Bidwell Park Timeline

The following timeline was written by Friends of Bidwell Park

• 1918 20 acre (81,000 m²) fish hatchery proposed
  

• 1920 (approx.) Golf course put in; 9 holes
  

• 1921 Forestry Station land added to Lower Park. Now the site of Cedar Grove, the Nature Center, and World of Trees
  

• 1921,1926 airfield near golf course proposed
  

• 1925 First Country club/clubhouse built at golf course
  

• 1926 Company G, 184th Infantry gets permission to construct rifle range
  

• 1932 Polo field proposed
  

• 1933 CCC winter camp building east of the golf course proposed
  

• 1934 Kennedy tract walnut orchard added to north side of Lower Park
  

• 1937 (and prior to) Horseshoe Lake reservoir in existence
  

• 1937 "The Adventures of Robin Hood", starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, was filmed in Lower Park
  

• 1939 Petersen Memorial Drive built by Civilian Conservation Corps
  

• 1940 Overnight campground proposed in northeastern end of park
  

• 1941 Military camping okayed
  

• 1942-45 Diversion Dam built (year uncertain)
  

• 1946 Archery area established by Glenn Archery Club
  

• 1947 25-year lease and improvements on Radar bombing site proposed
  

• 1949 Recreation District formed (CARD)
  

• 1950 Softball field moved to Hooker Oak area
  

• 1950 Water control dams on Chico Creek proposed
  

• 1951 Day Camp established by CARD and Chico Teachers College
  

• 1951 First mention of Easter Cross in BPPC minutes
  

• 1953 CDF Fire Station with 1.6 acres (6500 m²) proposed NW of Live Oak Grove (30 yrs)
  

• 1953 Horseback riding groups ask BPPC for arena site. Okayed, but no funds.
  

• 1953 Area near One Mile Dam leased to CARD for Sycamore baseball field.
  

• 1953 Chief Evans asks for site for Police pistol range
  

• 1953-54 Pistol range under construction
  

• 1954 Camp Fire Girls (now Camp Fire USA) dedicate Campfire Council Ring in Lower Park
  

• 1955 Local midget race car group builds 250 ft (76 m) long track in Live Oak Grove
  

• 1955 & 56 Bridge requested for private property access above Day Camp
  

• 1956 New rifle range requested for sole use of the National Guard, lease for 10 yrs
  

• 1957-58 CARD develops Hooker Oak area
  

• 1958 $25,000 fish ladder built. Ten dams in 300 ft (90 m) barrier
  

• 1958 Motorcycle club asks to further develop Live Oak Grove area
  

• 1959 Dam on Chico Creek (upper park) proposed
  

• 1963 PG&E claims it will cost $147,000 extra to bypass Bidwell Park with major power lines, plus $16,000/ year. BPPC votes 3-1 to put lines elsewhere
  

• 1964 PG&E power lines through upper park under construction
  

• 1965 Sycamore Bypass diversion channel built
  

• 1968 Chico Riding Club puts up arena
  

• 1970 Five Mile Dam Recreation Area dedication
  

• 1970 Caper Acres playground built
  

• 1971 Footbridge at golf course replaced after old one washed out by high waters in 1970
  

• 1972 Rod & Gun Club reports 77,300 targets used in 1971; possible cleanup of used skeet clay birds discussed
  

• 1972 Extensive discussion and study of closing South Park Dr. to cars
  

• 1972 Rifle range shade structures built
  

• 1973 Upper Park to be closed from 11:30 p.m. to 30 minutes before sunrise to reduce vandalism
  

• 1973 Trial period for dogs off leash in Lower and Upper Park starts
  

• 1974 CARD proposes tennis court construction at Hooker Oak as part of renovation and improvement plan. BPPC opposed. City Council tentatively approves.
  

• 1974 Park Commission votes to stop issuing wood-cutting permits for Bidwell Park
  

• 1974 Park Commission discusses instituting a city tree ordinance
  

• 1974 Park Commission meeting minutes mention using sheep for weed control in park
  

• 1974 Upper Park Road to be closed during wet weather at discretion of Park Superintendent
  

• 1975 Park Commission discusses fire hazard in Park due to undergrowth
  

• 1975 Banning of off-road vehicles on North Rim Trail discussed but no action taken
  

• 1976 Bird sanctuary proposed for Lower Park by deer pen
  

• 1976 Park Commission votes to close pistol range within 6 months
  

• 1977 Bidwell Park site (by Mangrove Ave) proposed for new city/county library
  

• 1979 Roller skating to be allowed in Lower Park
  

• 1979 Request to fly remote control planes in Horseshoe Lake area including creation of a takeoff/landing area
  

• 1979 North Rim road to be closed to vehicles in the winter months
  

• 1980 20-station Par Course approved for Lower Park
  

• 1981 Upper Park controlled burns start, with 1/5 of area to be burned each year
  

• 1981 Commission Minutes note that there is only one trash can in Upper Park, users are supposed to "Pack it out"
  

• 1982 Horse-drawn carriage tours proposed for Lower Park
  

• 1983 Golf Course leased to private concessionaire with Park Commission relinquishing control over golf course management
  

• 1983 Bocce ball courts proposed for Hooker Oak area
  

• 1983 1300 acorns planted along Upper Park Road on north side
  

• 1983 State Route 99 mural approved
  

• 1983 Job title for Bidwell Park's two Community Service Officers is changed to Park Ranger
  

• 1984 Park Department hires their first Urban Forester
  

• 1984 Upper Park annual controlled burns stopped
  

• 1985 Lost Park area surveyed and encroachments noted on maps
  

• 1985 Tree nursery started in 1.2 acre (4900 m²) Lower Park walnut orchard area
  

• 1986 North Park Dr. to become one-way westbound, open 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
  

• 1987 Extensive discussion regarding use of park for military training
  

• 1987 Discussion begins regarding feral cats in park
  

• 1989 Rod and Gun Club's rifle and trap shooting ranges close
  

• 1989 Golf course expanded and Upper Park Road realigned
  

• 1989 Unofficial disc golf courses begin to develop on 40 acre (160,000 m²) Hwy 32 site.
  

• 1990 Shakespeare in the Park begins (D-Rock Is Born)
  

• 1990 Bidwell Park Master Management Plan (MMP) approved by City Council.
  

• 1992 1.5 mile (2.4 km) "B" Trail built by volunteers from east end of Rim Trail to Middle Trail
  

• 1992 0.4 mile (600 m) Canyon Oak Trail (later renamed Maidu) built by volunteers from Middle Trail near Parking Area E to Rim Trail.
  

• 1992 Realignment of Upper Park Road and Golf Course using Mitigated Negative Declaration.
  

• 1991 Bidwell Park Wildfire Management Plan.
  

• 1994 Chico General Plan approved. Bidwell Park, especially Upper Park, designated as a Resource Conservation Area (pg. 7-11).
  

• 1993 Purchase of 40 acre (160,000 m²) BLM site on Hwy 32 (site of present disc golf courses).
  

• 1995 Acquisition of 1417 acres (5.73 km²) on south side of Big Chico Creek.
  

• 1998-1999 Bloody Pin Trail rerouted and Guardians & Pine Trails built.
  

• 1998 Annie Bidwell Trail proposed, to extend from Bidwell Mansion to end of Upper Park "within sight and sound of the creek".
  

• 1999 1500 acre (6.1 km²) backfire covers north side of Upper Park between road and park boundary..
  

• 1999 Bidwell Park Trails Manual approved, described as a "work in progress".
  

• 1999 Existing disc golf course location approved by Park Commission and City Council, negotiations begin with Cal Trans regarding Hwy 32 access.
  

• 2000-2001 1.25 miles (2 km) of Yahi Trail relocated and/or rebuilt.
  

• 2001 Observatory built.
  

• 2002 Horseshoe Lake Fishing Pier built.
  

• 2002 GPS mapping of existing park trails and roads shows 40+ miles (60 km) of official and frequently used unofficial trails and road on the north side and 28 miles (45 km) on the south side.
  

• 2000-2002 Trail plan developed with 23 "Focus Areas", includes new creekside ABT pedestrian trail segments on the south side, new 1 mile (1.6 km) segment of South Rim trail, new trail from the North Rim Trail starting at the power lines to Bear Hole, a new trail from the eastern end of Lower Trail to Bear Hole, a new trail from the Middle Trail to the potential Day Camp area bridge site, a new trail from the junction of the B Trail and Middle Trail to Parking Area U at the end of the road, reroute of east end of Upper Trail and several reroutes of Yahi Trail between Bear Hole and Parking Area P.
  

• 2002 Bridges proposed above Day Camp and at the end of Upper Park Road.
  

• 2002 Boundary survey on south side shows that some park trails from disc golf area cross private property and may need to be rerouted.
  

• 2003 19 acre (77,000 m²) antimony, lead, copper and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons removal project planned for Horseshoe Lake and lead removal at former pistol range.
  

• 2003 Conceptual approval of observatory outdoor seating area & spotting pads, including realignment of the road to Parking Area C.
  

• 2003 Funding for update of Bidwell Park Master Management Plan and associated EIR approved by City Council.
  

• 2003 Conceptual approval of horse workout pen by Horse Arena.
  

• 2007 The Nico Project Play area opened in Caper Acres