by Yucheng Tang
posted April 13
Chico State Associate Professor Browning Neddeau made his first and only visit to Bidwell Mansion, a local landmark from the 1800s associated with the founding of Chico, in 2019.
During the tour, Neddeau and his father, who belong to the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, asked their tour guide some hard questions about the Native American experience during the era of John Bidwell — who is known as the founder of the city – but they felt that their questions were ignored.
Neddeau was frustrated with the “settler-centered mindset” reflected in the stories told during a tour of the Mansion, where Bidwell lived with his wife, Annie. He remembers that the only items related to the Mechoopda Tribe, an indigenous people of California who lived in this area long before John Bidwell’s arrival – was a collection of baskets made by tribal members.