The first-ever print of this map will be shown at the Museum of Northern California Art (MONCA) in downtown Chico as part of its "Map It Out" exhibition, May 30-July 28, 2019.
A regional perspective, facing northeast, aligns the town with the canyons that send it water.
Downtown area and lower Bidwell Park.
The central core's many alleyways are shown in yellow.
The Avenues, east and west, with Lindo Channel.
Bike lanes, on-street and off, are purple.
South Campus and the west side, the orchards that survive right next to the urban grid.
The Green Line urban development boundary, which has protected Chico's west side from development, is shown in translucent green.
The compass rose, with a valley oak leaf motif, reveals the isometric tilt of the map.
Chico has never looked quite right in flat, north-facing maps.
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Big Chico Creek, the west side, and Ranchaero Airport.
New developments and old orchard lands at the city's northern reaches.
The roads at left are not yet on any map but this one.
Many streets at the northeastern end of the city are also new to any map. To capture the outer grids, I bicycled across building sites with a GPS tracker.
The neighborhoods along Lindo Channel Greenway, which flows with water only in the rainy season.
Each pink cross represents a church. Chico's one synagogue and one Islamic center are also represented.
Upper Bidwell Park, Canyon Oaks, and California Park stretching into the hills.
Private, gated streets are noted in faded red. Private streets that are open to the public are light blue.
Chapmantown is still not annexed to the city though it is surrounded by it.
This map shows the current city boundaries in precise detail, with small pockets of Butte County jurisdiction often peppering plots on the same block.
Outer Park Avenue, the Meyer industrial area, and the Comanche Creek Greenway.
A century ago, a railroad linked Stirling City (shown on this map) via the present Skyway all the way into Chico via what is now a long hiking/biking path shown at center right.
Paradise and Magalia, up the slope via the Skyway.
The peak of Mount Lassen, visible at the upper left corner, is 55 miles from Chico.
Lake Almanor and its towns are also featured in the distance.
See this map May 30-July 28, every Thursday through Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm.
