Hamilton, California facts for kids

Hamilton was a small town that used to exist in Butte County, California, United States. It was special because it was the very first main government center, or county seat, for Butte County. You could find Hamilton on the west side of the Feather River, about 15 miles (24 km) downstream from Oroville.

History of Hamilton

Gold Discovery and Naming

The story of Hamilton began in 1848 when John Bidwell found gold there. Soon after, people started settling in the area. The town was named Hamilton to honor the nephew of Alexander Hamilton, who helped design the town.

Becoming the County Seat

In 1850, Hamilton officially became the county seat for Butte County. This meant it was the most important town for local government. Before Hamilton, another town called Chico was the county seat for a very short time. By January 1866, Hamilton even had a school with about 47 children attending.

Life in Hamilton

Town Buildings and Services

Hamilton was a busy mining town, but it's not to be confused with Hamilton City in Glenn County, which was built much later. The town of Hamilton had two taverns (places to eat and drink), a general store, and a blacksmith shop. Later, another tavern and a new store opened.

The town's offices were quite simple at first. For example, the clerk's office was set up in a bedroom at Tom Gray's hotel until a small wooden building could be built. Other officials also used their hotel rooms as offices. Even the court met in an old house owned by a widow named 'Mother Nichols'.

Courthouse and Jail

To pay for new government buildings, a small property tax was collected. A strong jail was built for $9,200. It was considered a very good jail for its time, with thick, solid walls protected by sheet-iron. Prisoners found it very hard to escape once they were inside.

For the courthouse, an existing house located about four miles downstream was bought and moved to Hamilton.

Moving the County Seat

However, Hamilton didn't stay the county seat for long. On August 10, 1853, the county seat was moved to Bidwell's Bar, which was closer to Oroville, California. The people of Bidwell's Bar promised to build a new courthouse and jail there, and they did.

After the county seat moved, the old courthouse in Hamilton was taken apart for its stone. The jail was used to store grain until it burned down in 1878. Hamilton also had a post office, which opened in 1851 but closed in 1865.

What Remains Today

Today, there isn't much left of the old town of Hamilton. All you can see are an overgrown cemetery and the stone pillars of an old bridge.