Bidwell Park began on July 20, 1905, when Annie Bidwell gave about 2,500 acres to the City of Chico, according to the city. Today it covers 3,670 acres along nearly 11 miles of Big Chico Creek, and in the fall of 1937 Warner Bros. filmed scenes for The Adventures of Robin Hood there.
The Short Version
Annie Bidwell gave the first land in 1905. The city added Cedar Grove in 1922 and 1,200 acres of Upper Park in 1995. Lower Park is flat and shady; Upper Park climbs into the Sierra foothills. Hollywood spent six weeks here in 1937, and the film came out in May 1938.
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| July 20, 1905 | Bidwell Park is established through Annie Bidwell's donation of about 2,500 acres to the City of Chico. | City of Chico |
| 1922 | The city buys Cedar Grove. | City of Chico |
| Sept 26, 1937 | Production starts on The Adventures of Robin Hood; Chico's Bidwell Park is a main location. | AFI Catalog |
| Nov 8, 1937 | The film crew leaves Chico. | AFI Catalog |
| May 14, 1938 | The Adventures of Robin Hood is released. | AFI Catalog |
| 1995 | The city adds 1,200 acres south of Big Chico Creek in Upper Park. | City of Chico |
| Today | 3,670 acres, nearly 11 miles long; the city calls it one of the largest municipal parks in the United States. | City of Chico |
Annie Bidwell’s Gift
John Bidwell died in 1900. Five years later his widow gave the creek land to the town he had founded. The City of Chico’s park page dates the gift to July 20, 1905 and puts it at “approximately 2,500 acres.” The city says Manzanita Avenue divides the park: west of it is Lower Park, flat with a thick canopy of trees; east of it are Middle and Upper Park, steep foothill country with Chico Formation sandstone and Lovejoy Basalt rocks.
Hollywood in Lower Park, 1937
The American Film Institute’s catalog entry for The Adventures of Robin Hood says the cast and crew were on location in Bidwell Park for six weeks, with William Keighley directing the Chico scenes. Art director Carl Weyl added plaster trees and rocks to the forest, and because brush had been cleared as a fire hazard, artificial grass went down in its place. Robin’s meeting with Friar Tuck was filmed along Big Chico Creek. A second unit came in late October for action scenes, and the crew left Chico on November 8, 1937. The archery contest was shot elsewhere, at Busch Gardens in Pasadena.
Chico Legend
Robin Hood Was Filmed in Bidwell Park in 1938
The story goes that Errol Flynn's Robin Hood swung through the oaks of Bidwell Park in 1938. Sherwood Forest, in Chico?
Believe it? Make your guess, then open the answer.
Show What Is Actually True
What is actually true: Mostly true, but the year is off. The AFI Catalog says the cast and crew spent six weeks on location in Chico's Bidwell Park and left on November 8, 1937. The film was released on May 14, 1938, which is likely where the 1938 date comes from. Some forest scenes used plaster trees and rocks added to the park, and other scenes were filmed in Southern California.
Sources: AFI Catalog of Feature Films, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Questions People Ask
How Big Is Bidwell Park?
3,670 acres, nearly 11 miles long, per the City of Chico.
Who Gave Bidwell Park to Chico?
Annie Bidwell, in 1905.
Was Robin Hood Really Filmed in Bidwell Park?
Yes. The AFI Catalog records six weeks of location filming there in the fall of 1937 for The Adventures of Robin Hood (released 1938).
What Is The Difference Between Lower and Upper Park?
Lower Park, west of Manzanita Avenue, is flat and shaded; Middle and Upper Park to the east climb into steep foothills with sandstone and basalt.
Still Unconfirmed
- Not confirmed The exact day of Annie Bidwell's gift: the City of Chico says July 20, 1905; other local accounts give July 10.
- Not confirmed The size of the first gift: the city says about 2,500 acres; other accounts give smaller figures.
- Not confirmed Rules Annie is said to have written into the deed; we have not read the deed itself.
- Not confirmed Which spots in today's park match particular Robin Hood scenes, beyond the Friar Tuck scene by Big Chico Creek.
More Chico History
-
Bidwell Mansion: Where Chico Began
The 1868 house, John and Annie Bidwell, the 2024 fire and what you can visit now.
-
Chico State: From Normal School to University
Eight acres of cherry orchard in 1887, 90 students in 1889.
-
Chico History Timeline
Around 50 dated moments from the Mechoopda village to the Reimagine Bidwell Mansion plan.
-
Chico Legends: True or Tall Tale?
Seven local stories, each checked against the record.
Sources
- City of Chico, About Bidwell Park, read October 29, 2026.
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), read October 29, 2026.
Cite this page: It's Chico, “Bidwell Park History and The Robin Hood Story”, itschico.com/history/bidwell-park/ (updated ). 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.