Chico History Museum upcoming events

Stewardship Saturday with City of Chico: History of Bidwell Park (Sat, September 12, 2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Presented by Dave Nopel & Paul Belz

Hosted by Lindsay Amundson with the City of Chico

Stewardship Saturday is a City of Chico volunteer program designed to connect the community with the natural resources and history of our region. Each event is led by a local expert in fields such as ecology, botany, wildlife, and regional history, offering participants an opportunity to deepen their appreciation for the places that make Chico so special.

Join local Chico author and poet Paul Belz and longtime Bidwell Park historian Dave Nopel for a fascinating journey through the history of Bidwell Park—Chico’s crown jewel. Belz, author of Bidwell Park: Personal Reflections and Casual Conversations About Chico’s Crown Jewel, has spent years researching, teaching, and sharing the park’s stories through his writing. Nopel has dedicated decades to researching and preserving the history of Bidwell Park and the Chico area, drawing on extensive archival research and a lifelong passion for local history.

Together, Paul and Dave will explore the park’s origins, its cultural and ecological significance, and the people, places, and events that have shaped Bidwell Park into the treasured landscape it is today. Whether you’re a longtime park enthusiast or discovering Bidwell Park for the first time, this is a unique opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Chico’s most iconic park and strengthen your connection to the landscape we all help steward.

Come learn, ask questions, and experience Bidwell Park through the eyes of two of Chico’s most knowledgeable storytellers.

This is a free event but donations to the museum are much appreciated.

California Park History: A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words (Sat, September 19, 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Presenter: Georgie Bellin

A picture is worth a thousand words; Join us in learning the fascinating history behind one of Chico’s most popular and scenic neighborhoods, California Park. Renowned local realtor and longtime city resident, Georgie Bellin, will give a presentation on Chico’s east-side development, starting in the days of Simmons Ranch.

Salmon of Butte Creek: Past, Present, and Future (Sat, October 03, 2026)

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Presenter: Allen Harthorn

Come learn the significant and fascinating history of wild Chinook salmon in Butte Creek, and how we, as a community, can impact the future of these unique fish. Presented by Allen Harthorn, founder and executive director for the Friends of Butte Creek, Harthorn will present a history of Butte Creek through its geology, ethnology, and hydrology, as well as a history of Spring-Run Chinook salmon, and their populations and lifecycle.

The Friends of Butte Creek work to protect, restore, and enhance the natural habitats of wildlife in the Butte Creek Watershed. You can learn more or get involved at www.buttecreek.org.

Special Event: An Evening in Chico Vecino (Thu, October 29, 2026)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

You are cordially invited to An Evening in Chico Vecino.

Join the Chico History Museum on October 29 for a special fundraiser at the Red Tavern celebrating the history of one of Chico’s oldest neighborhoods. Local historian Dave Nopel will take us back in time with stories, photographs, and fascinating history from Chico Vecino, today known as The Avenues. Enjoy seasonal bites by Red Tavern while spending an evening learning about Chico’s past, at the very place where the history unfolds.

Tickets include our Dave Nopel History Lecture on Chico Vecino, and seasonal bites curated by Red Tavern. Drinks will be available for purchase throughout the evening.

Museum members will have a first chance at tickets! Tickets will go on sale publicly Friday, September 11. Tickets are limited to the first 50 registrants.

Haunted Buildings of Chico (Sat, October 31, 2026)

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Presenter: Olivia Dion

Hearsay, balderdash, poppycock, and true. This lecture will cover the personal accounts of Chico locals who have experienced paranormal activity in our very own historical buildings of downtown Chico.

California’s Last Grizzly Bear (Sat, November 07, 2026)

Sat, 07 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Presenter: Pete Moak & Dave Nopel

Join local resident Pete Moak and prominent local historian Dave Nopel for a fascinating look into a piece of hidden Butte County history: the story of one of California’s last grizzly bears. While official records state that the California grizzly went extinct in the 1920s, local lore tells a very different story. This lecture explores the incredible firsthand accounts of Pete Moak’s father, Lyman Moak, a lifelong outdoorsman who encountered these legendary predators decades after they were thought to be gone.

Backyard Circus: The Life and Times of Grace Jr. and Arvel Victor Allread (Sat, November 14, 2026)

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Presenter: Terry Allread

Discover life under the Big Top in the 1940s–50s! Join our presenter Terry Allread as he recounts his unique childhood. Terry’s parents, Grace Jr. and Arvel Victor Allread, introduced their children to such circus luminaries as Clyde Beatty, Big John Strong, and Victor Robbins. Terry recounts waking up on Saturday mornings to the melodious tones of his father Arvel playing “Entry of the Gladiators” on his baritone horn, finishing his chores like mucking out animal cages, and then playing hide-n-seek in his family’s “Backyard Circus.”

Terry Allread will be signing and selling copies of his latest book; Backyard Circus: The Life and Times of Grace Jr. and Arvel Victor Allread after the lecture.

The Maidu: Myths, Magic, and Archaeology (Sat, December 05, 2026)

Sat, 05 Dec 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Presenter: Paul Bowman

Join us for an engaging lecture with Paul Bowman as he explores "The Maidu: Myths, Magic, and Archaeology." Beginning with an overview of local prehistoric archaeology, Paul will delve into the topics of indigenous myth and magic, offering rare and fascinating insights into traditional Maiduian culture.