...to save Bidwell Mansion

The California State budget cuts have hit our State Parks hard, with many slated for closure this year. The most loved park in our local community is Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park which is slated for full closure 01 May 2012. Our local community has been working hard to "Save Bidwell Mansion" http://www.savebidwellmansion.org

ABOUT THIS PROJECT:

MoPho Info:

Capture • DROID 3

Processing • Vignette App

This American Life • Theme of the Week • MoPho Project 52 Weeks, creating 52 new images in 2012 for each week's TAL theme with the device I listen to the episodes on, Motorola Droid 3. Each image for this project will be shot in 2012 and processed in phone with installed Apps. I then take it into Lightroom to add tags, title, caption and my watermark. So in essence each photo will be straight out of camera phone.

ABOUT THIS WEEK'S TAL EPISODE:                                                

#459: WHAT KIND OF COUNTRY

Originally aired 03.02.2012

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/459/what-kind-of-country

"All across the country right now, local and state governments are finding they can't pay their bills. Schools are losing teachers, street lights are going dark, garbage is piling up in public parks, and cops are suddenly an optional expense.

This week we travel to Colorado Springs, to Trenton and to the office of Grover Norquist to ask: Is the kind of country we want? One where government gets smaller? Or should we all pay higher taxes, and keep government bigger?"

Flickr Group: http://flickr.com/groups/TALTOTW

Facebook Page: http://Facebook.com/TAL52

ABOUT BIDWELL MANSION:

Architect: Henry W. Cleaveland

Built: 1865

Style: Italian Villa Octagon house

Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park

"Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park is a beautiful, three-story, 26 room Victorian House Museum that stands as a memorial to John and Annie Bidwell. John Bidwell was known throughout California and across the nation as an important pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician and philanthropist. Annie Ellicott Kennedy Bidwell, the daughter of a socially prominent, high ranking Washington official, was deeply religious, and committed to a number of moral and social causes. Annie was very active in the suffrage and prohibition movements.

The Bidwells were married April 16, 1868 in Washington, D.C. with then President Andrew Johnson and future President Ulysses S. Grant among the guests. Upon arrival in Chico, the Bidwells used the Mansion extensively for entertainment of friends. Some of the guests that visited Bidwell Mansion were President Rutherford B. Hayes, General William T. Sherman, Susan B. Anthony, Frances Willard, Governor Stanford, John Muir, and Asa Gray.

When constructed, Bidwell Mansion featured the most modern plumbing, gas lighting and water systems. The overall style of the three-story brick structure is that of an Italian Villa, an informal, warmly romantic style. The building's exterior is finished with a pink tinted plaster."

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=460

Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

" Bidwell Mansion, located at 525 Esplanade in Chico, California, was the home of General John Bidwell and Annie Bidwell from the late 1868 until 1900, when Gen. Bidwell died. Annie continued to live there until her death in 1918. John Bidwell began construction of the mansion on his 26,000 acres (110 km²) Rancho del Arroyo Chico in 1865, during his courtship of Annie Ellicott Kennedy. After their marriage in 1868, the three story, 26 room Victorian house became the social and cultural center of the upper Sacramento Valley. Now a museum and State Historic Park, it is California Historical Landmark #329 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The mansion was a $60,000 project, and was finished in May 1868.[1]

When constructed, Bidwell Mansion featured modern plumbing, gas lighting and water systems. The three-story brick structure is built in an informally romantic version of the Italianate style. It also has aspects of the Italian Villa and Octagon house types present. The building's exterior is finished with a pink tinted plaster.

The first floor of the Bidwell Mansion is accessible via a ramp from the exterior of the Mansion. The interior of the entire mansion can be seen during an hour long tour that starts on the hour most days of the week. A video is available in the visitor center for those who can not climb the 50 stairs to the 2nd and 3rd floors of the mansion.

The Bidwell Mansion Visitor Center is completely accessible. There is a gift shop, museum, theater, and comfortable lobby. There are also restrooms and water."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidwell_Mansion_State_Historic_Park

ENTERPRISE-RECORD NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ABOUT FUNDRAISERS TO SAVE BIDWELL MANSION:

Advocates make final push to save Chico's Bidwell Mansion

By KATY SWEENY - Staff Writer

Posted:   03/08/2012 12:41:00 AM PST

"CHICO — Three Marsh Junior High School 8th-graders turned over another $900 Wednesday to help keep Bidwell Mansion from closure.

Lizzie Cootsona, Sarah Gibson and Sachin Kumar said they and other middle school leadership students raised almost $6,000 for the effort.

Community members have raised about $66,000 toward the Bidwell Mansion Community Project goal to raise $100,000 by April 1, said Patrick Bulmer, project committee member. If the project meets its goal, it would keep the state historic park open three days a week.

Bulmer and other steering committee members gave a group of about 20 people an update Wednesday on the project.

State legislators decided last year to close 70 parks, including Bidwell Mansion, by July 1 to save money.

Sue Evans and her cousin, Jan, overall raised $2,415 just by emailing people, including their high school classmates.

Other people also stood up Wednesday and turned in checks or told the group what they did to raise money.

"It is our honor to hear the stories of love for our project," said Nancy Overton, committee member.

Gene Stewart told the committee about his idea for a dance with the band Cottonwood playing on April 1 at Acker Gym at Chico State University. He said, however, he would like help to organize it.

Children could come free, "so they can see their parents and their grandparents having fun," Stewart said.

Bulmer responded, "Run it and do it. We will graciously accept whatever funds you raise

Advertisement

and apply them to the Bidwell Mansion."

Overton said she and others are working feverishly on getting donations and planning the Run for Bidwell Mansion March 31 through Bidwell Park to the state historic park. The group is still looking for runners, sponsors and donations.

Runners will get a T-shirt with a Bidwell Mansion water color printed on it with registration, said committee member Maria Phillips.

"It's something you can keep and say, 'I helped save Bidwell Mansion,'" Phillips said.

People can sign up at www.savebidwellmansion.org. Entrance fee costs $30 in advance or $20 for those 16 and younger.

The committee and other advocates are planning a number of fundraisers.

The Chico Women's Club at 592 E. Third St. will show silent films Friday and Saturday.

The festival will start at 6 p.m. Friday with humorous features, including "Cops" with Buster Keaton, "Behind the Screen" with Charlie Chaplin, "Wrong Again" with Laurel and Hardy, and "Lizzies of the Field."

Alfred Hitchcock's "Blackmail" will play at 8 p.m. At 10:30 a.m. Saturday, "Storm Over Asia" will be shown. "The Night Cry" will play at 1 p.m. featuring Rin Tin Tin plus a Felix the Cat cartoon. At 3 p.m., "The Canadian" will be shown. "Chicago" will run at 7 p.m. And at 9 p.m., "The Unholy Three" will start. Each show costs $8 for adults in advance, or $2 for children 12 and under.

Tickets for all the movies are available at Avenue 9 Gallery, 180 E. Ninth Ave. No. 3 or by calling 228-2860.

The Bidwell Mansion quilt collection will be on display Saturday at the mansion.

The show will include 26 quilts, which were created from 1850 to 1918, many of which have not been seen for years. All quilts were privately donated to the mansion collection.

The display will run from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Docents will be on hand to discuss the quilts. A $10 donation to help Bidwell Mansion is being asked.

Tickets are available in advance or on the show day at the adjacent Bidwell Mansion Visitor Center, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and noon to 5 p.m. Monday, or on a will-call basis, 895-6144.

At 1 p.m. Saturday, Las Senoras and Annie K. Bidwell parlor of Native Daughters of the Golden West are sponsoring a bunco fundraiser at Casa de Flores Mobile Home Park, 701 E. Lassen Ave. The cost is $10, payable at the door.

For information, call Shar Plowman, 345-3276 or Lorraine Hibdon, 343-9222.

People can donate to the Bidwell Mansion Community Project by mailing checks directly to the North Valley Community Foundation at 3120 Cohasset Road Suite 8 in Chico, Calif. 95973."

http://www.chicoer.com/ci_20128004/advocates-make-final-push-save-chicos-bidwell-mansion?IADID=Search-www.chicoer.com-www.chicoer.com

Big weekend for Bidwell Mansion fundraisers

Staff Reports

Posted:   03/09/2012 10:06:06 AM PST

"CHICO — Several fundraising events are being planned this weekend to help Bidwell Mansion, including a film festival, bunco event, and a quilt show.

Several silent films will be shown Friday and Saturday at Chico Women's Club, 592 E. Third St.

At 8 p.m. today, Alfred Hitchcock's "Blackmail" will be shown.

At 10:30 a.m. Saturday, "Storm Over Asia" will be shown. At 1 p.m. is "The Night Cry" featuring Rin Tin Tin plus a Felix the Cat cartoon. At 3 p.m., "The Canadian" will be shown. At 7 p.m., "Chicago" will be shown. And at 9 p.m., "The Unholy Three" will start.

Each show is $8 for adults in advance, or $2 for children 12 and under.

Tickets for all the movies are available at Avenue 9 Gallery, 180 E. Ninth Ave. No. 3 or by calling 228-2860.

On Saturday, the Bidwell Mansion quilt collection will be on display at the mansion.

The collection includes 26 quilts, which were created from 1850 to 1918, many of which have not been seen for years. All quilts were privately donated to the mansion collection.

The display is 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Docents will be on hand to discuss the quilts. A $10 donation to help Bidwell Mansion is being asked.

Tickets are available in advance or on the show day at the adjacent Bidwell Mansion Visitor Center, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and noon to 5 p.m. Monday, or on a will-call basis, 895-6144.

At 1 p.m. Saturday, Las Senoras and Annie K. Bidwell parlor of Native Daughters of the

Advertisement

Golden West are sponsoring a bunco fundraiser at Casa de Flores Mobile Home Park, 701 E. Lassen Ave. The cost is $10, payable at the door.

For information, call Shar Plowman, 342-3903 or Lorraine Hibdon, 343-9222.

Later this month, a fun run is planned on March 31. Organizers are looking for runners, sponsors and volunteers for the run on March 31. Entrance fee is $30 in advance or $20 for those 16 and younger.

For information, call 636-2733 or see http://www.savebidwellmansion.org "

http://www.chicoer.com/ci_20138795/big-weekend-bidwell-mansion-fundraisers?IADID=Search-www.chicoer.com-www.chicoer.com

Flickr Group: http://flickr.com/groups/TALTOTW

Facebook Page: http://Facebook.com/TAL52