Author Archives: nancyleek

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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.

A Chico 4th of July — 150 Years Ago

Posted on July 3, 2025 by nancyleek

Our celebrations of Independence Day are skimpy compared to the way they enjoyed the Fourth in Chico in 1875. It was a full day of celebration, as promoted in the Chico Record on July 3rd. (The celebration took place of … Continue reading →

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Black Bart in Butte County

Posted on June 21, 2025 by nancyleek

On this date — June 21 — in 1879 the notorious stage robber Black Bart held up a stage coach near Forbestown in Butte County. It was his first robbery in the year 1879 and his ninth robbery since he … Continue reading →

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Bidwell Mansion: The Stories We Share

Posted on June 15, 2025 by nancyleek

The Chico History Museum has a special exhibit featuring memorabilia from Bidwell Mansion. Gathered and saved by community members, the items in the exhibit reflect on what the Mansion has meant to Chico over the years. The exhibit will only … Continue reading →

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Sacramento Book Festival

Posted on May 25, 2025 by nancyleek

If you like books, this is the place to be next Saturday. Peruse books, meet authors, and enjoy a bookish day in Sacramento. I’ll be there with my books, so I hope I’ll see you. The festival is sponsored by … Continue reading →

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The Ten Commandments According to Hugh Trevor-Roper

Posted on May 6, 2025 by nancyleek

Hugh Trevor-Roper (1914-2003) was a British historian best known as the author of The Last Days of Hitler (1947). He wrote extensively on Nazi Germany and on England in the 16th and 17th centuries. His Ten Commandments for History Writers … Continue reading →

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The Historian’s Ten Commandments

Posted on April 29, 2025 by nancyleek

I was listening to a podcast from This American Life (April 20) about the Ten Commandments in today’s world. The host, Ira Glass, began the story with examples of other versions of the ten commandments that people have come up … Continue reading →

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A Lady Book Agent (10) — Trouble in Stockton

Posted on March 30, 2025 by nancyleek

One last story from Amy Likins, the lady book agent— One day in 1872 she was going about her rounds in Stockton, filling orders that she had taken on a previous trip. (Every sale required two trips for a book … Continue reading →

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A Lady Book Agent (9) — A Heart-Smashing Encounter

Posted on March 27, 2025 by nancyleek

Amy Likins must have gotten used to dealing with drunks and mashers. In San Jose she had this encounter– While working there, I met on the street one day a widower; he was a Missourian, a fair specimen of southern … Continue reading →

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Gold on the Feather River

Posted on March 26, 2025 by nancyleek

John Bidwell was not a Forty-Niner, because he was already on the ground in California when gold was discovered. How, when, and where did Bidwell discover gold? Join me at the Chico History Museum at 10 a.m.on Saturday, March 29th … Continue reading →

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A Lady Book Agent (8) — loafers, a women’s right advocate, and an old “bach”

Posted on March 25, 2025 by nancyleek

Amy Likins was in Sacramento (as related in part 5) when she was treated courteously by “the illustrious and distinguished Governor S.” at the railroad office, and given permission to canvass around the premises, where she encountered “a ruffian under … Continue reading →

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