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.

Wagons West

Posted on May 11, 2016 by nancyleek

The Chico Enterprise-Record today published a full-page color feature marking the 175th anniversary of the “first organized wagon train that left Missouri for California.” I can’t find it on the E-R webpage, but you can find it at the Orange … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidwell-Bartleson Party, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Ghost Town

Posted on May 10, 2016 by nancyleek

I love reading old books about California history, tales of “The days of old, the days of old, the days of ’49.” And here is just such a book. Ghost Town, by G. Ezra Dane, is a collection of incidents, … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Join Me at the Chico Museum

Posted on May 6, 2016 by nancyleek

What was happening at Rancho Chico in the early 1850s? Who was here and what were they doing? Find out when I interview Major John Bidwell at the Chico Museum on Saturday, May 14th. Enjoy the program at 10 a.m. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

May Garden Journal continued

Posted on May 5, 2016 by nancyleek

1853          Rio Chico May 6:   Planted Watermelons and Cantaloupes May 11:  Hoed Sweet Corn Planted Lima Beans Irishmen dug Ditch Heavy Shower this evening Sowed a few Marrowfat Peas Rained all night May 12: Rained hard this forenoon Sund[ay] 15: … Continue reading →

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More on The Esplanade

Posted on May 2, 2016 by nancyleek

In 1979 Helen Sommer Gage was interviewed in an oral history project about her memories of early Chico. The interview is called Chico Changes: The Bidwells, the Park, First Street, the Esplanade, 1888 to 1979, and the interviewer was Insu … Continue reading →

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May Garden Journal

Posted on April 30, 2016 by nancyleek

May Mon 2:  Transplanted Cabage Sowed Onion Seed rain storm     slight Shower Tues 3:  Made Beds    drived home Mr. Bidwell Sowed Onion Seed Sowed Buck Wheat Weed peas.  passed  Stage passed up The note “drived home Mr. Bidwell” is an … Continue reading →

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Esplanades and Boulevards

Posted on April 29, 2016 by nancyleek

Paris! Barcelona! New York City! Chico!  Chico? What puts Chico in the same class as these world-renowned cities? It is Chico’s own Esplanade, a boulevard noted for its beauty and charm. In The Boulevard Book, authors Allan B. Jacobs, Elizabeth … Continue reading →

Posted in Esplanade, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Book News

Posted on April 29, 2016 by nancyleek

John and Annie Bidwell: The Long and the Short of It is now available at Costco! If you are a Costco customer, it’s a good place to pick up my book. Otherwise, I still recommend that you buy it from … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Chico’s Esplanade

Posted on April 26, 2016 by nancyleek

I was glad to see this article in today’s Chico Enterprise-Record about the historic significance of the Esplanade. Amy Huberland, an archeologist and the assistant coordinator for the Northeast Information Center at Chico State, is calling attention to the need … Continue reading →

Posted in Esplanade, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Garden Journal continued

Posted on April 24, 2016 by nancyleek

1853     Garden Journal   Rio Chico [April] Mon 25:  Sowed Onion Seed Tues 26:  Sowed Onion Seed Planted Corn Wen 27:  Manured the Garden Weed Onions Thurs 28:  Frequent showers Plowed and harrowed Sowed Onion seed Transplanted Beets Frid 29:  Rain … Continue reading →

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