Chico, California

Chico (/ˈtʃiːkoʊ/ CHEE-koh) is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 86,187, reflecting an increase of 26,233 from the 59,954 counted in the 2000 Census. Following the 2018 Camp Fire that destroyed much of the neighboring town of Paradise, the population of Chico surged as many people who lost their homes in the fire moved to Chico. In 2019, the US Census estimated the population of Chico is 103,301.[12] The city is the cultural, economic, and educational center of the northern Sacramento Valley and home to both California State University, Chico and Bidwell Park, the country's 26th largest municipal park and the 13th largest municipally-owned park.[13] Bidwell Park makes up over 17% of the city.

Not to be confused with Chino, California.

Chico
City
City Plaza in Chico in 2008
Seal
Nickname(s): 
"City of Roses"
Location of Chico in Butte County, California
Chico
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 39°44′24″N 121°50′8″W
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyButte
Founded1860[1]
IncorporatedJanuary 8, 1872[2]
Founded byJohn Bidwell
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager government
 • City council[3]Mayor Ann Schwab
Vice Mayor Alex Brown
Randall Stone
Sean Morgan
Karl Ory
Scott Huber
Kasey Reynolds
 • City ManagerMark Orme[4]
 • State LegislatorsSen. Jim Nielsen (R)[5]
Asm. James Gallagher (R)[6]
Area
 • City34.31 sq mi (88.87 km2)
 • Land34.14 sq mi (88.42 km2)
 • Water0.17 sq mi (0.45 km2)  0.52%
Elevation243 ft (74 m)
Population
 • City86,187
 • Estimate 
(2019)[10]
103,301
 • Rank71st in California
302nd in the United States
 • Density3,025.72/sq mi (1,168.25/km2)
 • Metro
221,117
Demonym(s)Chicoan
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP codes[11]
95926–95929, 95973, 95976
Area code530
FIPS code06-13014
GNIS feature ID2409447[8]
Websitewww.chico.ca.us

Other cities in close proximity to the Chico Metropolitan Area (population 212,000) include Paradise and Oroville, while local towns and villages (unincorporated areas) include Durham, Cohasset, Dayton, Nord, and Forest Ranch. The Chico Metropolitan Area is the 14th largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in California.

The nickname "City of Roses" appears on the Seal of the City of Chico. The city has been designated a Tree City USA for 31 years by the National Arbor Day Foundation.[14]

History
Main article: History of Chico, California
Bidwell Mansion

The first known inhabitants of the area now known as Chico — a Spanish word meaning "little"[15] — were the Mechoopda Maidu Native Americans. The City of Chico 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 a post called Camp Bidwell was established in northeast California, later to be Fort Bidwell.[16] The city became incorporated January 8, 1872.

Chico is often called the Paris of California as well as the Rome of California. 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.[17]

Historian W.H. "Old Hutch" Hutchinson identified five events as 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 the Army Air Base, which is now the Chico Municipal Airport.[18]

Several other significant events have unfolded in Chico more recently. These 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[19]—and the establishment of a "Green Line" on the western city limits as protection of agricultural lands.

Geography

Location

Chico is at 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 limits.[20]

Topography
City Plaza in Chico

Chico sits on the Sacramento Valley floor close to the foothills of the Cascade Range to the north and 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 km2), of which 27.7 square miles (72 km2) is land and 0.04% is water.

The city 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).

Street system

Downtown Chico is located generally between Big Chico Creek and Little Chico Creek. The downtown has a street grid offset 49.75° from the four cardinal directions. There are numbered streets and avenues, which generally run east-northeast to west-southwest. Blocks are usually addressed in hundreds corresponding to the numbered streets and avenues. While the east-northeast to west-southwest streets and avenues are numbered, streets running north-northwest to south-southeast are generally named after trees. The part of the "tree" streets that intersect the Chico State campus spells the word "CHICO" at Chestnut, Hazel, Ivy, Cherry, and Orange streets.

The main thoroughfare running northwest-southeast through the city is State Route Business 99, not to be confused with Highway 99. Business 99 has several common names. From northwest to southeast, these are Esplanade, Main Street/Broadway (these are one-way southeast and northwest, respectively, in downtown Chico), Main Street/Oroville Avenue (similarly one-way), Park Avenue, and Midway. The city streets are designated as "east" or "west" by their relation to this street.

There are numbered streets and avenues, both of which flow east-west. This fact can cause confusion. The "streets" are south of the Chico State campus through downtown, while the "avenues" are north of campus through The Esplanade. There are no left turns permitted onto any odd-numbered avenue from The Esplanade, in either direction, except West 11th Avenue.

In the numbered streets and avenues and most other streets that intersect The Esplanade, Main, and Park, the west addresses are all numbers whose last two digits are 00 through 49, and the east addresses are all numbers whose last two digits are 50 through 99. There are few exceptions. On most Chico streets, odd addresses are on the south side of the street.

Standing at the bridge over the Big Chico Creek—where Main Street changes to The Esplanade—and facing north, the odd addresses are on the left. (Bidwell Mansion is 525 The Esplanade.) This convention holds for all the numbered avenues. However, while facing south, the odd addresses are still on the left (i.e., the convention has switched). This convention holds throughout the numbered streets.

Many streets in Chico, most notably Nord Avenue/Walnut Street, change street names after small bridges. When the city was being built, these streets were on the outskirts of town and did not require bridge building. Modern residents of Chico use these streets frequently, and the name changes can confuse individuals.

Neighborhoods
The Senator Theater, completed in 1928 for $300,000, was designed by Timothy L. Pflueger for Michael Naify and the Nasser Brothers.

Downtown Chico – This is the main commercial district in Chico. It is located between the Big Chico Creek and Little Chico Creek between Wall Street and Salem Street. The Downtown Chico Business Association represents the interests of the downtown to the community. Main Street and Broadway are the two main thoroughfares bisecting the downtown. Ringel Park is the triangular-shaped area immediately north of downtown. The Chico City Plaza is the central point of downtown, between Fourth and Fifth streets. The area of West Ninth Street where Main Street and Oroville Avenue converge is known as The Junction, the southernmost part of the downtown. "The Junction," as the confluence of Humboldt Road and the old Shasta Stage Road (now Main Street and The Esplanade), got its name in the early 1860s when John Bidwell and partners established a company that created a stage line between Chico and Susanville, ultimately leading to Ruby City, Idaho, and the rich gold strikes there. This is where Humboldt Road began; it is now called Humboldt Avenue until it reaches the Highway 99 freeway, then regains the Humboldt Road name on the eastern side as it continues into the foothills. "The Junction" was a business district unto itself, providing goods and services to people arriving at and departing from the stage depot.

South Campus – The South Campus neighborhood is the area bounded by West Second Street, Salem Street, West Ninth Street, and the western city limits (which is called "The Green Line"). Historically, this area was the first residential area established in the city. Currently, it is the most densely populated area of the city. The South Campus Neighborhood Association represents the interests of the neighborhood to the community. South Campus is a dynamic residential neighborhood consisting overwhelmingly of young renters under thirty-five, specifically Chico State students. The intersection of Fifth and Ivy streets is a neighborhood commercial core sometimes referred to locally as "Five and I." There are many fraternity and sorority houses in the area, and the city has designated a "Fraternity/Sorority Overlay Zone," largely contiguous with the neighborhood. South Campus is home to Craig Hall and Depot Park.

Barber – The Barber neighborhood is a working-class residential neighborhood generally south of Little Chico Creek and west of Park Avenue. The Barber Neighborhood Association represents the interests of the neighborhood to the community. This neighborhood was originally built to house the employees of the adjacent Diamond Match Factory. The neighborhood was named after Ohio Columbus Barber, president of the Diamond Match Company. Today, the Diamond Match property is designated for a future development called Barber Yard.

Chapmantown – Formerly excluded from the Chico city limits, Chapmantown is a working-class neighborhood named after Augustus Chapman and bordered by Little Chico Creek, Boucher Street, Guill Street, and East 16th Street. As of July 2020, the neighborhood has been incorporated into the City of Chico, which may lead to infrastructure and legislative impacts. Under its former status, it was under the jurisdiction of Butte County and thus not subject to Chico's restrictions against such things as the ownership of chicken coops or burn practices; Chapmantown also lacked paved sidewalks, city water, and sewer services as a result. Policing was generally left to the Butte County Sheriff's Office, though the city still provided emergency services such as ambulatory response. The neighborhood is home to The Dorothy F. Johnson Neighborhood Center, a Chico Area Recreation District, and Chapman Elementary School facility. Twentieth Street Park lies between the neighborhood's eastern border (Guill Street) and Highway 99, though the primary access to the park is on Martin Luther King Parkway on the park's east side.

The Avenues – A relatively new name that refers to the area north of Big Chico Creek historically known as Chico Vecino (Spanish for 'neighbor'). This area includes the numbered avenues that intersect The Esplanade. This residential neighborhood is adjacent to the northern boundary of Chico State campus and is south of Lindo Channel. The neighborhood also is home to Enloe Medical Center. The Avenues are known for their beautiful older homes, mature trees, and walkability.

Mansion Park is the high-end residential neighborhood adjacent to the Bidwell Mansion, and immediately between the northeast corner of the Chico State campus and Chico High School. This neighborhood is notable for its being a preferred parking zone for residents with permits only, located in an area of the city with very impacted parking. This neighborhood is home to the Albert E. Warrens Reception Center (formerly the Julia Morgan House) and the Bidwell Amphitheatre. Initially home to mostly university professors and staff, other professionals and upper-middle-class families now also call it home.

Kendall Hall at Chico State

Doe Mill is a developing "new urbanist" residential neighborhood generally north of East Twentieth Street and East of Bruce Road. Cheerful, colorful homes, welcoming porches, mixed home sizes, and narrow streets that encourage pedestrian rather than vehicular traffic characterize this charming neighborhood.

Nob Hill is the developing residential neighborhood west of Bruce Road and north of Highway 32.

California Park is the developing residential neighborhood east of Bruce Road and north of Highway 32. This area contains a smaller area known as Canyon Oaks.

Aspen Glen is the residential neighborhood east of the Esplanade and north of East Shasta avenue. Many streets there are named after things associated with Colorado.

Cussick Area Neighborhood is an assortment of different housing types on the northwest end of town. It is flanked by orchards, the Esplanade, and West East Avenue.

Big Chico Creek Estates is a middle-class development in the southwest area of town, Backed by Big Chico Creek, and very close to Chico's newest elementary school.

Little Chico Creek Estates generally referred to as "Chico Creek Estates," is a middle-class development that is bordered to the north by Little Chico Creek, to the west by Bruce Road, to the south by a seasonal flood control channel and Doe Mill neighborhood and bordered to the east by Stilson Canyon. Before its development in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Little Chico Creek Estates was an olive orchard. As a result, the streets in the neighborhood are named after olive varieties.

Connors Neighborhood is a very small neighborhood squeezed between East Avenue and Rio Lindo and between the Esplanade and Highway 99. Connors Neighborhood is made up of Connors Avenue and White Avenue, along with a couple of courts and circles. This neighborhood was incorporated into Chico in 2003.

Other neighborhoods include South Park, North Park, Vallombrosa, Baroni Park, Heritage Oaks, and Hancock Park.

Chico also is home to several large new urbanist neighborhoods, either planned or under construction, including Doe Mill, Barber Yard, Meriam Park, The Orchard, and Westside Place.

The above-mentioned "neighborhoods" do not include large sections of Chico. There are numerous other areas that each have unique characteristics and attractions. While some of these areas were not so long ago outside of city limits, they have always been a part of the Chico community. Most of these areas are well established, with many residents who have lived there for more than 20 years. In the older areas of the outlying neighborhoods, it is not uncommon to find households that have been there for fifty or even more years.

Parks and creekside greenways
Upper Bidwell Park
Parks
  • Verbena Fields: This site is a former quarry that has been restored into a natural park. The project expanded and improved seasonal wetlands, increased the floodplain width, restored native plantings, established Mechoopda Indian cultural planting areas, constructed a walking trail loop, and provides public education.[21]
  • Baroni Park
  • Bidwell Park
  • Children's Playground
  • Depot Park
  • DeGarmo Park
  • East 20th St at Notre Dame Park (undeveloped)
  • Hancock Park
  • Henshaw Park (undeveloped)
  • Hooker Oak Recreation Area
  • Ceres Park (undeveloped)
  • Humboldt Park (Humboldt at Willow)
  • Nob Hill/Husa Ranch Park
  • Peterson Park
  • City Plaza
  • Ringel Park
  • Skateboard Park
  • Wildwood Park
  • Martin Luther King Park
  • Chapman Park
  • Oak Way Park
  • Rotary Park (Wall Street)
  • Rotary Park (Sixteenth and Broadway)
Creekside Greenways
  • Little Chico Creek
  • Mud Creek
  • Sycamore Creek
  • Commanche Creek
  • Sandy Gulch (Lindo Channel) Greenway
  • Bear Hole (in Upper Bidwell Park)
  • Alligator Hole (in Upper Bidwell Park)
  • Salmon Hole (in Upper Bidwell Park)

Climate

Chico and the Sacramento Valley have a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa), with hot, dry summers and mild, 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.[22] [23] Winters are mild and wet, with the most rainfall coming in January. 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 is sometimes present during the autumn and winter months.[24]

Climate data for Chico, California (1981–2010 normals)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 77
(25)		 82
(28)		 93
(34)		 98
(37)		 108
(42)		 115
(46)		 117
(47)		 116
(47)		 114
(46)		 107
(42)		 91
(33)		 78
(26)		 117
(47)
Average high °F (°C) 55.1
(12.8)		 61.1
(16.2)		 66.3
(19.1)		 72.6
(22.6)		 81.3
(27.4)		 88.7
(31.5)		 94.2
(34.6)		 93.7
(34.3)		 89.7
(32.1)		 79.4
(26.3)		 64.8
(18.2)		 55.6
(13.1)		 75.2
(24.0)
Average low °F (°C) 35.4
(1.9)		 38.3
(3.5)		 41.5
(5.3)		 45.2
(7.3)		 51.9
(11.1)		 56.7
(13.7)		 60.5
(15.8)		 58.3
(14.6)		 54.6
(12.6)		 46.9
(8.3)		 39.9
(4.4)		 35.3
(1.8)		 47.0
(8.4)
Record low °F (°C) 12
(−11)		 16
(−9)		 23
(−5)		 27
(−3)		 30
(−1)		 38
(3)		 40
(4)		 38
(3)		 35
(2)		 23
(−5)		 20
(−7)		 11
(−12)		 11
(−12)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.86
(123)		 4.42
(112)		 4.29
(109)		 1.75
(44)		 1.04
(26)		 0.48
(12)		 0.02
(0.51)		 0.08
(2.0)		 0.42
(11)		 1.42
(36)		 3.28
(83)		 4.61
(117)		 26.67
(675.51)
Source: Western Regional Climate Center [25]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18803,300—
18902,894−12.3%
19002,640−8.8%
19103,75042.0%
19209,339149.0%
19307,961−14.8%
19409,28716.7%
195012,27232.1%
196014,75720.2%
197019,58032.7%
198026,71636.4%
199040,07950.0%
200059,95449.6%
201086,18743.8%
2019 (est.)103,301[10]19.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[26]

The 2010 United States Census[27] 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 was 2,604.2 people per square mile (1,005.5/km2). 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. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13,315 persons (15.4%).

The Census reported that 83,009 people (96.3% of 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 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 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 per square mile (432.2/km2), 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 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.

Economy

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%).[28]

Chico has always been a regional retail shopping destination. Chico's largest retail district 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, including Target, Kohl's, Forever 21, Best Buy, and Walmart. In January 2008, plans were unveiled to remodel the Chico Mall by demolishing the westernmost portion of the mall (previously home to Troutman's) and constructing an open-air "lifestyle" shopping center that will connect the mall with the Kohl's shopping center nearby. This has since been amended as Dick's Sporting Goods has renovated both the interior and exterior of the space formerly occupied by Troutmans and officially opened on July 10, 2013.

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, 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. Several large retailers, such as Trader Joe's, and Tinseltown Theater, are operating at the mall plus several restaurants. Mervyn's anchored the mall at the west end, filling the spot vacated by JCPenney, but declared bankruptcy in 2008 and liquidated its entire stock by the end of December of that year. The entire Mervyn's chain ceased operations just before the end of the year. A portion of the space is now being utilized by Goodwill. Other North Valley Plaza spaces include a dollar store, a 99 cent only store, a U.S. Navy recruiting center, and many smaller boutiques.

Chico's downtown is a thriving area for unique, independent retail shops 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.

Top employers

Build.com (as of April 2013) was named as No. 81 on Internet Retailer Magazine's Top 500 List of online retailers.[29]

Government
The two-story North Butte County Courthouse in the Meriam Park area is an example of modern architecture in Chico.

Municipal
See also: List of mayors of Chico, California

The City of Chico 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 councilmembers each elected at-large in November of even-numbered years. Their terms begin on 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 City Council appoints members of the Airport Commission, Architecture Review Board, Arts Commission, Bidwell Park, and Playground Commission, and Planning Commission.

The council consists of Mayor Ann Schwab, Randall Stone, Vice Mayor Alex Brown, Sean Morgan, Karl Ory, Scott Huber, and Kasey Reynolds.[3]

County

The Chico citizens are represented in the Butte County Board of Supervisors by the District Two Supervisor Debra Lucero and the District Three Supervisor Tami Ritter. The County of Butte office is located in Oroville at 25 County Center Drive.

The Butte County Association of Governments office is located in Chico at 326 Huss Lane. Chico Mayor Ann Schwab represents the City of Chico on the Board of Directors of the Butte County Association of Governments.

State

The citizens of Chico, as constituents of California's 3rd Assembly District, are represented by Republican James Gallagher in the California State Assembly,[6] and as members of California's 4th Senate District, are represented by Republican Jim Nielsen in the California State Senate.[5]

Federal

The citizens of Chico, as constituents of California's 1st congressional district, are represented by Doug LaMalfa (R–Richvale) in the United States House of Representatives.[30]

Education

The Chico Unified School District serves all of the greater Chico area, including areas not within the city limits.

Elementary

Junior high (6th through 8th)
  • Chico Country Day School (Charter)
  • Bidwell Junior High School
  • Chico Junior High School
  • Henry M. "Hank" Marsh Junior High School
  • Notre Dame Catholic School
  • Sherwood Montessori Charter School
  • Wildflower Open Classroom
  • Blue Oak Charter School
  • Forest Ranch Charter School

Public

In 1998, city voters approved 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 good 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 is now planned to improve the Chico and Pleasant Valley high schools.

Alternative education
  • Head Start (Ages 0–5)
  • Academy For Change—community day school
  • Fairview High School—continuation school
  • Forest Ranch Charter School—a free, public K–8 charter school
  • Core Butte Charter School—charter school
  • Hearthstone School—charter school
  • Blue Oak Charter School—a Waldorf methods public school (includes grades K through 8)
  • Sherwood Montessori Charter School–a Montessori public school (grades K through 8)
  • Pivot - online Charter school
  • Inspire North homeschool charter - TK -12 public charter school

Private
  • Chico Oaks Adventist School
  • Notre Dame Catholic School
  • Champion Christian School
  • Pleasant Valley Baptist School
  • Chico Christian Preschool[32]

Higher education

Culture

Museums

The Chico Museum first opened in February 1986 in 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 Museum is run independently. The museum is free, and donations are graciously accepted.

Chico Air Museum

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 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 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.[33]

The Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology on the Chico State campus presents temporary exhibits researched, designed, and installed primarily by students. The museum 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.[34]

Construction started on the Gateway Science Museum (formerly the Northern California Natural History Museum) in 2008 and was completed on February 27, 2010. In the works for more than ten years, the Gateway Science Museum is the leading center for science education and Northern California's local history, natural resources, seacoast, Sacramento Valley, and surrounding foothills and mountains.[35]

Art and theatre

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 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.[36]

Points of interest
Chico is home to Bidwell Park, one of the largest municipal parks in the United States.

Chico is the site of Bidwell Park, the ninth-largest municipally-owned park in the United States, Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park, the Chico University Arboretum.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, the largest craft brewer in the U.S., is based in Chico.

Chico has the tallest building north of Sacramento in California: Whitney Hall, a nine-story dormitory on the Chico State college campus.

The Meriam Library on the Chico State campus is named after Ted Meriam. The building has more square footage than any other California facility north of Sacramento.

The State of California, Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development defines Enloe Medical Center as a General Acute Care Hospital in Chico with a Level II Trauma Center and Basic emergency care as of August 22, 2006. The facility is located at 1531 The Esplanade at (NAD83) latitude/longitude 39°44′33″N 121°51′00″W.

The Hooker Oak, formerly the largest Valley Oak in the world, was located at Hooker Oak Recreation Area in Bidwell Park.

Located in urban Chico, the Mechoopda Maidu Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria is at 125 Mission Ranch Blvd.

Bidwell Municipal Golf Course, United States Department of Agriculture Plant Introduction Garden, Canyon Oaks Golf Course, Diamond Match Factory, Chico Museum, Chico Municipal Center, Dorothy F. Johnson Neighborhood Center, Veterans Memorial Building, Craig Hall, Stansbury House, Scrappy Dog, Madison Bear Garden, Chico Creek Nature Center, Chico Community Observatory, Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve, Chico Area Recreation and Park District, Bidwell Amphitheatre, Honey Run Covered Bridge, Senator Theatre,[37] A. H. Chapman House, Allen-Sommer-Gage House, Patrick Ranch House, Silberstein Park Building, Pioneer Days.

Sports

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, 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 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.[38]

The Chico State Women's Rugby Club won the Collegiate Division I National Championship in 2001.

The Chico Rugby Club senior men's team won the Division III National Championship in 2002.

Bicycling

Chico has also gained a reputation as being a bicycle-friendly city. In 1997, Chico 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. Some notable bicycle routes include a path leading from The Esplanade to the Chico Airport, a path running from downtown to East Avenue parallel to Hwy 32 along the railroad, a path along Park Avenue continuing down the Midway toward Durham, a path following Little Chico Creek from Bruce Road to Route 99, and a series of paths throughout Bidwell Park, and the Steve Harrison Memorial Bike Path, which bypasses Skyway and takes riders out to Honey Run Road.

Former sports organizations

Chico is the former home of the Chico Rooks (soccer), the Chico Heat (baseball – Western Baseball League), and Chico Outlaws (baseball - Golden Baseball League).

Agriculture

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 a pink/white flower in late February or early March. Millions of bees are brought in for pollination. The nuts are harvested in late August.

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 the area, Walnuts are harvested following the almond harvest season, beginning in mid to late September and stretching well into October.[39] The walnut variety Chico is named after the city.[40]

There are several farmers' markets held in Chico:

  • Chico Certified Farmer's Market every Saturday morning (year-round) from 7 am until 1 pm at the Wall Street public parking lot on 2nd and Wall Streets.
  • Saturday mornings, May through November 7:30 am to Noon at the North Valley Plaza;
  • Thursday night market with a street-fair atmosphere is sponsored by the Downtown Chico Business Association from 6–9 p.m. each Thursday night during warm months in downtown Chico on Broadway, between 2nd and 5th Streets;

In June 2014, the Thursday night Chico farmers market was named one of the top 9 farmers markets to eat at in Northern California.[41]`

Transportation

Air

Chico Municipal Airport serves the area and is north of the city limits. It was served by United Airlines' United Express flights operated by SkyWest Airlines nonstop to San Francisco (SFO). Commercial passenger flights were discontinued by SkyWest on December 2, 2014, due to nonviability, as indicated by United Airlines in June 2014. The city administration is trying to restore air service, which would be provided by alternate airlines.[42] On July 31, 1961, the first-ever aircraft hijacking on United States soil occurred at the Chico Municipal Airport. Two men were critically wounded, and the hijacker was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison.[43][44]

In the early 1980s, the airport was the home base and headquarters for Pacific Express, a scheduled passenger airline that served Chico with British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven twin jets. From 1962 to 2010, the airport was also home to Aero Union, a company that refitted and operated surplus military aircraft such as the Lockheed P-3 Orion turboprop as fire fighting aircraft for state and federal agencies until their move to McClellan Airfield, near Sacramento.

Another local airfield is Ranchaero Airport, surrounded by orchards on the west edge of Chico.

An altitude record for unmanned gas balloons was set in Chico in October 1972 (51.8 km or 32.2 mi). The record was broken on May 23, 2002.

Land

Amtrak operates the Chico Amtrak station at Fifth and Orange Streets for the Coast Starlight service. The terminal is partially wheelchair accessible, has an enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, free short-term and long-term parking. Trains run between Seattle and Los Angeles with a northbound and a southbound train departing from the station daily. The Greyhound bus station is also located at Fifth and Orange Streets.

The B-Line (Butte Regional Transit) serves the Chico Urban area with eight routes operating Monday through Saturday and two shuttle routes for Chico State students during the academic year. It also helps the Chico urban area with nine modified vans providing transportation for the elderly and the mobility impaired seven days a week. The transit center in Chico is located at Second and Salem Streets.

Uber and Lyft are used extensively, especially by students and trips to Sacramento International Airport.

Chico is a gold level bicycle-friendly community as designated by the League of American Bicyclists.[45] Chico was also named "America's Best Bike Town" by Bicycle magazine in 1997.

Pedicabs are commonly available downtown during the evenings.

Major highways

State Route 99 and State Route 32 intersect in Chico.

Media

Print

Television

Radio

Sister cities

Defense

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.[48]

No person shall produce, test, maintain, or store within 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.[49]

Notable people

See also

References
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  6. "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
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  33. Museums & Historic Buildings Chico city website Archived January 21, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
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  35. "Home". Gateway Science Museum. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
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  37. "Upcoming shows". JMAX Productions. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
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  40. "Ten new walnut varieties released". California Agriculture. April 1, 1968.
  41. "9 must-eat farmers markets in Northern California". Retrieved November 9, 2018.
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  49. "library.amlegal.com". library.amlegal.com. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  50. Resnick, Carla (January 6, 2005). "Bench marks: The city of Chico's latest public-art projects combine form and function". Chico News & Review. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
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