Butte County

Butte County, the “Land of Natural Wealth and Beauty” was one of the original California counties, founded on February 18, 1850. Its name is derived from the Marysville or Sutter Buttes, which lay within the boundaries of the county when it was created. The word butte is derived from the Teutonic word meaning "a blunt extension or elevation." In the French language, it signifies "a small hill or mound of earth detached from any mountain range." Butte County is the home of 210,500 people, living in the cities of Chico, Oroville, Gridley, Biggs, Paradise or other parts of the county.

Butte County is a county located in California's Central Valley, north of Sacramento. As of the 2000 census, it had a population of 203,171. 2003 figures place this at 210,400. The county seat is Oroville. Butte County is watered by the Feather River and the Sacramento River. It is the site of Feather Falls, the sixth largest waterfall in the United States. The county is the home of California State University, Chico.

Butte County was one of California's first counties, created in 1850 at time of statehood. Part of the county's territory was given to Plumas County in 1854 and to Tehama County in 1856. Butte County is located approximately 80 miles north of Sacramento with a population of 201,000 per the 1990 U.S. Census. Cities and towns in Butte County are: Oroville (Ophir), Chico, Paradise, Magalia (Dogtown), Gridley, Biggs, Dayton, Durham, and Nelson. Oroville is the County Seat.

Other towns that are very small or don't exist anymore are : Helltown, Coutolenc, Lovelock, Nimshew, Stirling City, Powellton, Inskip, Cherokee, Yankee Hill, Hamilton, Evansville, Swede's Flat, Feather Falls (Mooretown), Forbestown and Bidwell Bar.

Prayer Focus: Submitted by Karen Varcruse

The redemptive characteristics of Butte County to include are listed below. Prayer should focus on their release and increase:

John Bidwell was THE original American pioneer to lead a group across the Sierras to CA.

and therefore is seminal to the DNA of the state. He became a Godly man who applied Godly principles in his productive life. Pray God will raise up Godly men whose lives will speak to the DNA of the state.

He and Annie were devoted Christians who knelt at the threshold of their 20,000 acre rancho and dedicated all their holdings to God and His purposes. Pray men and women in our state will kneel at the thresholds of their homes rededicate their homes and belongings to Christ.

The Bidwells preached and practiced Godly stewardship of the land leaving a rich heritage of parkland, ag land, conservation, Chico State college and a lasting investment in future generations. Pray God will use believers to bless the land and our educational institutions and we will have a burden to see His redemptive purposes for them restored.

Bidwell prophetically declared that the real gold of CA was water and was a leader in water development of the state - which became the largest water transfer system in the world. Pray for the water systems of California that they will be used to transfer God’s Love & Mercy to the 34 Million people who live in our state.

Annie was a foremost, nationally recognized advocate for first nations in the US, establishing creative mechaisms for native ownership of land before the government allowed it, and establishing education for native peoples in CA. Pray that we will have an increased compassion and desire to bless the native peoples of this land.

Half of Butte County contains much class 1 soil, which is the richest 1% of the world's most fertile land. Butte County agriculture provides crops internationally. Pray for the blessing of God upon the crops of this region for His glory to go forth with the fruit.

Oroville has been a major source of gold and water for the state. The city was a major contributor of gold to the nation during the Gold Rush. Oroville Dam is the largest earthen dam in the world. Oroville Lake supplies a large portion of the contracted water to the state.

Pray that the Gold of God’s glory will go forth from Oroville.

The Chico Normal School, which became CSU Chico, was established to train much-needed teachers in CA's early days. The Bidwell's recognized they would imprint their character on future generations by sending out young people of high moral character and Godly principles. Pray that Character development on the universities and the blessing of college students will be a priority for the churches this year.

Pray for continued unity among the churches and pastors and for revival to come.

Pray for continued prayer mobilization to lead to spiritual breakthrough.

Christian marriages: Pray Christian marriages to be a witness of life in Christ. There has been a GREAT spiritual attack against marriages. Pray for marriage to be affirmed and protected in this County.

Government and leadership: Pray that believers will cover government and leadership in this county in prayer that the residence of this county may live quiet and peaceable lives which will demonstrate holiness and godliness. I Tim. 1:2

History of John & Annie Bidwell

In the month of July, 1843, some emigrants started from the neighborhood of Sacramento to go
overland by the Hudson Bay trail to Oregon. At the same time they disappeared from view, also van-
ished some animals belonging to Capt. John A. Sutler, and the coincidence was so striking that John Bidwell, Peter Lassen, James Bruheim and an Indian associated the two events together in their minds and searched for the missing animals in the direction the party had taken, with the hope of finding them. The party was overtaken at Red Bluff, and the hope fully realized. This was the first trip any of the settlers about the junction of the American and Sacramento rivers had made to the upper end of the valley, and so pleased was Mr. Bidwell with the appearance of the country that he made an outline map of it upon his return to Slitter's Fort, upon which were marked the principal streams, with the names that nearly all of them now bear. From this map, a number of selections of land were made for the purpose of applying for land grants from the Mexican government.

The first grant made in this region was that to Peter Lassen, on Deer creek, lying partly in this county, but chiefly in Tehama. He settled upon it at the celebrated Lassen's ranch in the early spring of 1844. In the month of July, 1844, Edward A. Farwell and Thomas Fallen settled on the Farwell grant, the east line of which runs through the town of Chico. This was the first settlement within the present limits of Buttte county, and the little habitation of these two men was the pioneer of the many fine mansions and happy homes to be seen on every side.

Later in the same year, Samuel Neal and David Dutton settled on the Esquon grant, on Butte creek, seven miles south of Chico. In 1845, William Dickey, Sanders and Yates located on the Dickey grant, now the property of Hon. John Bidwell, and known as the Rancho Arroyo Chico. Also James
W. Marshall, the discoverer of gold in 1848, and Northgrave located on the grant to S. J. Hensley.

That year, also, Charles Roether, familiarly known as Dutch Charley, settled on the Huber grant, on the north side of Honcut creek.

The discovery of gold on Feather river, in March, 1848, by John Bidwell, but two months after the discovery by Marshall at Coloma, was the beginning of a new era for this region. In the great rush of incoming gold-hunters in 1849, Feather river received its share, and soon every bar, ravine and gulch
had its quota of industrious miners, while the smoke from their rude cabins, frail tents, and hastily constructed brush shanties marked the river's course for miles. On the more important bars, mining camps of considerable size sprang suddenly into existence, some of them becoming quite populous towns full of life and business, and containing many substantial buildings. Of these but few traces can now be found, save the one or two that have absorbed the others and prospered by the law of " the survival of the fittest."