Main St., Part 1 – Single, Double, Single

The date is May 21, 1959 with a southeast view down Main St. just north of the SN depot. According to Kent Stephens’ historical account in “Chico’s Street Car Line: A Half Century of Service” in the Butte County Historical Society “Diggin’s”, Spring Addition, Vol. 15, No. 1, 1971, big changes were to come very soon on Main St. The moving of the depot and the closing of the depot yard were covered in the previous update.

L260-05-Copyright Caliifornia Department of Transporation, 6920-5, (Image 1 of 40)

Reviewed previously, the loss of Birney service in 1947, left, meant the loss of all passenger service and electric traction in Chico. Freight service to the airport began the following year with Chico Local service between Sacramento and Chico. On Mar. 3, 1959, the Chico City Council approved Ordinance 603, granting the SN fifty more years of operation on Main St., but with conditions, one noticeable by the lighting in this circa 1980 view of SN 711 and freight. The three-and-one-half story building at 131 W. 1 St. remains in 2022.

L260-10-Moreau Coll., Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Archives, 175899sn, l, and Tom Messer, r, (Image 2 of 40)

Previously it had been documented that the original Northern Electric, NE, had started with a single track on Main St., as seen in the left panel showing the Park Hotel at Main St. and W. 4th St. in this northwest view circa 1910. But in mid-1911, the city provided a fifty year franchise for a double track to the southern city limit, installed in this south view in the right panel with SN 100 and trailer across from Town Hall at the Park Hotel stop. Ref: NE Photo, l, McCurry Photo, Aitken Coll., r.

L260-15-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 109477sn, l, 162300sn, r, (Image 3 of 40)

As detailed in the first part of this series, most of the major track changes in Chico were completed by 1920, when the resuscitated NE operation was known as the Sacramento Northern Railroad. Very few images from the 1920s exit, but a few from Main St. survived as will be shown next. This northwesterly facing aerial circa 1927 will aid this presentation.

L260-20-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 54225sn, (Image 4 of 40)

The location of this first south view from 1922-1923 is given away by the position of lead car SN 127 and trailer SN 228 as they leave the southern arm of the depot wye to head south. The building facades between 1st and 2nd Sts. can be verified in the previous aerial view.

L260-25-Silleman Bros. Photo, Jim Holmes Coll., Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Arch., 163444sn, (Image 5 of 40)

The bell tower of the fire station in this southeast view of SN 131, SN 121, and a third trailer from 1922-1923, left panel, is also easily matched with the 1927 aerial, provided in the right panel, to the block between 4th and 5th Sts. on Main St. Refs: Left, Silleman Bros. Photo, Jim Holmes Collection; Right, Sappers Collection

L260-30-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 163443sn, l, , 54225sn, r, (Image 6 of 40)

This final view from 1922-1923 of SN 130 and trailer could not be assigned a location, and would have to be south of 5th St. unless it is actually from another city.

L260-35-Silleman Bros. Photo, Jim Holmes Coll., Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Arch., 163442sn, (Image 7 of 40)

This west view of downtown Chico circa 1945 covers the area of this update. Main St. will be covered in detail from the 1st St. intersection, turquoise dot, to the 6th St. intersection, orange dot.

L260-40-Eastman's Studio Photo B-4377, Meriam Library, California State University, Chico, sc28378, (Image 8 of 40)

A detail of the 1927 aerial along with the previous image will serve as markers for the ground-based images from the late 1930s until 1950 that follow. Note in this image how the tracks from the wye and siding along the depot converge heading south to form a single track, before dividing into two tracks. This allowed trains from either direction to access all possible routes.

L260-45-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 54225sn, Detail, (Image 9 of 40)

SN 101 is on the rear of a train entering 1st St. along the depot in this northeast view from Oct. 27, 1940. The image shows the southern arm of the wye, and provides enough detail to see that there was a gas station across from the depot on the southeast corner just days away from the end of interurban passenger service.

L260-50-Wilbur Whittaker Photo, Moreau Coll., Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Arch., 117436sn, (Image 10 of 40)

A southeast view of the southeast corner from 1938, left, shows a building selling memorial headstones, matching what is seen in the 1927 aerial. The gas station came soon thereafter, and is still present on July 12, 1947 in the south view of Birney 62 picking up passengers, right. Ref: Tom Gray Collection, l, Don MacInnes Collection, right

L260-55-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 152301sn, l, 169073, r, (Image 11 of 40)

Whether it was the end of interurban passenger service, left, or streetcar service, right, J.C. Penny occupied the northeast corner at E. 2nd St., from 1913 until it moved to 319 Main St. in 1950. In each image, the passenger cars are on the single track between the depot wye and the southerly two tracks. Ref: Left, SN Bidwell on rear of Comet train no. 7, Oct. 29, 1940, Sappers Collection; Right, Birney 66, circa 1947, Walt Vielbaum Photo

L260-60-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 107298sn, l, 132721sn, r, (Image 12 of 40)

The seven car Farewell Excursion train of May 25, 1941 appears to be on the wrong side of the street between 1st. and 2nd Sts., but it is in fact backing up towards the station revealing where the single track from the depot split into two in this southeast view that includes the storefronts on the west side of the street.

L260-65-Louis Bradas, Jr. Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 71013sn, (Image 13 of 40)

On the subject of excursions, apparently the switch is giving BAERA members fits in this southeast view with gold-and-yellow painted Birney 60 from Nov. 9, 1947. The tallest fellow with the hat and overcoat is Dudley Thickens, the conductor in uniform is Eddie Hansen, and the guy with the broom is Arthur Lloyd, three personalities very much involved in keeping the legacy of electric railways and streetcars alive after their demise in northern California.

L260-70-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 173995sn, (Image 14 of 40)

Charley Savage included the building at 148 Main St. to mark the corner with W. 2nd St. in this northwest view from June 25, 1939 of SN 129, SN 200, and trailer. The building is still there in 2022, but it has had some of its decorative trim removed.

L260-75-Charles Savage Photo, Tom Gray Coll., Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Arch., 149842sn, (Image 15 of 40)

The presence of Western Pacific RDC-1 Budd car in Chico means the Jan. 29, 1950 excursion. This northwest view shows the west side between 2nd and 1st Sts. particularly well, left, highlighted in the detail on the right.

L260-80-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 107009sn, (Image 16 of 40)

Louis Bradas, Jr. provided this southeast image of SN 101 on the tail of this three car train on Oct. 27, 1940 that speaks for itself as to location, as time was running out on SN interurban service to Chico.

L260-85-Louis Bradas, Jr., Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 68867sn, (Image 17 of 40)

Back to the Farewell Excursion of May 25, 1941, SN 1009 pulls the long train south past the 2nd St. intersection in this northwest view. SN 1009 was added in Sacramento in front of SN 1010, the latter having led the train from 40th St. and Shafter Ave. in Oakland.

L260-90-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 107330sn , (Image 18 of 40)

This northwest view by the corner of 3rd St. shows many of the storefronts to the north in addition to showing a distant train navigating the depot wye. The building on the left edge is the Grand View Building, built in 1875 and home to M. Oser and Company, Chico’s Finest Ladies Department Store for 108 Years. Osers closed in 1986, but the building remains in 2022, spiffed up by a renovation completed in 2009.

L260-95-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 107006sn, (Image 19 of 40)

Back to WP RDC-1 on Jan. 29, 1950, this southeast view toward 3rd St. offers more views of both sides of the street taken one decade after the previous image.

L260-105-Don MacInnes Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 169051sn, (Image 20 of 40)

Back to the last weekend of SN interurban operation, this south view toward 3rd. St. shows SN 101 leading a three-car train past the storefronts on the east side of the Main St.

L260-100-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 107014sn , (Image 21 of 40)

Inching closer to 3rd St., this freight lead by SN 404 should look familiar from the last update on the depot yard. Based on the Chrysler sitting next to the train and its license plate, the year is 1947 in this southeast view.

L260-110-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 107303sn, (Image 22 of 40)

Late in Oct. 1940, this southeast view at a busy 3rd St. intersection documents a chance meeting of SN 1006 and Birney 60. The building just to the south of the Buster Brown Shoes marquee is the Grandview Building, and across 3rd St. was First National Bank Building, the the latter razed in 1969. Across the way, the three-story building on the southeast corner housed the Hotel Butte, the marquee mostly obscured by SN 1006 here.

L260-115-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 55985sn, (Image 23 of 40)

The interval between 3rd and 4th Sts. is next, with a northeast view of the east side of the block with Birneys nos. 61 and 66 taken by Arthur Lloyd in May of 1947, and a south view taken by Al Rose of Birney 60 on Dec. 14, 1947.

L260-120-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 114633sn, l, 183039, r, (Image 24 of 40)

This northwest view from Sept. 1940 caught a two-car train with SN 223 on the rear heading to the depot as it crossed 4th St. The corner restaurant, The Southern, and the Butte Hotel signs mark two well-known entities in downtown Chico.

L260-125-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 107005sn , (Image 25 of 40)

The block across on the west side between 3rd. and 4th Sts. was dominated by the Park Hotel, seen behind Birney 60 in 1947 in this northwest view. The hotel was started as a corporation by local businessmen in 1888 to acquire property and build a hotel. It was sold in 1945, and the corporation was dissolved in 1947. The building was razed circa 1963.

L260-130-Moreau Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 110177sn, (Image 26 of 40)

One block south was occupied entirely by City Plaza, seen here along side Birney 62 in this northeast view from 1947, left, and circa 1910, right. The website https://localwiki.org/chico/City_Plaza explains that John Bidwell donated the land for City Plaza in 1872 for a courthouse hoping Chico would become the county seat, stymied by the selection of Oroville instead. Ref: Left, Sappers Collection; Right, Northern Electric Co. Photo

L260-135-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 107313sn, l, 110177sn, r, (Image 27 of 40)

Across the street, back to a familiar place, the east side of Main St. between 4th and 5th Sts., Birney 61 has just passed the location of the rebuilt fire station on Sept. 5, 1943 in this southeast view. Compare the earlier view in 1927 in L260-30 to see the earlier fire station with bell tower occupied in the 1920s by the fire department, also absent in the 1945 aerial, L260-40.

L260-140-Roy Covert Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 110155sn, (Image 28 of 40)

SN 127 and trailer cross 5th St. circa 1940 in this southeast view. Chico Municipal Center replaced the fire station and garage in 1975, and the Municipal Building, built in 1911, ceased to be used for governmental use that same year. It still stands at the 5th St. corner in 2022. Across E. 5th St. is the Senator Theater.

L260-145-G. Graham Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 159932sn, (Image 29 of 40)

Birney nos. 60 and 62 glide by the Senator Theater during a 1947 excursion in this northeast view. The art-deco theater was built in 1927 for vaudeville acts, has taken on different roles over the years as will be seen shortly, and in the 21st century features live musical acts. The tower was removed in the 1990s to strengthen the structure and rebuilt soon thereafter.

L260-150-J.G. Graham Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 47345sn, (Image 30 of 40)

This southeast view of SN 442 and freight taken in Aug. 1947 has several levels of appeal. First, it shows this freight motor was in Chico at that time. Second, the date, confirmed by the license plate of the adjacent car, is also supported by the theater marquee featuring Hit Parade of 1947-1948 starring Eddie Albert and Constance Moore. This documents the theaters use for movies.

L260-155-Gordon Zahorik Photo, Moreau Coll. Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Arch., 127510sn, (Image 31 of 40)

This last shot from 1940 completes all the viewing down to the end of the block to the southeast at 6th St. Movies were shown at that time at the theater as well.

L260-160-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 178781sn, (Image 32 of 40)

This southwest view taken on Apr. 14, 1962 during a BAERA excursion with SN 143 pulling SN 1005 documents the major change for the SN that resulted from the approval of Ordinance 603 in 1959. The double-track configuration was converted to a single track, as it had been prior to 1911, but centered on the street. Car traffic now flowed down the road in only one direction, to the northwest, and head-in parking by cars was eliminated.

L260-165-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives 172977sn, (Image 33 of 40)

This northwest view up to 4th St. from the same Apr. 14, 1962 excursion provides some color. Note the restaurant on the northeast corner of the intersection is no longer The Southern.

L260-170-Richard Kampa Photo Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 163972sn, (Image 34 of 40)

This northwest view from May 21, 1959 from Main St. and 5th St. shows that the traffic flow and parking changes preceded the track reconfiguration.

L260-175-Copyright Caliifornia Department of Transporation, 6920-3 , (Image 35 of 40)

After cessation of Birney service in 1947, there was no need for the wye and the track to the south of the depot. The date of the removal of this trackage has not been established, but this northwest view from May 21, 1959 taken south of 1st St. shows those tracks were no longer in place.

L260-180-Copyright Caliifornia Department of Transporation, 6920-4, Final, (Image 36 of 40)

The final condition placed on the SN by the city that was hinted at in L260-10 is dramatically presented in these southeast views by Wayne Monger of Western Pacific 2009 and freight, left, and by Kenneth J. Meeker of a repurposed Missouri Pacific diesel and freight, right. The Chico Local was now only allowed to operate between 7PM and 7AM within the city. The Senator marquee dates the left image to circa 1983, and the right image to circa 1985.

L260-185-Courtesy Wayne Monger, l, and Courtesy Feather River Rail Society, r, (Image 37 of 40)

The photographers of the day, here Wayne Monger’s southeast view of SN 712, left and Tom Messer’s image a little to the north, right, explain that the best strategy was to photograph the Chico Local during the longest days of summer.

L260-190-Wayne Monger Photo, Courtesy Wayne Monger, l, Tom Messer Photo, Courtesy Tom Messer, (Image 38 of 40)

The lighting didn’t get any better on the tight corridor of Main St. than in Dan Engstrom’s southeast view of WP 705 and freight, but avoiding the long shadows from surrounding buildings was impossible.

L260-195-Dan Engstrom Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 39 of 40)

One last one by Wayne Monger of SN 712 circa 1980 going against the traffic flow in the early morning sun in this northwest view. Appreciation to Wayne, Tom Messer and Dan Engstrom for their personal photos, and to the tour of Chico by Allen Wood. Next time, the Junction and the Ninth St. Spur.

L260-200-Wayne Monger Photo, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 40 of 40)