Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park

Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park in Chico, California preserves the former home of John and Annie Bidwell on Rancho del Arroyo Chico, a 26,000-acre estate that became a landmark of the upper Sacramento Valley. Built between 1865 and May 1868, the three-story, 26-room Victorian mansion was an Italianate brick residence with modern features such as plumbing, gas lighting, and water systems, and it served as a regional social and cultural center. After the Bidwells’ deaths, it was used by Chico State Teachers College before California acquired it in 1964 as a state historic park. An arson fire destroyed the building in 2024, and restoration planning followed.

Chico, California · United States