1980 Map of Chico

About this map

Chico and the surrounding Butte County foothills are captured here during a period of significant regional development in the late 1970s. The landscape transition from the Sacramento Valley floor into the Sierra Nevada is clearly visible, anchored by the urban centers of Chico and Paradise. To the west, the winding path of the Sacramento River defines the edge of historic land grants like Rancho de Farwell and Rancho Arroyo Chico, where orchards and agriculture dominate the level plains. To the east, the terrain rises sharply along the Cohasset Ridge and Doe Mill Ridge, leading into the timberlands of the Lassen National Forest and Plumas National Forest. The map documents the extensive water management systems of the era, including the sprawling Lake Oroville and the Thermalito Afterbay. Smaller, historically rich settlements such as Magalia, Cherokee, and the mountain community of Stirling City are mapped alongside the industrial infrastructure of the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific railroads.