Chico ( ;

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

for "little") is the most populous city in

Butte County, California Butte County () is a county located in the northern central part of the U.S. state of California. In the 2020 census, its population was 211,632. The county seat is Oroville. Butte County comprises the Chico, California, metropolitan stat ...

, United States. Located in the

Sacramento Valley The Sacramento Valley is the area of the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California that lies north of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and is drained by the Sacramento River. It encompasses all or parts of ten Northern California ...

region of

Northern California Northern California (commonly shortened to NorCal) is a geocultural region that comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California, spanning the northernmost 48 of the state's List of counties in California, 58 counties. Northern Ca ...

, the city had a population of 101,475 in the 2020 census, an increase from 86,187 in the 2010 census. Chico is the cultural and economic center of the northern Sacramento Valley, as well as the most populous city in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

north of the capital city of

Sacramento Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in Northern California's Sacramento Valley, Sacramento's 2020 p ...

. The city is known as a

college town A college town or university town is a town or city whose character is dominated by a college or university and their associated culture, often characterised by the student population making up 20 percent of the population of the community, bu ...

, as the home of

California State University, Chico California State University, Chico (Chico State) is a public university in Chico, California. It was founded in 1887 as one of about 180 "normal schools" founded by state governments in the 19th century to train teachers for the rapidly growing ...

, and for Bidwell Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world.

History

The first known inhabitants of the area now known as Chico—a Spanish word meaning "little" — were the Mechoopda

Maidu The Maidu are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American people of northern California. They reside in the central Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada, in the watershed area of the Feather River, Feather and American River, American ...

Native Americans. Within the boundaries of modern day Chico, there existed a Maidu village, whose name was recorded as Bah-hahp'-ke, meaning "straight tree". The City of Chico was founded in 1860 by

John Bidwell John Bidwell (August 5, 1819 – April 4, 1900), known in Spanish as Don Juan Bidwell, was an American pioneer, politician, and soldier. Bidwell is known as the founder of the city of Chico, California. Born in New York, he emigrated at the age ...

, a member of one of the first wagon trains to reach California in 1843. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Camp Bidwell Camp Bidwell, later Camp Chico, was a U.S. Army post during the American Civil War. Camp Bidwell was named for John Bidwell, the founder of the nearby town of Chico, California, and a brigadier general of the California Militia. It was establi ...

(named for John Bidwell, by then a brigadier general of the

California Militia The California National Guard (Cal Guard) is part of the National Guard of the United States, a dual federal–state military reserve force in the state of California. It has three components: the California Army National Guard, California Air N ...

), 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. The city became incorporated January 8, 1872. Chico was home to a significant

Chinese American Chinese Americans are Americans of Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans. Many Chinese Americans have ancestors from mainland China, Hong Kong ...

community when it was first incorporated, but arsonists burned Chico's Chinatown in February 1886, driving Chinese Americans out of town. 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

(Chico State), the purchase of the Sierra Lumber Company by the

Diamond Match Company The Diamond Match Company is a brand of matches and toothpicks, and formerly other wood products and plastic cutlery, that has its roots in a business started in 1853 by Edward Tatnall in Wilmington, Delaware. Ownership passed to William H. ...

in 1900, and the development of the Army Air Base, which is now the Chico Municipal Airport. Other events include the construction and relocation of Route 99E through town in the early 1960s, the founding of

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. was established in 1979 by homebrewers Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi in Chico, California, United States. The brewery produced in 2010, and as of 2016, Sierra Nevada Brewing is the seventh-largest brewing company in t ...

in 1979—what would become one of the top breweries in the nation—and the establishment of a "Green Line" on the western city limits as protection of agricultural lands.

Geography

Chico is at the Sacramento Valley's northeast edge, one of the richest agricultural areas in the world. The

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada ( ) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primari ...

mountains lie to the east and south, with Chico's city limits venturing several miles into the foothills. To the west, the

Sacramento River The Sacramento River () is the principal river of Northern California in the United States and is the largest river in California. Rising in the Klamath Mountains, the river flows south for before reaching the Sacramento–San Joaquin River D ...

lies from the city. Chico sits on the

floor close to the foothills of the

Cascade Range The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington (state), Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as m ...

to the north and the Sierra Nevada range to the east and south.

Big Chico Creek Big Chico Creek is a creek in northeastern California that originates near Colby Mountain in Lassen National Park. It flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed March 1 ...

is the demarcation line between the ranges. The city's terrain is generally flat, with increasingly hilly terrain beginning at the eastern city limits. Big_Chico_Creek_in_Upper_Bidwell_Park

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and 0.50% is water. The city is bisected by Bidwell Park, which runs 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). The city has been designated a

Tree City USA The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 500 million trees in neighborhoods, communitie ...

for 31 years by the

National Arbor Day Foundation The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 500 million trees in neighborhoods, communitie ...

. Chico is made up of many districts and neighborhoods, including Downtown Chico, the South Campus neighborhood, and

Barber A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave hair or beards. A barber's place of work is known as a barbershop or the barber's. Barbershops have been noted places of social interaction and public discourse ...

Climate

Chico and the

have a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

Csa), with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Temperatures can rise well above in the summer. Chico is one of the top metropolitan areas in the nation for number of clear days. Winters are cool and wet, with the greatest rainfall occurring in January and February. July is usually the hottest month, with an average high temperature of and an average low temperature of . January is the coolest month, with an average high temperature of and an average low temperature of . The average annual rainfall is .

Tule fog ''Schoenoplectus acutus'' (synonym (taxonomy), syn. ''Scirpus acutus, Schoenoplectus lacustris, Scirpus lacustris'' subsp. ''acutus''), called tule , common tule, hardstem tule, tule rush, hardstem bulrush, or viscid bulrush, is a giant specie ...

is sometimes present during the autumn and winter months. Snow occasionally falls in the hills east of Chico, but has become quite rare in Chico itself; as of 2024, measurable snow has not occurred in Chico since December 1988.

Demographics

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Chico had a population of 101,475. The population density was . The racial makeup of Chico was 70.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 2.0%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 1.6% Native American, 4.4% Asian, 0.4%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 9.1% from other races, and 12.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.3% of the population. The census reported that 96.7% of the population lived in households, 2.7% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.6% were institutionalized. There were 41,887 households, out of which 25.4% included children under the age of 18, 34.3% were married-couple households, 9.7% were

cohabiting Cohabitation is an arrangement where people who are not legally married live together as a couple. They are often involved in a romantic or sexually intimate relationship on a long-term or permanent basis. Such arrangements have become incr ...

couple households, 32.7% had a female householder with no partner present, and 23.3% had a male householder with no partner present. 31.7% of households were one person, and 12.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.34. There were 21,831

families Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...

(52.1% of all households). The age distribution was 19.1% under the age of 18, 18.2% aged 18 to 24, 27.2% aged 25 to 44, 19.8% aged 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 33.2years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. There were 44,429 housing units at an average density of , of which 41,887 (94.3%) were occupied. Of these, 43.2% were owner-occupied, and 56.8% were occupied by renters. In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income in 2023 was $67,929, and the

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

was $38,201. About 12.6% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line.

Economy

Chico State Science Building in March 2022-02699

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%). Chico's downtown is a thriving area for unique, independent retail stores 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. Chico has long been a regional retail shopping destination. Chico's largest retail district is focused around the

Chico Mall Chico Marketplace (formerly Chico Mall) is an enclosed shopping mall in Chico, California, United States. Opened in 1988, it features JCPenney, Dick's Sporting Goods and At Home as its anchor stores, with Burlington, HomeGoods, Petco, Boot Bar ...

on East 20th Street. In the two decades since the Chico Mall was constructed, many national retailers have located nearby. 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 Penney OpCo LLC , Trade name, doing business as JCPenney (colloquially Penney's and abbreviated JCP) is an American department store chain store, chain with 649 stores across 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. It is managed as part of the Catalys ...

, 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.

, the largest craft brewer in the U.S., is based in Chico.

Agriculture

Almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', Synonym (taxonomy)#Botany, syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree from the genus ''Prunus''. Along with the peach, it is classified in the subgenus ''Amygdalus'', distinguished from the other subgenera ...

s are the number one crop in Chico and the surrounding area, only recently edging out rice. Other crops in the area include

walnut A walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus '' Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. They are accessory fruit because the outer covering of the fruit is technically an i ...

kiwi Kiwi most commonly refers to: * Kiwi (bird), a flightless bird native to New Zealand * Kiwi (nickname), an informal name for New Zealanders * Kiwifruit, an edible hairy fruit with many seeds * Kiwi dollar or New Zealand dollar, a unit of curren ...

olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and Agriculture, cultivated in China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties called necta ...

es, and

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in Prunus subg. Prunus, ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are often called prunes, though in the United States they may be labeled as 'dried plums', especially during the 21st century. Plums are ...

s. 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. 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. The walnut variety Chico is named after the city.

Top employers

Build.com Build.com is an online home improvement retailer owned by Ferguson Enterprises. It sells bathroom, kitchen and lighting hardware, appliances and other supplies. The company is headquartered in Chico, California. History In 1999, during the dot-co ...

(as of April 2013) was named as No. 81 on Internet Retailer Magazine's Top 500 List of online retailers. According to Zippia, the Top 10 employers in Chico are below.

Culture

The Chico Museum first opened in February 1986 in the former Carnegie Library building in downtown Chico. It currently features a

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

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 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 A yo-yo (also spelled yoyo) is a toy consisting of an axle connected to two disks, and a string looped around the axle, similar to a spool. It is an ancient toy with proof of existence since 440 BC. The yo-yo was also called a bandalore in th ...

artifacts, which also includes a 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. Madison Bear Garden Sign

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 The Janet Turner Print Museum is an art museum on the campus of California State University Chico, California, United States. The museum first opened in 1981 to house the print collection of Janet E.Turner (1914–1988) an American artist and pr ...

. The Gateway Science Museum is a leading center for science education and Northern California's local history, natural resources, seacoast, Sacramento Valley, and surrounding foothills and mountains. Chico is home to the Chico Certified Farmers Market; they host local farmers markets every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Residents are also able to enjoy a farmers and live market downtown on Thursday nights between April and September. About 40

murals A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spanish ...

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.

Sports

Chico is home to

Nettleton Stadium Nettleton Stadium is a baseball stadium in Chico, California, on the campus of California State University, Chico. It is the home field for the CSU Chico Baseball team, the Wildcats. It also served as the former home of the now-defunct Chico He ...

(also called ''The Net'')

baseball stadium A ballpark, or baseball park, is a type of sports venue where baseball is played. The playing field is divided into two field sections called the infield and the outfield. The infield is an area whose dimensions are rigidly defined in part ba ...

on the California State University campus. It is the home field for the

Chico State Wildcats The Chico State Wildcats (also CSU Chico Wildcats and Cal State Chico Wildcats) are the athletic teams that represent California State University, Chico, located in Chico, California, Chico, California, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. ...

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 Sprint cars are Open-wheel car, open-wheel race cars, designed primarily for the purpose of running on short Oval track racing, oval, circular dirt track racing, dirt or paved tracks. Historically known simply as "big cars," distinguishing them fr ...

. 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 The Western Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in the Western United States and Western Canada. Its member teams were not associated with any Major League Baseball teams. It operated from 1995 to 2002. The league was fou ...

in 1997. The

Chico Outlaws The Chico Outlaws were a professional baseball team based in Chico, California, in the United States. The Outlaws were a member of the Northern Division of the independent North American League, which is not affiliated with either Major League ...

were founded with the

Golden Baseball League The Golden Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in San Ramon, California, with teams located in the Western United States, Western Canada and northwest Mexico. The GBL was not affiliated with Major League Baseball or the org ...

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 Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...

, a collegiate summer wood-bat league, until 2018 when the league folded due to financial issues from several other participating teams. 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 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. Chico is the former home of the Chico Rooks (soccer), the Chico Heat (baseball – Western Baseball League), and Chico Outlaws (baseball – Golden Baseball League).

Government

Old Municipal Building in Chico California

The City of Chico is a

charter city Home rule in the United States relates to the authority of a constituent part of a U.S. state to exercise powers of governance (i.e., whether such powers must be specifically delegated to it by the state—typically by legislative action—or a ...

and has a

council–manager government The council–manager government is a form of local government commonly used for municipalities and counties in the United States and Ireland, in New Zealand regional councils, and in Canadian municipalities. In the 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 A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...

consists of seven nonpartisan council members each elected from one of the seven districts in November of even-numbered years. The districts were officially created in February 2020. 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. As of 2025, the council consists of Mayor Kasey Reynolds, Vice Mayor Dale Bennett, Bryce Goldstein, Katie Hawley, Mike O'Brien, Tom van Overbeek, and Addison Winslow. Chico is represented in the Butte County Board of Supervisors by the District Two Supervisor Peter Durfee, District Three Supervisor Tami Ritter, District 4 Supervisor Tod Kimmelshue and District 5 Supervisor Doug Teeter. The citizens of Chico, as constituents of

California's 3rd Assembly District California's 3rd State Assembly district is one of 80 California State Assembly districts. It is currently represented by Republican James Gallagher of Yuba City. District profile The district consists of much of the northern Sacramento ...

, are represented by in the

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature (the upper house being the California State Senate). The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Califor ...

, and as members of

California's 4th Senate District California's 4th senatorial district is one of 40 California California State Senate, State Senate districts. It is currently represented by Marie Alvarado-Gil of . District profile The district encompasses the northeastern portion of the C ...

, are represented by in the

California State Senate The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature (the lower house being the California State Assembly). The state senate convenes, along with the state assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. ...

. As part of

California's 1st congressional district California's 1st congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, U.S. congressional district in California. Doug LaMalfa, a Republican Party (United States), Republican, has represented the district since January 2013. ...

, Chico is represented by in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

. Chico was designated to be the provisional capital of California if a disaster occurred that would cause evacuation of Sacramento after a

civil defense Civil defense or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from human-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency management: Risk management, prevention, mitigation, prepara ...

exercise named Operation Chico was deemed a success. No person shall produce, test, maintain, or store within the city a

nuclear weapon A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear exp ...

, 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.

Education

The

Chico Unified School District Chico Unified School District (CUSD) is a public school district in Butte County, California, serving the city of Chico and the surrounding unincorporated communities. The current superintendent is Kelly Staley, who will be retiring. High ...

serves all of the greater Chico area, including areas not within the city limits. Public high schools include Chico High School, Pleasant Valley High School and

Inspire School of Arts and Sciences Inspiration, inspire, INSPIRE, or inspired commonly refers to: * Artistic inspiration, sudden creativity in artistic production * Biblical inspiration, a Christian doctrine on the origin of the Bible * Inhalation, breathing in Inspiration and rel ...

. 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 suitable 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 has now been used to improve the Chico and Pleasant Valley high schools. ;Higher Education *

(Chico State) *

Butte College Butte College is a public community college in the Butte-Glenn Community College District in Chico, Orland, and Oroville, California. History After the passage of the 1960 Donahoe Act, the voters of Butte County created a local community ...

* Cal Northern School of Law

Media

Chico is served by several print newspapers, including the ''

Chico Enterprise-Record The ''Chico Enterprise-Record'' is the daily newspaper of Chico, California. Also known as the E-R, the newspaper was first published in Bidwell Bar, California as the Butte Record in 1853 and is now part of the MediaNews Group corporation, who ...

'', the '' Chico News & Review'', '' The Orion'', and by ''

Videomaker Magazine ''Videomaker'' is a magazine publication dedicated to video production. The magazine's publisher and editor, Matthew York, founded the publication with his wife Patrice York, Associate Publisher, to "empower people to make video and to democrati ...

''. Local television stations include

KCVU-TV KCVU (channel 20) is a television station licensed to Paradise, California, United States, serving the Chico– Redding market as an affiliate of the Fox network. It is owned by Cunningham Broadcasting, which maintains a local marketing agreeme ...

(Fox),

KHSL-TV KHSL-TV (channel 12) is a television station in Chico, California, United States, serving the Chico–Redding, California, Redding area as an affiliate of CBS and The CW Plus. It is owned by Allen Media Group in common operation with KNVN (chan ...

(CBS),

KNVN-TV KNVN (channel 24) is a television station licensed to Chico, California, United States, serving the Chico–Redding, California, Redding media market, market as an affiliate of NBC and Telemundo. It is owned by Maxair Media, which maintains a sh ...

(NBC), and

KRCR-TV KRCR-TV (channel 7) is a television station licensed to Redding, California, United States, serving as the American Broadcasting Company, ABC affiliate for the Chico, California, Chico–Redding media market, market. It is owned by Sinclair Bro ...

(ABC). Local FM radio stations include: KALF (FM) 95.7, KBQB (FM) 92.7, KCEZ (FM) 102.1,

KCHO (FM) Kcho or KCHO may refer to: * Kcho, Cuban artist * Kʼchò language, a language of Myanmar * KCHO (FM), a radio station (91.7 FM) licensed to Chico, California, United States * Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport Charlottesville–Albemarle Ai ...

91.7, KPAY-FM 93.9, KHHZ (FM) 97.7,

KHSL-FM KHSL-FM (103.5 MHz, "The Blaze") is a country music formatted radio station based in Chico, California. It is owned and operated by Deer Creek Broadcasting and Digital Interactive LLC, which also owns News-Talk 93.9 KPAY-FM (formerly KFMF-FM) ...

103.5, KMXI (FM) 95.1, KRQR (FM), 106.7, KTHU (FM) 100.7,

KZAP (FM) KZAP (96.7 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcast ...

96.7, KZFR (FM) 90.1. Local AM stations include KPAY 1290 and KZSZ 107.5.

Transportation

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

operates the Chico station at Fifth and Orange Streets for the

Coast Starlight The ''Coast Starlight'' is a Amtrak Long Distance, long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States between Seattle and Los Angeles via Portland, Oregon, Portland and the San Francisco Bay Area. The train, ...

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 Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

and

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

with a northbound and a southbound train departing from the station daily. The

Greyhound The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a dog breed, breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Some are kept as show dogs or pets. Greyhounds are defined as a tall, muscular, smooth-c ...

and

FlixBus FlixBus (; styled FLiXBUS) is a German brand that offers low-cost Intercity bus service, intercity coach services in Europe, North America, South America and Asia. It is owned by , which also operates FlixTrain, FlixCar, , and Greyhound Lines. F ...

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. Chico is a gold level

bicycle-friendly Bicycle-friendly policies and practices help some people feel more comfortable about traveling by bicycle with other traffic. The level of bicycle-friendliness of an environment can be influenced by many factors including town planning and cycl ...

community as designated by the

League of American Bicyclists League or The League may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band * ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football * ''League of Legends'', a 2009 multiplayer online battle a ...

. Chico was also named "America's Best Bike Town" by ''

Bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered transport, human-powered or motorized bicycle, motor-assisted, bicycle pedal, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two bicycle wheel, wheels attached to a ...

'' magazine in 1997.

Pedicab The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport. It is a type of tricycle designed to carry passengers on a for-hire basis. It is also known by a variety of other names such as bike taxi, velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab, cyclo, be ...

s are commonly available downtown during the evenings.

California State Route 99 State Route 99 (SR 99) is a major north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California, stretching almost the entire length of the Central Valley. From its southern end at Interstate 5 (I-5) near Wheeler Ridge to its northe ...

and

California State Route 32 State Route 32 (SR 32) is an east–west state highway in the U.S. State of California which is routed from Interstate 5 in Orland, across the Sacramento Valley and through Chico, through the northern Sierra Nevada, and ending at SR 36 ...

intersect in Chico.

Air

Chico Regional Airport Chico Regional Airport , formerly known as Chico Municipal Airport, is north of Chico, California, Chico, in Butte County, California, United States. The airport covers , has two runways and one helipad. Its fixed-base operator, Northgate Aviat ...

serves the area and is north of the city limits. It was served by

United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois that operates an extensive domestic and international route network across the United States and six ...

United Express United Express is a regional airline network that supports United Airlines operations, primarily by serving smaller cities and connecting traffic to United's main hubs. Representing six percent of United's total capacity for 2024, United Express ...

flights operated by

SkyWest Airlines SkyWest Airlines is an American regional airline headquartered in St. George, Utah. SkyWest operates and maintains aircraft used on flights that are scheduled, marketed and sold by four partner Mainline (air travel), mainline airlines. The comp ...

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. On July 31, 1961, the first-ever

aircraft hijacking Aircraft hijacking (also known as airplane hijacking, skyjacking, plane hijacking, plane jacking, air robbery, air piracy, or aircraft piracy, with the last term used within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States) is the Crime, ...

on United States soil occurred at the Chico Regional Airport. Two men were critically wounded, and the hijacker was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison. In the early 1980s, the airport was the home base and headquarters for

Pacific Express Pacific Express was an all-jet airline in the western United States from 1982 to early based in marketed itself as Pan Am Pacific Express reflecting a marketing agreement between Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) and the carrier for connect ...

, a scheduled passenger airline that served Chico with

British Aircraft Corporation The British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric, English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs, Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft), the Bristol Aeroplane ...

BAC One-Eleven The BAC One-Eleven (BAC-111, BAC 1-11) is a retired early jet airliner produced by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Conceived by Hunting Aircraft as a 30-seat jet, before its merger into BAC in 1960, it was launched as an 80-seat airl ...

twin jets. From 1962 to 2010, the airport was also home to

Aero Union Aero Union Corporation was an aircraft operation and maintenance company based in Chico, California, United States. It was known for operating aerial firefighting aircraft, training crews and making custom designed firefighting systems tail ...

, a company that refitted and operated surplus military aircraft such as the

Lockheed P-3 Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop Anti-submarine warfare, anti-submarine and maritime patrol aircraft, maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. It is based on the Lockheed ...

turboprop as fire fighting aircraft for state and federal agencies until their move to

McClellan Airfield Sacramento McClellan Airport is a privately-owned, public-use airport located in the unincorporated area of McClellan Park, California, northeast of the central business district of Sacramento, the California state capital. The airport is ...

, 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 (). The record was broken on May 23, 2002. '' Top Gun: Maverick'' was filmed in the foothills outside Chico in July 2019 for the final scenes between the

F-14 The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic aircraft, supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, Tandem#Aviation, tandem two-seat, twin-tail, all-weather-capable variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for t ...

and two SU-57's, which was performed using two L-39's and CGI. The film crew spent 10 days filming and secretly used the Chico Airport for a staging area.

Sister cities

* – Tamsui, New Taipei,

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

1985 * –

Pascagoula, Mississippi Pascagoula ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula metropolitan area, and is part of the Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi, Biloxi–Pascag ...

(U.S.) 2005

Notable people

Jonathan Richman Jonathan Michael Richman (born May 16, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970, he founded the Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key acoustic an ...

, Singer, songwriter and former frontman of the Modern Lovers * Emily Azevedo, Olympian, world champion in

bobsled Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of 2 to 4 athletes make timed speed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sleigh. International bobsleigh competitions are governed by the International Bobs ...

* Annie Bidwell, civil rights leader *

, pioneer and founder of Chico *

Big Poppa E Big Poppa E is an American performer of slam poetry. His live performances combined poetry, stand-up comedy, and dramatic monologue. Performance poetry He participated in the 10th Annual Poetry Slam in Chicago as part of the San Francisco team. ...

, slam poet *

Joseph Bottom Joseph Stuart Bottom (born April 18, 1955) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic silver medalist, and former world record-holder in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly and 4×100-meter freestyle relay. Born in Akron, Ohio, ...

, swimmer, Olympic silver medalist, NCAA and world champion * Lisa Butts, national team player, women's rugby *

Brian Cage Brian Christopher Joseph ButtonGlynnis Talken Campbell, author, composer, musician, and voice actor. * Bill Carter, documentary filmmaker, author *

Raymond Carver Raymond Clevie Carver Jr. (May 25, 1938 – August 2, 1988) was an American short story writer and poet. He published his first collection of stories, '' Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?'', in 1976. His breakout collection, '' What We Talk About ...

, writer * Eugene A. Chappie, politician * Pat Clements, professional baseball pitcher *

Edwin Copeland Edwin Bingham Copeland (September 30, 1873 – March 16, 1964) was an American botanist and agriculturist. He is known for founding the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture at Los Baños, Laguna and for being one of the America' ...

, botanist, founder

University of the Philippines Los Banos College of Agriculture A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

Clay Dalrymple Clayton Errol Dalrymple (born December 3, 1936) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies (–) and Baltimore Orioles (–). Dalrymple was known for his stron ...

, professional baseball catcher * Leslie Deniz, Olympic silver medalist in discus *

Amanda Detmer Amanda Detmer (born 1971/1972) is an American actress. She made her big screen debut playing Miss Minneapolis in 1999 comedy film ''Drop Dead Gorgeous (film), Drop Dead Gorgeous'', and later had a supporting role in ''Final Destination (film), F ...

, actress *

Newton T. Enloe Newton Thomas Enloe Sr. (February 23, 1872 – December 21, 1954) was an American doctor. Enloe was a native of Missouri and was raised in a family of medical professionals. He moved to California in 1901 to work as a mill surgeon for the S ...

, founder of Enloe Health medical system * Ashley Everett, dancer, lead backup dancer, and dance captain for

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...

Pat Gillick Lawrence Patrick David Gillick (born August 22, 1937) is an American professional baseball executive. He previously served as the general manager of four MLB teams: the Toronto Blue Jays (1978–1994), Baltimore Orioles ( 1996– 1998), Seattle ...

, executive in

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...

* Ken Grossman, founder,

* Jerry Harris, sculptor *

Russell Hayden Russell "Lucky" Hayden (born Hayden Michael "Pate" Lucid; June 12, 1912 – June 9, 1981) was an American film and television actor. He is best known for his portrayal as Lucky Jenkins in Paramount's popular Hopalong Cassidy film series. Early ...

, actor * Joseph Hilbe,

Chico State University California State University, Chico (Chico State) is a public university in Chico, California. It was founded in 1887 as one of about 180 " normal schools" founded by state governments in the 19th century to train teachers for the rapidly growin ...

graduate, author, professor, statistician * Marty James, musician *

Mat Kearney Mathew William Kearney (; born December 1, 1978) is an American musician born in Eugene, Oregon, and based in Nashville, Tennessee. So far, he has a total of five top 20 hits on the Adult Top 40 Chart. '' Just Kids'' was released on February 2 ...

, musician *

Adnan Khashoggi Adnan Khashoggi (; 25 July 1935 – 6 June 2017) was a Saudi businessman and arms dealer known for his business dealings, extensive geopolitical influence, and opulent lifestyle, which earned him the moniker "''The Jay Gatsby, Great Gatsby ...

, billionaire businessman *

Kurt Kitayama Kurt Shun Kitayama (born January 14, 1993) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. On the European Tour, he won the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in December 2018 and the Oman Open in March 2019. In March 2023, he won the Arno ...

, professional golfer * Janja Lalich, author, professor, sociologist * Harold Lang, dancer and actor *Major Ted W. Lawson, U.S. Army Air Forces pilot *

Kyle Lohse Kyle Matthew Lohse (; born October 4, 1978) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, a ...

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

pitcher,

2011 World Series The 2011 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2011 Major League Baseball season, 2011 season. The 107th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American Le ...

champion *

Pat Mastelotto Lee Patrick Mastelotto (born September 10, 1955) is an American rock drummer and record producer. He has been a member of King Crimson, Stick Men, Mr. Mister and O.R.k., as well as working as a session drummer with XTC, The Pointer Sisters an ...

, musician * Michael Messner, notable author, sociologist *

William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...

, glass artist *

The Mother Hips The Mother Hips is an American rock band based in the San Francisco Bay Area. History Formation and ''Back to the Grotto'' Tim Bluhm (vocals/guitar), Greg Loiacono (guitar/vocals), Isaac Parsons (bass) and Mike Wofchuck (drums) met in 1 ...

, musical artists *

Joe Nelson Joseph George Nelson (born October 25, 1974) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. High school Nelson attended St. Joseph's High School in Alameda, California. At St. Joseph, Nelson played basketball with NBA star Jason Kidd. Coll ...

, professional baseball player *

Matt Olmstead Matt Olmstead is an American writer and producer for television shows. Early life Olmstead graduated from California State University, Chico in 1988. He is an alumnus of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. He went to Hollywood in hopes of ...

, writer and producer * Elena Orlando, professional ice hockey player *

Andranik Ozanian Andranik Ozanian, commonly known as General Andranik or simply Andranik (25 February 186531 August 1927), was an Armenian military commander and statesman, the best known '' fedayi'' and a key figure of the Armenian national liberation movem ...

, Armenian general and activist *

Pete Parada Peter Parada (born July 9, 1973) is an American drummer who has been a member of several bands. Parada's drumming career began in 1995 when he joined L.A. band World In Pain on a recommendation from future Korn drummer Ray Luzier and then Stee ...

, professional musician, drummer for

The Offspring The Offspring is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Garden Grove, California, in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band currently consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Dexter Holland, Bryan "Dexter" Holland, ...

* Kathleen Patterson, politician * Michael Perelman, author, economist, professor *

Jackson Pollock Paul Jackson Pollock (; January 28, 1912August 11, 1956) was an American painter. A major figure in the abstract expressionist movement, Pollock was widely noticed for his "Drip painting, drip technique" of pouring or splashing liquid household ...

, abstract expressionist painter *

Aaron Rodgers Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears foo ...

, quarterback, Super Bowl champion and 4-time

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

MVP *

Jordan Rodgers Jordan Edward Rodgers (born August 30, 1988) is an American sports commentator, television personality, and former professional football player. Rodgers signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent quarterback in 2013, and a ...

SEC Network SEC Network (SECN) is an American multinational sports network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which operates the network, through its 80% controlling ownership interest) and Hearst Communications (which hold ...

sportscaster *

Ed Rollins Edward Rollins (born March 19, 1943) is an American political consultant and advisor who has worked on several high-profile Republican political campaigns in the United States. In 1983 and 1984, Rollins was national campaign director for the su ...

, political consultant * Jason Ross, TV writer * Rigoberto Sanchez, professional football punter *

Mike Sherrard Michael Watson Sherrard (born June 21, 1963) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants, and Denver Broncos. He p ...

, professional football player,

Super Bowl XXIV Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion fo ...

champion * Carolyn S. Shoemaker, astronomer *

Robert C. Stebbins Robert Cyril Stebbins (March 31, 1915 – September 23, 2013) was an American herpetologist and illustrator known for his field guides and popular books as well as his studies of reptiles and amphibians. His ''Field Guide to Western Reptiles and ...

, herpetologist and illustrator * Gentry Stein, world yo-yo champion and performer * Jeff Stover, professional football player * Mike Thompson, politician * Douglas Tilden, sculptor *

Niki Tsongas Nicola Dickson "Niki" Tsongas (; née Sauvage; born April 26, 1946) is an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts from 2007 to 2019. She held the seat formerly held by her husband, the late Paul Tsongas, for ...

, politician, widow of

Paul Tsongas Paul Efthemios Tsongas ( ; February 14, 1941 – January 18, 1997) was an American politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1979 until 1985 and in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 until 1 ...

Muddy Waters McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1913April 30, 1983), better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician who was an important figure in the post-World War II blues scene, and is often cited as the "father of moder ...

, coach in

College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...

Bill Wattenburg Willard Harvey Wattenburg (February 9, 1936 – August 2, 2018) was an American inventor, engineer, author, and Talk radio, talk radio show host from California. Advertisements for his show often referred to him as "The Smartest Man in the Wo ...

, scientist, radio talk show host *

Don Young Donald Edwin Young (June 9, 1933 – March 18, 2022) was an American politician from Alaska. He is the List of members of the United States Congress by longevity of service, longest-serving Republican Party (United States), Republican in House ...

, politician

References

External links

*
Chico Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control Cities in Butte County, California Former county seats in California Geography of the Sacramento Valley Incorporated cities and towns in California Populated places on the Sacramento River Nuclear-weapon-free zones Shasta Cascade Populated places established in 1872 1872 establishments in California