Chico
is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States.
The city is a cultural, economic, and educational center of the northern
Sacramento Valley and home to both Chico State University and Bidwell
Park, one of the country's 25 largest municipal parks and the 13th largest
municipally-owned park.
Other cities in close proximity
to the Chico Metropolitan Area (population 212,000) include Paradise and
Oroville, while local towns and villages (unincorporated areas) include
Durham, Cohasset, Dayton, Hamilton City, Nord, and Forest Ranch. The Chico
Metropolitan Area is the 14th largest metropolitan statistical area in
California.
The
official city nickname is "City of Roses," according to the Seal of the
City of Chico, California. Chico has been designated as a Tree City USA
for 23 years by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Chico is located at the northeast
edge of the Sacramento Valley, one of the richest agricultural areas in
the world. The Sierra Nevada mountains lie to the East, with Chico's city
limits venturing several miles into the foothills. To the west, the Sacramento
River lies five miles (8 km) from the city limit.
Bidwell
Park is a municipal park located in Chico, California. The park was established
July 20, 1905 through the donation by Annie Bidwell (widow of Chico's founder,
John Bidwell) of approximately 2,500 acres (10 km²) of land to the
City of Chico. Since that time, the City has purchased additional land,
such as Cedar Grove in 1922, and 1,200 acres (5 km²) of land south
of Big Chico Creek in upper Bidwell Park in 1995. Today, the total Park
size is 3,670 acres (15 km²), nearly 11 miles (18 km) in length, making
it the third largest municipal park in California and one of the 25 largest
city parks in the United States.
Bidwell Park is "divided"
by Manzanita Avenue. The area west of Manzanita Avenue is referred to as
Lower Park and the area to the east is referred to as Upper Park. The noticeable
difference between Upper and Lower Park is the terrain. Upper Park is located
in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It has steep terrain and
contains many rock formations, including the unique Chico Formation sandstone
and Lovejoy Basalt rocks. Lower Park is flat and level with a thick canopy
of trees which provide ample shade for the visitor. Special rules also
apply in the Upper Park and the road is unpaved for much of its length.
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