▁is ▁now ▁Sh asta ▁County , ▁prior ▁to ▁European ▁American ▁settlement . ▁European ▁American ▁expl oration ▁of ▁in land ▁California ▁started ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 9 ▁and ▁continued ▁on ▁into ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁Century . ▁Cow ▁Creek , ▁a ▁Sac r amento ▁River ▁trib ut ary , ▁that ▁runs ▁south ▁through ▁Pal o ▁C ed ro , ▁was ▁a ▁condu it ▁for ▁entrance ▁into ▁the ▁Sac r amento ▁Valley ▁by ▁Hudson ▁Bay ▁Fur ▁Company ▁tra ppers ▁including ▁Alexander ▁Mc Le od ▁( 1 8 2 9 ) ▁and ▁John ▁Work ▁( 1 8 3 2 ). ▁The ▁town ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁ced ar wood ▁trees ▁originally ▁ind igen ous ▁to ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁Century . ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁census , ▁Pal o ▁C ed ro ▁has ▁a ▁population ▁density ▁of ▁ 3 3 8 . 1 ▁people ▁per ▁square ▁mile ▁( 1 3 0 . 5 / km 2 ). ▁Award ▁winning ▁country ▁music ian ▁Mer le ▁H agg ard ▁lived ▁in ▁Pal o ▁C ed ro ▁for ▁dec ades ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁on ▁April ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Ind igen ous ▁pe op les ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁white ▁settlement , ▁various ▁Indian ▁tribes ▁settled ▁and ▁inhab ited ▁Northern ▁California . ▁These ▁tribes ▁included ▁the ▁W int u , ▁Pat w ins , ▁No zi , ▁Pit ▁R ivers , ▁Hat ▁C ree ks , ▁Sh ast as , ▁P ai