Author Archives: nancyleek

. . . at the Tehama County Museum! If you are a Northern California history buff, this is the event for you. I’ll be there with my books and with books from ANCHR. It’s a fun event with activities for … Continue reading →

A short anonymous letter from a former soldier gives a glimpse into life in California in 1850. I came across this letter in the Gold Rush Materials digital collection at the Bancroft Library, and was intrigued by its mystery. Who … Continue reading →

John R. Widener was born into slavery in 1856 in Missouri. When he was only a few months old, the man who claimed ownership of Widener’s family sold his father and took his mother and the baby, along with another … Continue reading →

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. He rarely noted his birthday in his daily diary, but in … Continue reading →

The citizens of Chico celebrated the 100th birthday of American independence, and every Independence Day, in grand style. Our celebrations of Independence Day are skimpy compared to the way they enjoyed the Fourth in Chico in the 19th century. On … Continue reading →

Does this photograph of John Bidwell look familiar? If you ever visited Bidwell Mansion, it might stir a memory in the back of your mind. The stance, the long black coat, the forthright gaze — isn’t that a lot like … Continue reading →

Pres Longley came down from Helltown and stayed at the Chico Hotel, perhaps paying his bar tab with the following poem: If you travel to Chico by stage or by rail,By buggy or horseback, you never should failTo stop at … Continue reading →