The Oregon and California Railroad was formed from the Oregon Central Railroad when it was the first to operate a 20-mile (32 km) stretch south of Portland in 1869. This qualified the railroad for land grants in California, whereupon the name of the railroad soon changed to Oregon & California Rail Road Company . In 1887, the line was completed over Siskiyou Summit , and the Southern Pacific Railroad assumed control of the railroad, although it was not officially sold to Southern Pacific until January 3, 1927. This route was eventually spun off from the Southern Pacific as the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad .
53-488: Bidwell Mansion , located at 525 Esplanade in Chico, California , was the home of General John Bidwell and Annie Bidwell from late 1868 until 1900, when Gen. Bidwell died. Annie continued to live there until her death in 1918. John Bidwell began construction of the mansion on his 26,000 acres (110 km) Rancho del Arroyo Chico in 1865, during his courtship of Annie Ellicott Kennedy . After their marriage in 1868,
106-463: A bond to build a third comprehensive high school that was to be called Canyon View High School. However, after a long search for a suitable site, the school district opted not to build the new high school, a decision based largely on declining enrollment figures. The money from the bond has now been used to improve the Chico and Pleasant Valley high schools. California and Oregon Railroad As part of
159-504: A pink/white flower in late February or early March. Millions of bees are brought in for pollination. Walnuts are also major agricultural products in the area north and west of town. Unlike the almond crops of the area, walnuts do not have the same appeal as they do not bloom in the spring. However, the trees themselves grow much larger, live longer, and are far more resilient to harsh weather than almond trees, which are known to be sensitive to frost and can be felled easily in winter storms. In
212-452: A post called Camp Bidwell was established in northeast California, later to be Fort Bidwell . The city became incorporated January 8, 1872. Chico was home to a significant Chinese American community when it was first incorporated, but arsonists burned Chico's Chinatown in February 1886, driving Chinese Americans out of town. Historian W.H. "Old Hutch" Hutchinson identified five events as
265-541: A race track at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds used for sprint car racing . Chico is one of few cities to be home to two championship baseball teams in two different leagues simultaneously. The Chico State Wildcats were champions in both the 1997 and 1999 Division II College World Series. The Chico Heat were also champions in the Western Baseball League in 1997. The Chico Outlaws were founded with
318-716: A variety of entertainment throughout the school year. In 2003, author John Villani named Chico one of the top 10 Best Small Art Towns in America. Chico is home to Nettleton Stadium (also called The Net ) baseball stadium on the California State University campus. It is the home field for the Chico State Wildcats baseball team, in NCAA Division 2 . Chico is also home to the Silver Dollar Speedway ,
371-579: Is a charter city and has a council–manager government . The City of Chico's administration offices are located at 411 Main Street, immediately adjacent to the City Council Chambers. Chico's city council consists of seven nonpartisan council members each elected from one of the seven districts in November of even-numbered years. The districts were officially created in February 2020. Their terms begin on
424-436: Is a thriving area for unique, independent retail stores and restaurants. Farmers markets attract crowds on Saturday mornings and Thursday evenings. City Plaza hosts free concerts regularly during the summer. Performance venues large and small, bars, coffee shops, bookstores, and city offices contribute to a lively and flavorful experience. Chico has long been a regional retail shopping destination. Chico's largest retail district
477-562: Is bisected by Bidwell Park , which runs 5 miles (8 km) from the flat city center deep into the foothills. The city is also traversed by two creeks and a flood channel, which feeds the Sacramento River. They are named Big Chico Creek, Little Chico Creek , and Lindo Channel (also known as Sandy Gulch, locally). The city has been designated a Tree City USA for 31 years by the National Arbor Day Foundation . Chico
530-632: Is built in an informally romantic version of the Italianate style. It also has aspects of the Italian Villa and Octagon house types present. The building's exterior is finished with a pink tinted plaster. The first floor of the Bidwell Mansion is accessible via a ramp from the exterior of the Mansion. The interior of the entire mansion can be seen during an hour-long tour that starts on the hour most days of
583-574: Is focused around the Chico Mall on East 20th Street. In the two decades since the Chico Mall was constructed, many national retailers have located nearby. Chico is also home to the North Valley Plaza Mall, the city's first enclosed shopping center. Construction on this mall began in 1965, and it was the county's largest shopping center until the Chico Mall was completed in 1988. For a few years,
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#1732854634953636-682: Is home to the Chico Certified Farmers Market; they host local farmers markets every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Residents are also able to enjoy a farmers and live market downtown on Thursday nights between April and September. About 40 murals and several galleries can be found in the city, including Chico Paper Company, 1078 Gallery, Avenue 9, The Space, 24-Hour Drive-By, and numerous other galleries. The theatres in Chico include Blue Room Theatre, Chico Performances, Chico Theater Company, and California Regional Theatre. The California State University, Chico Theatre Department also offers
689-533: Is known as a college town , as the home of California State University, Chico , and for Bidwell Park , one of the largest urban parks in the world . The first known inhabitants of the area now known as Chico—a Spanish word meaning "little" —were the Mechoopda Maidu Native Americans. Within the boundaries of modern day Chico, there existed a Maidu village, whose name was recorded as Bah-hahp'-ke , meaning "straight tree". The City of Chico
742-551: Is made up of many districts and neighborhoods, including Downtown Chico, the South Campus neighborhood, and Barber . Chico and the Sacramento Valley have a Mediterranean climate ( Köppen Csa), with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Temperatures can rise well above 100 °F (38 °C) in the summer. Chico is one of the top metropolitan areas in the nation for number of clear days. Winters are cool and wet, with
795-710: Is represented in the Butte County Board of Supervisors by the District Two Supervisor Peter Durfee, District Three Supervisor Tami Ritter, District 4 Supervisor Tod Kimmelshue and District 5 Supervisor Doug Teeter. The citizens of Chico, as constituents of California's 3rd Assembly District , are represented by Republican James Gallagher in the California State Assembly , and as members of California's 4th Senate District , are represented by Republican Marie Alvarado-Gil in
848-446: Is sometimes present during the autumn and winter months. Snow occasionally falls in the hills east of Chico, but has become quite rare in Chico itself; as of 2024, measurable snow has not occurred in Chico since December 1988. The 2010 United States Census reported that Chico had a population of 86,187, which represents an increase of 43.8% since 2000 and a continuation of steady population increase since 1940. The population density
901-529: Is the most populous city in Butte County, California , United States. Located in the Sacramento Valley region of Northern California , the city had a population of 101,475 in the 2020 census , an increase from 86,187 in the 2010 census . Chico is the cultural and economic center of the northern Sacramento Valley, as well as the most populous city in California north of the capital city of Sacramento . The city
954-586: The California State Senate . As part of California's 1st congressional district , Chico is represented by Doug LaMalfa ( R – Oroville ) in the United States House of Representatives . Chico was designated to be the provisional capital of California if a disaster occurred that would cause evacuation of Sacramento after a civil defense exercise named Operation Chico was deemed a success. No person shall produce, test, maintain, or store within
1007-585: The Golden Baseball League in 2005, where they also won the championship in 2007 and 2010. Starting in the summer of 2016, the Chico Heat returned as a part of the Great West League , a collegiate summer wood-bat league, until 2018 when the league folded due to financial issues from several other participating teams. Chico has also gained a reputation as being a bicycle-friendly city. In 1997, Chico
1060-628: The Oregon Central Railroad , began a competition to build the railroad, one on the west side of the Willamette River and one on the east side. The two lines would eventually merge and reorganize as the Oregon and California Railroad. In 1869, Congress changed how the grants were to be distributed, requiring the railroads to sell land along the line to settlers in 160-acre (65 ha) parcels at $ 2.50 per acre. The purpose of these restrictions
1113-423: The "old" mall and the "new" mall competed against one another. The North Valley Plaza Mall was dealt a blow when JCPenney , one of the old mall's anchors, moved to the Chico Mall in 1993. The "old" mall slowly declined with increasing vacancies. After several failed attempts at revitalization, the North Valley Plaza Mall was overhauled in 2002, with the center of the mall demolished. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company ,
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#17328546349531166-520: The Army Air Base, which is now the Chico Municipal Airport . Other events include the construction and relocation of Route 99E through town in the early 1960s, the founding of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in 1979—what would become one of the top breweries in the nation —and the establishment of a "Green Line" on the western city limits as protection of agricultural lands. Chico is at
1219-461: The O&;C land fraud mess, once and for all! " Over the following two years, Roosevelt's investigators collected evidence, and over 1,000 politicians, businessmen, railroad executives, and others were indicted. Many were eventually tried and convicted on charges including fraud, bribery, and other corruption. The federal government sought return of the grant lands from the railroad not actually part of
1272-576: The Sacramento Valley's northeast edge, one of the richest agricultural areas in the world. The Sierra Nevada mountains lie to the east and south, with Chico's city limits venturing several miles into the foothills. To the west, the Sacramento River lies 5 miles (8 km) from the city. Chico sits on the Sacramento Valley floor close to the foothills of the Cascade Range to the north and
1325-534: The Sierra Nevada range to the east and south. Big Chico Creek is the demarcation line between the ranges. The city's terrain is generally flat, with increasingly hilly terrain beginning at the eastern city limits. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 27.8 square miles (72 km ), of which 27.7 square miles (72 km ) is land and 0.04% is water. The city
1378-523: The U.S. government's desire to foster settlement and economic development in the western states, in July 1866, Congress passed the Oregon and California Railroad Act, which made 3,700,000 acres (1,500,000 ha) of land available for a company that built a railroad from Portland, Oregon to San Francisco , distributed by the state of Oregon in 12,800-acre (5,200 ha) land grants for each mile of track completed. Two companies, both of which named themselves
1431-473: The area, Walnuts are harvested following the almond harvest season, beginning in mid to late September and stretching well into October. The walnut variety Chico is named after the city. not Build.com (as of April 2013) was named as No. 81 on Internet Retailer Magazine's Top 500 List of online retailers. According to Zippia, the Top 10 employers in Chico are below. The Chico Museum first opened in February 1986 in
1484-541: The city a nuclear weapon , component of a nuclear weapon, nuclear weapon delivery system, or component of a nuclear weapon delivery system under penalty of Chapter 9.60.030 of the Chico Municipal Code. The Chico Unified School District serves all of the greater Chico area, including areas not within the city limits. Public high schools include Chico High School , Pleasant Valley High School and Inspire School of Arts and Sciences . In 1998, city voters approved
1537-555: The city. Two other historical buildings are also museums. Bidwell Mansion is a Victorian house completed in 1868 and the former home of John and Annie Bidwell . Bidwell Mansion is a California State Historical Park. Stansbury House, former home of physician Oscar Stansbury, is a museum of 19th-century life, completed in 1883. The Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology on the Chico State campus presents temporary exhibits researched, designed, and installed primarily by students. The museum
1590-624: The company at an amount equivalent to what it would have received had it abided by the $ 2.50 per acre limit. Counties with O&C land also received revenue from timber and land sales to make up for the loss of local and state taxation revenue from the land. The law was modified in 1926 by the Stanfield Act, by the 1937 O&C Act, and most recently, by the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 which has been renewed several times and includes other rural counties in
1643-467: The few remaining from World War II. The National Yo-Yo Museum is the country's largest collection of yo-yo artifacts, which also includes a 4-foot (1.2 m) tall yo-yo that is dropped with a crane every few years, the world's largest functional yo-yo. Classes are available as well for those new to yo-yo and those who just want to get better. An art museum, the Chico Art Center, is also located in
Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
1696-467: The first Tuesday in December and end on the first Tuesday in December four years thereafter. The mayor is chosen by and from among the council members and serves for two years. City council meetings are on the first and third Tuesday of each month. The council consists of Mayor Andrew Coolidge, Vice Mayor Kasey Reynolds, Sean Morgan, Dale Bennett, Deepika Tandon, Tom van Overbeek, and Addison Winslow. Chico
1749-452: The former Carnegie Library building in downtown Chico. It currently features a World War I exhibit. The museum has two main galleries, which host a variety of temporary and traveling exhibits. In addition, the museum has two smaller, permanent galleries displaying the diverse history of Chico. The Chico Air Museum is an aviation museum, which opened in 2004. Several aircraft and exhibits are displayed in and adjacent to an old hangar, one of
1802-474: The greatest rainfall occurring in January and February. July is usually the hottest month, with an average high temperature of 94 °F (34 °C) and an average low temperature of 61 °F (16 °C). January is the coolest month, with an average high temperature of 55 °F (13 °C) and an average low temperature of 35 °F (2 °C). The average annual rainfall is 27 inches (690 mm). Tule fog
1855-436: The largest craft brewer in the U.S., is based in Chico. Almonds are the number one crop in Chico and the surrounding area, only recently edging out rice. Other crops in the area include walnuts , kiwis , olives , peaches , and plums . The city is bounded on the west by orchards with thousands of almond trees, and there are still a few pockets of orchards remaining within the contiguous city limits. The trees bloom with
1908-646: The most seminal in Chico history. They included the arrival of John Bidwell in 1850, the arrival of the California and Oregon Railroad in 1870, the establishment in 1887 of the Northern Branch of the State Normal School, which later became California State University, Chico (Chico State), the purchase of the Sierra Lumber Company by the Diamond Match Company in 1900, and the development of
1961-668: The population) lived in households, 2,591 (3.0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 587 (0.7%) were institutionalized. There were 34,805 households, out of which 9,222 (26.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 11,745 (33.7%) were heterosexual living together, 3,975 (11.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,729 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,806 (8.1%) unmarried heterosexual partnerships , and 295 (0.8%) same sex married couples or partnerships . Ten thousand four hundred nineteen households (29.9%) were made up of individuals, and 3,100 (8.9%) had someone living alone who
2014-512: The present-day location of the Burnside Bridge . The O&CRR Ferry #2 was rendered obsolete by the construction of the Morrison and Steel bridges, and ultimately relocated to San Francisco, where it was converted to an oil-fueled ferry the "Vallejo" and, later, a famous houseboat , still in use as of 2013. While construction was still ongoing, multiple charges of land fraud arose. The company
2067-541: The pretense of nonexistent settlers, and sold lands in large parcels directly to developers for as much as US$ 40 per acre. By 1902, with land prices soaring, the company declared it was terminating land sales altogether. When the scandal broke in 1904 through an investigation by The Oregonian it had grown to such a magnitude that the paper reported that more than 75% of the land sales had violated federal law. Newly elected President Theodore Roosevelt , as part of his plan of progressive reforms, vowed in 1903 to " clean up
2120-505: The rail corridor with the government retaining the alternate sections for future growth. By 1872, the railroad had extended from Portland to Roseburg . Along the way, it created growth in Willamette Valley towns such as Canby , Aurora , and Harrisburg , which emerged as freight and passenger stations, and provided a commercial lifeline to the part of the river valley above Harrisburg where steamships were rarely able to travel. As
2173-625: The railroad made its way into the Umpqua Valley , new townsites such as Drain , Oakland , and Yoncalla were laid out. From about 1870 to 1888, ferry service connected Downtown Portland to the East Portland terminal. The original ferry service, established by Ben Holladay , was near the present-day location of the Steel Bridge ; in 1879, Henry Villard put the O&;CRR Ferry #2 into service, near
Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
2226-480: The right of way for the railroad line itself. In 1915, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the railroad had been built as promised, so the railroad company should not be forced to completely forfeit the lands, despite having violated the terms of the grant. Congress responded in 1916, with the Chamberlain-Ferris Act . This law put the O&C lands back in U.S. federal government control, and compensated
2279-553: The three-story, 26-room Victorian house became the social and cultural center of the upper Sacramento Valley . Now a museum and State Historic Park, it is California Historical Landmark #329 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The mansion was a $ 60,000 project, and was finished in May 1868. When constructed, Bidwell Mansion featured modern plumbing, gas lighting and water systems. The three-story brick structure
2332-404: The week. A video is available in the visitor center for those who can not climb the 50 stairs to the 2nd and 3rd floors of the mansion. The Bidwell Mansion Visitor Center is completely accessible. There is a gift shop, museum, theater, and comfortable lobby. There are also restrooms and water. Chico, California Chico ( / ˈ tʃ iː k oʊ / CHEE -koh ; Spanish for "little")
2385-432: Was 2,604.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,005.5/km ). The racial makeup of Chico was 69,606 (80.8%) White , 1,771 (2.1%) African American , 1,167 (1.4%) Native American , 3,656 (4.2%) Asian , 210 (0.2%) Pacific Islander , 5,437 (6.3%) from other races , and 4,340 (5.0%) from two or more races. There were 13,315 people of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race (15.4%). The Census reported that 83,009 people (96.3% of
2438-418: Was 28.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males. There were 37,050 housing units at an average density of 1,119.5 units per square mile (432.2 units/km ), of which 34,805 were occupied, of which 14,878 (42.7%) were owner-occupied, and 19,927 (57.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate
2491-432: Was 5.8%. Thirty-six thousand eight people (41.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units, and 47,001 people (54.5%) lived in rental housing units. Much of the local economy is driven by the presence of Chico State. Industries providing employment: educational, health and social services (30.3%), retail trade (14.9%), arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services (12.6%). Chico's downtown
2544-423: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38. There were 17,449 families (50.1% of all households); the average family size was 2.97. The population was spread out, with 16,771 people (19.5%) under the age of 18, 20,622 people (23.9%) aged 18 to 24, 22,360 people (25.9%) aged 25 to 44, 17,256 people (20.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 9,178 people (10.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
2597-487: Was accused of rounding up individuals from saloons in Portland's waterfront district, and paying them to sign applications to purchase 160-acre (0.6 km ) parcels of O&C lands as "settlers," then selling these fraudulent instruments in large blocks to corporate interests through corrupt middlemen. That elaborate money laundering and land fraud scheme was only the beginning: Southern Pacific Railroad eventually abandoned
2650-553: Was founded in 1860 by John Bidwell , a member of one of the first wagon trains to reach California in 1843. During the American Civil War , Camp Bidwell (named for John Bidwell, by then a brigadier general of the California Militia ), was established a mile outside Chico, by Lt. Col. A. E. Hooker with a company of cavalry and two of infantry, on August 26, 1863. By early 1865, it was being referred to as Camp Chico when
2703-671: Was ranked as the number one cycling city in the nation by Bicycle Magazine and also hosts the Wildflower Century, an annual 100-mile (160 km) bike ride throughout Butte County every April, put on by Chico Velo Cycling Club. The city is in the process of creating a network of bicycle paths, trails, and lanes. Chico is the former home of the Chico Rooks (soccer), the Chico Heat (baseball – Western Baseball League), and Chico Outlaws (baseball – Golden Baseball League). The City of Chico
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#17328546349532756-754: Was renamed November 18, 2009, by the Chico State Board of Trustees in honor of professor emerita Valene L. Smith, whose contributions and commitments to the museum have totaled over $ 4.6 million. The grand opening was held on January 28, 2010. The museum is across from the main entrance of the Miriam Library, next to the Janet Turner Print Museum . The Gateway Science Museum is a leading center for science education and Northern California's local history, natural resources, seacoast, Sacramento Valley, and surrounding foothills and mountains. Chico
2809-465: Was to encourage settlement and economic development, while compensating the O&C Railroad for its costs of construction. Construction efforts were sporadic, finally reaching completion in 1887 after the financially troubled O&C Railroad was acquired by the Southern Pacific. The land was distributed in a checkerboard pattern , with sections laid out for 20 miles (32 km) on either side of
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