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Welcome To KEY TO THE CITY's Page For
Oroville
Butte County and Glenn County, California
ZipCodes
95966
Motto
The Gold City
Solar City, USA
History & History-related items
Chamber of Commerce.
The Feather River was named by Captain Luis Arguello as he explored the area. He called it, "Rio de las Plumas," or the River of Feathers. The first permanent white settlement here was in 1845. Only three years later, in 1848, gold was discovered by John Bidwell. Instantly the area boomed. A tent city named Ophir City rose up as thousands in search of their fortunes came to set up camp. In 1856, the name was changed to Oroville, oro meaning gold in Spanish. The Olive packing industry opened up here in the early 1900's. The Oroville dam was built in 1967, forming Lake Oroville.
At one point in its early days, Oroville was California's second largest city. It was a miner's town with many gambling houses and other activities that catered to the whims of the successful miners. A remembrance of those days is seen in the "Miner's Alley" area of Oroville.
Here is a history page for Oroville.
Pioneer Memorial Museum with historical information and a picture tour of the past.
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NOTED NOTABLES
Freda Ehmann - the "Mother of the Ripe Olive Industry." She developed a curing process for olives and moved to Oroville to begin using it. Her son, Edwin was the mayor of Oroville from 1919 to 1923. Their home, at Lincoln and Robinson Streets, was built in 1911 and is currently used as the headquarters for the Butte County Historical Society.
There are many water-related activities here. The Feather River flows by town and Lake Oroville is closeby. Tours of the Feather River Fish Hatchery or of Oroville Dam and Power plant may be taken with reservations made ahead of time. Please call: (530) 534-2306 to make these arrangements.
The Feather Falls
The sixth highest waterfall in the United States.
U.S. Forest Service
875 Mitchell Ave.
Oroville, CA 95965
Phone: (530) 534-6500
Butte County Pioneer Memorial Museum
2332 Montgomery St.
Oroville, CA
Phone: (530) 534-0198
Oroville Chinese Temple
1500 Broderick St
Oroville, CA 95965
Phone: (530) 538-2496
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places & California Landmarks.
Military History Museum
4514 Pacific Heights Rd.
Oroville, CA
Phone: 530-534-9956
military history, art and memorabilia
Oroville Dam
the tallest and one of the largest earthen dams in the country. It was completed in 1968. It is 770 feet high with the top being 6,920 feet long from side to side. Underneath the dam is the power generation area for electricity. Lake Oroville, formed by the dam, is 24 square miles of surface area. The capacity of the lake is 3 1/2 million acre-feet. The maximum depth of the lake is 690 feet and there is a maximum shoreline of 167 miles.
Lake Oroville Visitor's Center
Kelly Ridge Road
Phone: 530-538-2219
Lake Oroville Park Headquarters
Phone: 530-538-2200
Tours may be taken by calling for reservations at: 530-534-2306
Here you'll learn about Lake Oroville, the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, and exhibits covering the history of the California water projects, the Maidu Indians, and local wildlife. A visitor's tower offers fantastic views of the lake area.
Butte County Historical Museum
Spencer Ave & Baldwin Ave
Oroville, CA 95966
Phone: 530-533-9418
Cherokee Museum
4226 Cherokee Rd
Oroville, CA 95965-9124
Phone: 530-533-1849
Learn more about Oroville at this informative site.
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City Hall
1735 Montgomery Street
Oroville, California 95965
Phone: 530-538-2401
Toll-free: 888-OROVILLE
Fax: 530-538-2468
Oroville Historical Events
mid 1800's
Andrew Wheaton Gray was among those who mined the Feather River. He diverted the river and panned an estimated $ 32 million in gold. That done, he then buried his tools (stamped with his name) and redirected the river back on course.
Oroville Chamber
Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce
1789 Montgomery Street
Oroville, California 95965
Phone: 530-538-2542
Toll Free: (800) 655-GOLD
Fax: 530-538-2546
Email
Oroville Organizations
Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce
1789 Montgomery Street
Oroville, California 95965
Phone: 530-538-2542
Toll Free: (800) 655-GOLD
Fax: 530-538-2546
Email
Oroville Libraries
Butte County Library
1820 Mitchell Street
Oroville, CA
Phone: 530-528-7641
Oroville Schools
Oroville Union High School District
2211 Washington Ave.
Oroville, Ca 95965-5440
Phone: 530-538-2300
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