Ukiah
The seat and largest city of Mendocino County, Ukiah is nonetheless a small town. Its treeshaded streets, pleasant public spaces, vibrant
cultural life, and charming downtown area richly deserve the recognition they received recently when The 100 Best Small Towns in America named Ukiah the #1 best small townto live in, in California and sixth-best in the entire United States.
The historic downtown buildings in this predominantly Victorian town celebrate the heyday of brick construction (even the crosswalks are brick inlaid in the street). On the rear walls of the buildings, you can still make out the old advertisements painted there (“White Owl Cigar 5¢,” “The Toggery!”).
A typical small city, Ukiah provides the essentials that many other Mendocino County towns can't, yet it retains a small-town atmosphere, indicative of its pretty buildings, abundant greenery, and friendly citizens. As a matter of fact, Ukiah was recently ranked the #1 best small town to live in within California, and the sixth best place to live in the United States by author Norman Crompton in his book '101 Best Small Towns in America.'







