After the California Gold Rush ( 1848 – 1855 ) brought an influx of population to the region , lumber and agriculture became prominent industries in the area . In 1859 , these pioneer settlers decided to establish a town where the ample Redwood country met the fertile Central Valley . The town was originally named Timberville , but when two railroad land surveyors stopped in the town , one proclaimed it the last " charming " place for a railroad station before the very large , flat central valley . The other declared he had just named it as such . After the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906 , the town saw a small influx of settlers who left the Bay Area in search of a simpler , more stable life . In the post-World War II baby boom , housing developers began to purchase several farmsteads and develop them with roads , utilities , and housing . Once-rural orchards and ranches became picturesque middle-class neighborhoods and communities . Some of these neighborhoods include Crestwood , Sellwood , Eastburough , and Buckhead ( known today as Sam Crow 's Corner ) . Today , one of the most unusual qualities of Charming is that it 's maintained a classic Americana look and structure . It is also rumored to have E Clampus Vitus activity in the early years , but can neither be confirmed nor denied
San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Charming (Sons of Anarchy)