We all enjoyed the Chico Pioneer Day Parade today. Grand Marshal was Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea, beloved by all for his heroic leadership during the Camp Fire. Honorary Grand Marshals were John and Annie Bidwell, in recognition of the bicentennial of John Bidwell’s birth in 1819.

John and Annie: The Long and the Short of It

John and Annie were portrayed by Nick Anderson and Robyn Engel, who fit the roles to a T, since Nick is over 6 feet tall, like Bidwell, and Robyn is only 4 feet 8 inches tall (or should that be “short”?), just like Annie.

They rode in a lovely 1915 Motel T Ford, owned and driven by Dudley Stone. Walking along, carrying the banner and representing the Bidwell Mansion Association were Quinn, Ian, and Bodie (sorry, guys, I didn’t get your last names) and Adrienne Glatz, BMA board president, and myself, Nancy Leek.

It looked to me like the men were 49ers dressed up in their best duds and come to town to spend some of that gold dust.

Wells Fargo Bank was there with their replica Concord stagecoach, and it was a treat to climb in and try it out. The BMA also had a booth on the City Plaza, where we gave away casaba melon seeds and schedules of upcoming events. (If you would like some free seeds, they still have them to give away at the Bidwell Mansion SHP Visitor Center. It’s open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.)