930s, most Citrus Heights residents were farmers. A loosely defined agricultural area, Citrus Heights lacked community organizations and facilities. The end of World War II brought a new surge of settlers to Citrus Heights. Along with the new residents came PTAs, the American Legion, Girl and Boy Scout troops, churches and Little League, thereby transforming the town from a collection of farmhouses surrounded by fields to a network of suburban developments.

Citrus Heights still retains the family-friendly atmosphere that made it so popular in the ’50s and ’60s. One of the city’s most appealing features is its extensive network of parks and open space. Now in its 50th year, Rusch Park has grown from its original 15 acres to its current 53 acres, making it the largest park in the Sunrise Recreation and Park District. Children’s play equipment, baseball diamonds, swimming and wading pools, concession buildings, a community center, picnic areas and a creek and nature area can all be found within Rusch Park, as can tennis, basketball and volleyball courts. The park also boasts unique attractions, such as a redwood grove, a World War II memorial plaque and rose garden, and a bridge made from a boxcar.

A number of community events take place at Rusch Park. Each fall the park hosts Sunday FunDay, a community festival and craft show. The park draws a large crowd every April for the Iowa Connection picnic, an event for Iowa natives who now live in the greater Sacramento area. June brings the Citrus Heights Race Unity Day, organized by the local Baha'i community. This event was designed to promote racial and ethnic understanding and features skits, music and games.

The Sunrise Recreation and Park District does more than just maintain parks. The department also provides Citrus Heights teenagers with unique opportunities for leadership and cultural enrichment through the Teen Advisory Board and Teen Art Commission. These organizations allow local teenagers to take an active role in planning recreational activities and services and to participate in community service within Citrus Heights and throughout the Sacramento area. The Teen Board also plans three to six special "teen nights" each year, along with other events. Each event includes speakers who discuss relevant youth subjects and focus on teenagers’ concerns and needs. Members of the Teen Board also perform community service, such as serving meals at Loaves and Fishes, a Sacramento charity, and handling food service at area events.

Another unique teen organization in Citrus Heights is the Teen Unity Team, developed in 1997. The team was originally formed for the purpose of taking part in a softball game with the police department in order to build better relations. Although their focus was on the city’s youths, team members soon found that local senior citizens were beginning to rally on their behalf. In order to further these bonds, the Citrus Heights Teen Unity Team opened the Teen & Senior Unity Center in 2002.

The City Council’s vision is that "Citrus Heights will be a pre-eminent city with active community involvement, comfortable neighborhoods, thriving businesses, and innovative government." One of the many ways the Council lives up to this vision is by providing a number of additional events, such as: the Health, Recreation & Leisure Fair; Monte Carlo Night; the Big Swing Annual Golf Tournament; Showcase Citrus Heights, a business community showcase; and the Honorary Mayor Celebration.

There are plenty of things to do in Citrus Heights, whatever your tastes. If volunteering is your passion, the Sunrise Community Parks Foundation provides volunteers, equipment and money to keep the many local parks thriving. If shopping is your pastime, you’ve come to the right place: Citrus Heights is one of the county’s major retail centers, featuring Sunrise Mall, many smaller shopping centers and Birdcage Walk. Entertainment in Citrus Heights is convenient and affordable, from movie theaters to nightclubs and restaurants to golf courses. In Citrus Heights you’ll find everything you would expect in a large city, but combined with the strong community setting of a quaint town.