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| Bidwell Mansion State Historical Park | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Location: | 525 Esplanade, Chico, California |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Built/Founded: | 1865 |
| Architect: | Henry W. Cleaveland |
| Architectural style(s): | Italianate |
| Added to NRHP: | 1972 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 72000216 |
Bidwell Mansion, located at 525 Esplanade in Chico, California, was the home of General John Bidwell and Annie Bidwell from the late 1868 until 1900, when Gen. Bidwell passed away. Annie continued to live there until her death in 1918. John Bidwell began construction of the mansion on his 26,000 acres (110 km²) Rancho del Arroyo Chico in 1865, during his courtship of Annie Ellicott Kennedy. After their marriage in 1868, the three story, 26 room Victorian house became the social and cultural center of the upper Sacramento Valley. Now a museum and State Historic Park, it is California Historical Landmark #329 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The mansion was a $60,000 project, and was finished in May 1868.[1]
When constructed, Bidwell Mansion featured modern plumbing, gas lighting and water systems. The three-story brick structure is built in an informally awesome, romantic version of the Italianate style. The building's exterior is finished with a pink tinted plaster.
The first floor of the Bidwell Mansion is accessible via a ramp from the exterior of the Mansion. The entire first floor may be seen on a regular tour. The second and third floors may be seen on video at the Visitor Center. The first floor tour and video are approximately one hour long.
The Bidwell Mansion Visitor Center is completely accessible. There is a gift shop, museum, theater, and comfortable lobby. There are also restrooms and water.
Trivia
- Some of the interior scenes from The Thin Man were shot inside the mansion.
- From 1925-1935, Bidwell Mansion was once again transformed into another entity when it served as a dormitory for Chico State Teachers College students. It is mentioned by local historians that the students studied and dressed in the rooms, but actually slept outside on the surrounding verandas. The mansion was later dubbed "Bidwell Hall" and housed the Art and Home Economics departments.
See also
External links
- Bidwell Mansion SHP web site
- Bidwell Mansion, 525 Esplanade, Chico, Butte County, CA: 10 drawings and 10 data pages, at Historic American Building Survey
- Wikimapia location of Bidwell Mansion
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