Happy Birthday to California pioneer and Chico founder John Bidwell!

John Bidwell was born on August 5, 1819 in Chautauqua County, New York, near the shores of Lake Erie, 204 years ago.

Bidwell rarely noted his birthday in his daily diary, but in 1898 he wrote: BIRTHDAY (79th) – Florence had an extra good dinner. He was at Butte Meadows, having spent the week camping out and working with a crew on the Humboldt Wagon Road. That day, August 5th, he wrote:

New grade round Beartrap hill – Started to work there at 6.l0 a.m. – returned at 6 l/2 p.m.
finished clearing the gradeway + wife with me all day.

Bidwell was no slacker and he loved road-building. To him a twelve-hour day spent “clearing the gradeway” was a fine way to spend his birthday. He surely deserved that “extra good dinner” that Florence the cook produced. After dinner, John and Annie retired to their little old camping tent.