Fort Bragg is a city located in coastal Mendocino County, California along State Route 1, the major north-south highway along the Pacific Coast. Fort Bragg is located 24 miles (39 km) west of Willits, at an elevation of 85 feet (26 m). Founded as a military fort prior to the American Civil War, Fort Bragg is now a popular tourist destination due to its picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean and rugged Northern California coastline. The population was 7,026 at the 2000 census.