Chico’s Two Communities

Michelle Shover, professor emeritus at California State University, Chico, and widely recognized researcher and author, will present on the two communities to go by the CHICO name. The first community of Chico would be on the north side of Chico Creek at John Bidwell’s developing Rancho Chico in 1849-1860. The second Chico Community, and the one we live with today, began late in 1860 when Bidwell laid out the street grid for a new Chico on the south side of Chico Creek.