Completed in 1868, Annie and John Bidwell’s pink stucco mansion featured many surprisingly modern conveniences, including running water, flush toilets, an acetylene gas lighting system, eight fireplaces, and wall-to-wall carpeting. San Francisco based architect Henry Cleveland designed the house, and the small brick building behind the mansion was built for him when he began planning it, serving as both a home away from home and an office for managing construction of such a grand residence in the middle of a farming town. Attached to the architect’s house is a carriage house, a modern structure built on the footprint of the original, now used to house original carriages used by the Bidwells. Just behind the carriage house are the original steps constructed for Annie Bidwell, allowing the petite woman to board carriages and ride horses. In 1887 John Bidwell donated his cherry orchard on Big Chico Creek to the Chico Normal School, now California State University, Chico. In 1892, at age 72, he ran for U.S. President. In 1900, while working on his ranch, he suffered intense chest pains and died later that day with Annie by his side. In 1905, honoring his wishes, Annie Bidwell donated 2,400 acres of creek-side property to the city, land later named Bidwell Park. She died in 1918, leaving the mansion to the Presbyterian Church, which sold it in 1923, after which it was used as college dorms and classrooms. In 1964 the home became a state historic park.