Category Archives: Uncategorized

New Diggings in Red Bluff

Posted on March 21, 2018 by nancyleek

Often when I am looking for a particular story in an old newspaper, I don’t find what I want, but something else catches my eye. This time it was the Red Bluff Beacon for May 11, 1859. I was looking … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Wildflowers of Table Mountain

Posted on March 19, 2018 by nancyleek

It is a tradition in our family to visit Table Mountain here in Butte County at least once in the spring, and I never feel that once is enough. Today was the day for our first visit — a perfect … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

More Time Traveling to Chico

Posted on March 17, 2018 by nancyleek

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 →

Posted in Chico, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Time Traveling to Chico

Posted on March 15, 2018 by nancyleek

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 →

Posted in Chico, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Visiting the Garden City

Posted on March 13, 2018 by nancyleek

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 →

Posted in Chico, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

A Blog for History Buffs

Posted on March 12, 2018 by nancyleek

If you like history (and you must since you are reading this blog), The History Blog is a great place to get your daily history fix. “Livius Drusus,” the editor of the blog, faithfully posts a history news item every … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Tour of Rancho Chico, Part 2

Posted on March 9, 2018 by nancyleek

Dow devoted not one, but two chapters of A Tour in America to General Bidwell’s Rancho Chico. His next chapter is about “A Fruit Orchard of 1000 Acres.” The 1000 acres of orchard and vineyard are not all in one … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Settling a Lawsuit with a Horse Race

Posted on March 5, 2018 by nancyleek

John Bidwell was not a gambling man. In Gold Rush California, where men would bet on just about anything, and where horse-racing was popular entertainment, Bidwell generally stayed away. But one time he found himself the participant in a horse … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Romantic Cities of California

Posted on March 1, 2018 by nancyleek

I just came across this book today: Romantic Cities of California, by Hildegarde Hawthorne, with illustrations by E. H. Suydam, published in 1939 by D. Appleton-Century Co.  It is a tour of the towns and cities of California, all up and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Book of the Week!

Posted on February 28, 2018 by nancyleek

Yippee! The California State Library choose my book Nancy Kelsey Comes Over the Mountain as their book of the week! This absolutely makes my day. Here’s what they said in their Facebook post: Book of the Week: Looking for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment