Monthly Archives: October 2026

“Last night being Halloween the Normal students cut up shamefully.” So wrote John Bidwell in his diary for November 1, 1899. What did those students get up to? The Chico Weekly Enterprise can tell us. Hearing that some of the … Continue reading →

Annie Bidwell was featured in a short instructional film in 1914 showing the citizens of Butte County how to cast their ballot in the November election. On the ballot was a measure to move the county seat from Oroville to … Continue reading →

My new book is on its way to the printer! Here is the cover. I took this project on after Dave Veith passed away in 2024. He had shared the book with me and I had agreed to help revise … Continue reading →

Among the many digital collections at the Bancroft Library (UC Berkeley) is one called “Gold Rush Materials.” It contains letters written by the men and women who came to California seeking their fortunes. Two of the letters mention Bidwell’s Bar … Continue reading →