Category Archives: Chico

More Time Traveling to Chico

The Pacific Rural Press’s issue for July 3, 1886, continues with a description of “the famous Rancho Chico.” John Bidwell was known throughout the state for introducing new plant varieties and for innovative agricultural methods. The reader will notice the … Continue reading

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Time Traveling to Chico

The article on Chico in the Pacific Rural Press, published July 3, 1886, continues with a  description of Chico’s financial and manufacturing capacity: Chico has two solid banks—the Bank of Butte County and the Bank of Chico. Both are located … Continue reading

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Visiting the Garden City

I’ve been browsing online issues of the Pacific Rural Press. Look at their masthead — isn’t that a delight? They don’t make them like that anymore. Note the locomotive in the loop of the P and the horse’s head in … Continue reading

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What is the Oldest Building in Chico?

A little background about why this question came up: I was in Marysville on Monday with my OLLI class. We were touring churches in the area that have pipe organs. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, on the corner of C St. … Continue reading

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Chico through Time

My two Bidwell books are now available at the Chico Museum.If you want to pick up a copy, you can get both books at Bidwell Mansion, Made in Chico, The Bookstore, Patrick Ranch, Chico Museum, The Rusty Wagon (Orland), or … Continue reading

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More Fun with Demographics

In 1850, two years after John Bidwell discovered gold in the Feather River, the population of Butte County was 3574 (according to figures in Mansfield’s History of Butte County). Ten years later, the population had quadrupled to 12,106. 20% were … Continue reading

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