History of Chico, California facts for kids
The history of Chico, California, starts with its first residents, the Mechoopda Maidu people.
The city of Chico was founded in 1860 by General John Bidwell. He was one of the first people to travel to California by wagon train in 1841. Chico officially became a city on January 8, 1872.
Historian W.H. "Old Hutch" Hutchinson pointed out five very important events in Chico's history:
- John Bidwell arrived in 1850.
- The California and Oregon Railroad came to town in 1870.
- The Northern Branch of the State Normal School (now Chico State University) was started in 1887.
- The Diamond Match Company bought the Sierra Lumber Company in 1900.
- The Army Air Base was built, which is now the Chico Municipal Airport.
Since then, other important things have happened. These include building and moving Highway 99E through town in the early 1960s. Also, a "Green Line" was created on the western city limits to protect farmland.
19th Century in Chico
Chico was founded by General John Bidwell. He was one of the first people to reach California by wagon train in 1843. Bidwell first visited the area that same year while working for John Sutter.
In 1844, William Dickey was given a large piece of land called Rancho Arroyo Chico by Mexican Governor Manuel Micheltorena. Bidwell bought this land in two parts, in 1849 and 1851. He officially claimed the land in 1852, and his claim was confirmed by the government in 1860.
A "peace and friendship" agreement was signed on September 18, 1853. It was between the Mechoopda and other local tribes, and the U.S. government.
The city of Chico was officially founded in 1860 by General John Bidwell. That year, Bidwell asked the county to send a surveyor to plan the city's street layout.
Chico was the starting point of the Koncow Trail of Tears, also known as the Nome Cult Trail. On August 28, 1863, all Konkow Maidu people were told to gather at the Bidwell Ranch. From there, they were forced to march to the Round Valley Reservation in Covelo, Mendocino County. Any Native Americans who stayed in the area were threatened. About 435 Maidu people were gathered and marched under guard out of the Sacramento Valley and through the Coastal Range. Out of 461 people who started the journey, only 277 finished. They reached Round Valley on September 18, 1863. This was a very difficult and sad time for the Konkow Maidu people.
Chico became an official city on January 8, 1872. In that year, the first Chico Board of Trustees was created. This group was like the city council we have today. The first city election was on February 5, 1872, with 217 votes. The first trustees were G.W. Dorn, C.L. Pond, B.F. Allen, W.K. Springer, and John Kempf. Dorn was chosen as the first president of the board.
The Butte Flume and Lumber Company built a flume (a water channel for moving logs) from Butte Meadows down Big Chico Creek. It was built in 1872 and finished in 1874. This flume helped supply the Diamond Match Company with wood.
In 1877, there were conflicts and tensions involving Chinese residents in Chico.
In 1887, the California government decided to open the Northern Branch of the State Normal School of California. Chico was chosen as the location, and Bidwell gave land from his cherry orchard for the school. This school later became known as Chico Normal School, Chico State College, and finally California State University, Chico.
Chico was the northern end of the Sacramento Northern Railroad. This was an electric railway that went south to Sacramento and Oakland in the San Francisco Bay Area.
At first, the City Board of Trustees members were elected by all voters in the city. But on April 12, 1897, the city had its first election where trustees were elected from different areas called "wards."
Starting in 1899, city elections were held every two years instead of every year.
20th Century in Chico
On July 10, 1905, Annie Bidwell signed a paper giving over 1,900 acres (about 7.7 square kilometers) of land to the people of Chico for a public park. More land was added over the years, creating Bidwell Park. It is now one of the largest municipal parks in the United States.
In 1907, the way city trustees were elected changed again. One trustee was chosen from each ward, and they would all serve four-year terms at the same time.
In 1917, the first parade that would later be called the Pioneer Day Parade was held. It was a celebration of Senior Day. This tradition continued as a celebration of local history until 1990.
On June 4, 1921, an election was held to choose a group of people to write a new city charter (a document that sets up the city's government).
In 1923, under the new charter, the board of trustees was replaced by the city council. The ward system was also removed, and city leaders were again elected by all voters in the city.
During WWII, the Chico Army Air Field was used to train pilots for fighter planes and bombers. It was also home to the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion.
On December 6–7, 1958, a large civil defense exercise called Operation Chico took place. About 1,000 people were moved from Solano County to Chico for the weekend as a practice for emergencies.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the city debated building a bypass for State Route 99 through Bidwell Park. The elevated road was built between 1963 and 1965.
On May 2, 1961, the City Charter was changed to increase the size of the Chico City Council from five to seven members.
On July 31, 1961, the first-ever aircraft hijacking in the United States happened at the Chico Municipal Airport.
On May 24, 1962, two explosions destroyed a Titan I missile at a military complex north of the Chico Municipal Airport. An oxygen valve got stuck open, and gas built up until a spark caused an explosion. This event was not widely reported because it happened on the same day Scott Carpenter was launched into space.
On April 22, 1970, students celebrating the first Earth Day at Chico State pushed a car into West First Street, blocking traffic. The street was temporarily closed for safety. This led to a protest that lasted into the night. The street reopened the next day, but it was permanently closed where it ran through campus later that year.
On July 21, 1982, the Butte County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to protect farmland. This plan created a "Green Line" on the west side of Chico. This line limits city growth and helps keep orchards and farms close to the city center.
In 1987, Chico State was recognized for its lively student life.
In 1996, the Olympic Torch arrived in Chico at the Amtrak train station. The torch was carried through closed streets, and thousands of Chico residents celebrated along the way.
In 1996, a city council member named Ted Hubert passed away after being re-elected but before the new mayor was chosen. The council was divided, and they couldn't agree on a new mayor. For about six months, the remaining six council members took turns leading meetings. Eventually, they appointed Bill Johnston to fill the empty council spot and Rick Keene as mayor.
When the Pioneer Days celebration was canceled (from 1990-1996), the Halloween and St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Chico grew much larger. These holidays were already popular in Chico because of its young population.
21st Century in Chico
In 2000 and 2001, the city closed downtown streets for thousands of Halloween celebrators. However, in 2002, the streets were no longer closed. The city even ran TV ads telling people not to come downtown for Halloween. To prevent broken glass, the city council created a "Glass Free Zone" in the downtown area and nearby neighborhoods. This zone is active every Halloween and St. Patrick's Day, and sometimes when the police expect large gatherings. Recently, César Chávez Day was added to the list of holidays when this zone is active.
In 1998, the tower holding the famous Diamond sign on top of the Senator Theatre was found to be leaning. It was removed because it was at risk of falling. The tower was fixed and put back in place in 2005.
In 2003, a branch from one of the large Siberian elm trees in City Plaza fell and hit a person. These trees were planted by John Bidwell in 1873. This incident led to the removal of the trees, some of which had rotting roots. The city began renovating City Plaza in 2005, and the newly updated Chico City Plaza reopened in November 2006.
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