Rough and Ready is a census-designated place in Nevada County, California, United States. It was a gold mining town during the California Gold Rush and briefly seceded from the Union in 1850 as the "Republic of Rough and Ready" to avoid mining taxes. The population was 941 as of the 2020 census.
Background
Rough and Ready is a small unincorporated community in Nevada County, California, with a colorful history tied to the California Gold Rush (1848–1855). It was founded in 1849 by a group of Wisconsin miners who named it after General Zachary Taylor ("Old Rough and Ready"), the 12th U.S. president. In 1850, the town famously "seceded" from the United States — reportedly as a joke to avoid paying a mining tax — forming a short-lived "Great Republic of Rough and Ready." Though the secession only lasted a few months, the episode is one of many quirky local rebellions during the Gold Rush era. Today, Rough and Ready is best known for this lore and for its annual "Secession Day" celebration. It remains a tiny rural settlement, not an incorporated city.
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