Richvale: History of a Rice Town Near Chico

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Richvale is a small Butte County town that grew up around rice. Two published accounts tell how settlers from the Midwest arrived in the early 1910s, found their land unsuited to the crops they knew, and turned to rice. This page keeps to those accounts and says where they differ.

Checked November 1, 2026

~25 misouth of Chico, per Northern California Public Media
1911–1912when the first settlers arrived, depending on the source
2006year a local history book was published
1,000acres of rice first planted, per California Bountiful

Original artwork of Richvale rice-country farm road

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The Story
The Land
Hard Years
Rice Today
Before You Go: Check These
Questions People Ask

The Story

California Bountiful (the California Farm Bureau’s magazine) dates the town to 1912 and says about 1,000 acres of rice were first planted that year. It says the settlers were Midwestern farmers lured by developers who promoted the area as a fertile garden spot.
Northern California Public Media says the first residents arrived as early as 1911, mostly of Swedish heritage from the Midwest. It says developers renamed the place from Selby Switch to Richvale and advertised the land as fertile, and that the settlers were misled.
The two sources differ on the first year (1911 or 1912), so we print both.
Both say Richvale is not the first place in the region to grow rice commercially. Northern California Public Media credits Biggs, its southern neighbor.
California Bountiful says the settlers banded together to build a school, a post office, a store and a church.

The Land

The soil was a heavy, clay-like type. California Bountiful says settlers learned through trial and error that it suited rice, a crop they had no experience growing, and tells of one early farmer’s father who arrived in 1916 and hired a Korean man to teach him rice farming for a share of the crop. Northern California Public Media quotes a longtime farmer saying the land was not good wheat land but the “Stockton clay adobes” suited rice.

Hard Years

Northern California Public Media says early rice production succeeded at first, but early fall rains destroyed larger crops, and the Great Depression forced many residents to leave. It describes hand harvests that once needed about 20 people a season, with jobs such as shockers, spike pitchers and sack sewers.

Rice Today

Rice is still farmed around Richvale, and multi-generation farm families still live there, per the same two accounts. A town history group, the Richvale Writing Group, formed in 2000 per California Bountiful, and Northern California Public Media says longtime resident Dennis Lindberg contributed heavily to the 2006 book Richvale: A Legacy of Courage, Dedication and Perseverance. See Rice Country for how a crop is grown and Rice and Wildlife for the winter fields.

Orchards and rice fields are working private land. Look from public roads and pullouts, keep out of the rows, and never block a farm gate (general guidance).

Before You Go: Check These

Some facts on this page are not confirmed. Check the official source before you go.

Not Confirmed The first year of settlement: 1911 (Northern California Public Media) or 1912 (California Bountiful). Both are printed above.
Not Confirmed When the Butte County Rice Growers Association was founded and by whom. We saw 1914 and 30 farmers only in a search summary, not on a page we could open. California Bountiful confirms only that an association facility in Richvale exists.
Not Confirmed When the Richvale Irrigation District formed and where its water comes from. Northern California Public Media does not say, and we did not open a district page.
Not Confirmed Richvale’s current population and acreage.
Not Confirmed Where to buy the 2006 history book or see its contents. Check with the Richvale Writing Group or Butte County Library.
Not Confirmed The date of the California Bountiful article. The page shows only a 2022 copyright footer; its web address suggests March/April 2009 (not confirmed).

Questions People Ask

Where is Richvale?

In Butte County, about 25 miles south of Chico, per Northern California Public Media.

Was Richvale the first place to grow rice in California?

No. Both accounts we read say Biggs is credited with the region’s first commercial rice crop.

Why did settlers grow rice there?

The heavy clay soil was poor for the crops they knew. California Bountiful says they learned by trial and error that it suited rice.

Is there a book about Richvale?

Yes. Richvale: A Legacy of Courage, Dedication and Perseverance was published in 2006 per Northern California Public Media.

Sources

California Bountiful (California Farm Bureau), Historic Richvale: https://www.californiabountiful.com/magazine-features/magazine-issues/marchapril-2009/historic-richvale (checked November 1, 2026)
Northern California Public Media, A Rich History of Rice Farming in Richvale (Oct. 21, 2015): https://www.mynspr.org/agriculture/2015-10-21/a-rich-history-of-rice-farming-in-richvale (checked November 1, 2026)

Cite this page: It's Chico, “Richvale: A Rice Town South of Chico”, itschico.com/agriculture/richvale/ (updated 2026-11-06). By the It's Chico editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.