William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park is a

California State Historic Park List of California State Historic Parks — a division of the California Department of Parks and Recreation, for historic sites in California. List * Anderson Marsh State Historic Park * Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park *Bal ...

located on the west bank of the

Sacramento River The Sacramento River ( es, Río Sacramento) is the principal river of Northern California in the United States and is the largest river in California. Rising in the Klamath Mountains, the river flows south for before reaching the Sacramento� ...

, a mile north of

Red Bluff Red Bluff(s) may refer to several places in North America: Places Canada *Red Bluff, British Columbia, a community near Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada ** Red Bluff First Nation, a First Nations band government headquartered near Quesnel, ...

Tehama County, California Tehama County ( ; Wintun for "high water") is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,829. The county seat and largest city is Red Bluff. Tehama County comprises the ...

. Although it was initially believed that Ide built the adobe, research has shown that he never lived in the place that bears his name today. Nevertheless, the State of California decided to keep the name of the park in recognition of Ide's role in California history.

William B. Ide

The park memorializes William Brown Ide, a California pioneer, captain of the Bear Flag Revolt and the only president of the California Republic, which lasted from June 14 to July 9, 1846.

Adobe

A. M. Dibble, an early settler in Red Bluff, built the adobe in 1852. There were approximately 20 different property owners up to 1942. A. Mount and Willette Mount owned the property for the longest period which was from 1882 to 1913. William B. Ide has incorrectly been credited to being one of the property owners, though he never owned the property or lived in the adobe; Mr. Ide actually owned land downriver from the adobe property. It was decided in 1940s to make the adobe site into a state park. The state of California acquired the land in the 1950s, and the park was dedicated in 1960. The park was named after William B. Ide to honor his contribution to California's history.Brochure – William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park, California State Park

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New museum

The park includes a restored adobe housing a

museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make thes ...

, and a recreated 1850s homestead, with replicas of a typical schoolhouse, wood shop, and

blacksmith shop A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such as gates, gr ...

, as well as a small visitor center. A picnic area overlooks the

. There are several interpretive program events scheduled throughout the year: Ide's Ferry Championship Horseshoe Pitchers Contest in June, Adobe Day in September, and a Pioneer Christmas Party in December. School programs are also offered to students visiting the museum: "Life in the 1850s", which is an all-day program, and "Mini-Life in the 1850s", which is a 1–2 hour program. Volunteers in Parks is another program which encourages visitors to become volunteers at the park. Additional interpretive programs include demonstrations of pioneer crafts and period parties, as well as performances by the Ide Adobe Players, a Gold Rush-era band, and Gold Rush Gambling, which gives visitors to the park an opportunity to play faro, monte, shut the box and other games which were common during that time.Website – Ide Adobe's Interpretive Programs
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Gallery

File:William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park-4163.jpg, Interior view of the visitor center File:William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park-4145.jpg, Sign explaining that William B. Ide never lived here File:William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park-4136.jpg, Replica of a wood shop / schoolhouse (left) and blacksmith shop (right); in the front the stump of a valley oak taken down in 2016 File:William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park-4178.jpg, Interior of the adobe

References

External links