John Gallardo, president of the Chico Heritage Association, leads a walking tour of downtown Chico neighborhoods during the Cultural and Historical Resources conference.

Cultural and Historical Resources: A Toolbox for Preservation

by Amy Huberland, Northeast Information Center

Have you ever walked through our Chico neighborhoods and admired the character of the historic buildings in the downtown and residential areas? Have you ever noticed one of these old buildings in disrepair or being torn down? These and other related issues were the focus of the conference and workshop “Cultural and Historical Resources: A Toolbox for Preservation” held Sept. 5.

The conference, spearheaded by the Northeast Information Center and hosted by a coalition representing CSU, Chico’s anthropology, history, and geography departments as well as the Mechoopda Maidu Indians and the Chico Heritage Association, provided an opportunity to share information on the historical, archaeological, and tribal resources of Chico and Northern California. It included presentations by the State Office of Historic Preservation, a historic walking tour, and a reception at Hotel Diamond.

A crowd of about 200 gathered, brought together by a common concern for the preservation and protection of our cultural heritage in light of the pressures of ongoing development and growth in Northern California. The truly diverse group represented the local community as well as outlying areas of the North State, including county and city planners, elected officials, the University, Native American tribes, museum curators, archivists, librarians, and representatives of neighborhood and advocacy groups.

The growth and development of Chico and the surrounding North State will continue throughout the foreseeable future, threatening irreplaceable cultural and historical resources, but planners, resource professionals, tribes, and interested members of the community can work together to integrate growth and preservation.

Lucinda Woodward of the Local Government Unit of the State Office of Historic Preservation described how a historic preservation program works not only to protect important historical buildings, sites, and landscapes, but also to improve the aesthetics, economics, and quality of life of a community. A revitalized downtown can increase heritage tourism and incubate locally owned small businesses. This approach can preserve the quality of life we so value in Chico and the North State.

So the next time you’re walking through downtown Chico, take at look at some of our treasures: the Chico Municipal Building (built in 1911), Senator Theatre (1929), downtown Chico Post Office (1916), Collier Hardware/Masonic Lodge (1871), and the El Rey/Majestic Theatre (1906). Some of these buildings have been rehabilitated or maintained, while others appear to have a questionable future.

It is our hope that the conference helped increase awareness of historical and cultural preservation issues and will foster the protection of these types of resources for future generations.

The Northeast Information Center (NEIC) operates under the CSU, Chico Department of Anthropology, and under contract with the State Office of Historic Preservation. For 30 years, the NEIC has been the primary repository for archaeological site records and reports for 11 counties within northeastern California.