Author Archives: nancyleek

About nancyleek

Nancy is a retired librarian who lives in Chico, California. She is the author of John Bidwell: The Adventurous Life of a California Pioneer.

Adventures of the Sutter Gun (and John Bidwell too), Part 2

Posted on January 1, 2014 by nancyleek

John Sutter wasn’t the only American to get a grant of land from Governor Manuel Micheltorena. The governor also gave John Bidwell a land grant, his first, at a site in the Sacramento Delta called Ulpinos. Micheltorena knew very well … Continue reading →

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The Adventures of the Sutter Gun, Part 1

Posted on December 29, 2013 by nancyleek

A couple of years ago I wrote about the French Army muskets that ended up at Sutter’s Fort, after Johann August Sutter bought Fort Ross from the Russian-American Fur Company. Dismantling Fort Ross and sending every bit of useful equipment … Continue reading →

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Christmas Day, 1869

Posted on December 24, 2013 by nancyleek

From John Bidwell’s diary for 1869: Sat. December 25. Christmas – Rained last night with a furious wind – Boys & girls of the town invited and had a high old time – May you have just as good a … Continue reading →

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Christmas with the Bidwells, Dec. 23-25

Posted on December 23, 2013 by nancyleek

1870 Fri. December 23. Little cloudy this morning but pleasant – heavy frost and freeze last night- H.W. Cleaveland left this morning for San Francisco – Annie shopping for Christmas presents – Mr. D. Ramage dined with us – Mr. … Continue reading →

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Christmas with the Bidwells

Posted on December 22, 2013 by nancyleek

How did John and Annie Bidwell celebrate Christmas? Well, for one thing, it didn’t go on all month like it does for us. Bidwell doesn’t usually mention Christmas in his diary entries until a few days before December 25th. For … Continue reading →

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Melons in December

Posted on December 19, 2013 by nancyleek

Most people know that John Bidwell loved to eat melons, especially the casaba melons that he grew from Turkish seed sent to him by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1881. He ate them every day from summer until they … Continue reading →

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Christmas at Bidwell Mansion

Posted on November 24, 2013 by nancyleek

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Bidwell Mansion. BMA elves were busy decorating last week with new old-fashioned holiday decor. December is a wonderful time to visit the Mansion, and a great place to take your out-of-town … Continue reading →

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Nugget, Nugget, Who’s Got the Nugget?

Posted on November 20, 2013 by nancyleek

I just found out where James Marshall’s gold nugget is today. Along with many other great American artifacts, like Lincoln’s top hat and the Star-Spangled Banner, it is in the National Museum of American History, part of the Smithsonian Institution. … Continue reading →

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Whatever Happened to Joseph Chiles?

Posted on November 17, 2013 by nancyleek

John Bartleson took a look around California, decided it wasn’t for him, and left the next year to return to Missouri. Joseph Chiles took a look around California, and decided it was for him, and also returned the next year … Continue reading →

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Vallombrosa

Posted on November 11, 2013 by nancyleek

Have you ever wondered why we have a Vallombrosa Avenue in Chico? “Vallombrosa” is the name that John and Annie Bidwell gave to the strip of land running along either side of Big Chico Creek. It was a landscape that … Continue reading →