Fort Bidwell, California

Fort Bidwell is located near the north end of the Surprise Valley. The community's ZIP Code is 96112 and elevation is about {{convert|4564|ft|m}}. The coordinates for the town are {{coord|41|51|38|N|120|09|05|W}}. The airport, (FAA identifier: A28), is about {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} north of the center of the community at {{coord|41|52|34|N|120|08|48|W}}. The Fort Bidwell Indian Community is affiliated with the Paiute nation.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 3.2 square miles (8.3 km{{sup|2}}), 99.48% of it land, and 0.52% of it water.

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Fort Bidwell has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=751340&cityname=Fort+Bidwell%2C+California%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Fort Bidwell, California]

{{Weather box

|location = Ft. Bidwell (1911-2012)

|single line = Y

| Jan record high F = 75

| Feb record high F = 85

| Mar record high F = 87

| Apr record high F = 85

| May record high F = 97

| Jun record high F = 105

| Jul record high F = 106

| Aug record high F = 105

| Sep record high F = 102

| Oct record high F = 90

| Nov record high F = 78

| Dec record high F = 66

| year record high F = 106

| Jan high F = 39

| Feb high F = 44

| Mar high F = 51.8

| Apr high F = 59.6

| May high F = 68.5

| Jun high F = 76.7

| Jul high F = 86.7

| Aug high F = 85.8

| Sep high F = 77.6

| Oct high F = 65.2

| Nov high F = 49.5

| Dec high F = 40.5

| year high F = 62.1

| Jan low F = 20

| Feb low F = 23.8

| Mar low F = 28.1

| Apr low F = 32.4

| May low F = 38.5

| Jun low F = 44.3

| Jul low F = 49.9

| Aug low F = 48.3

| Sep low F = 41.6

| Oct low F = 33.9

| Nov low F = 26.9

| Dec low F = 21.4

| year low F = 34.1

| Jan record low F = -26

| Feb record low F = -22

| Mar record low F = -6

| Apr record low F = 10

| May record low F = 19

| Jun record low F = 25

| Jul record low F = 27

| Aug record low F = 27

| Sep record low F = 17

| Oct record low F = 5

| Nov record low F = -4

| Dec record low F = -26

| year record low F = -26 | precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 2.34

| Feb precipitation inch = 1.91

| Mar precipitation inch = 1.73

| Apr precipitation inch = 1.32

| May precipitation inch = 1.17

| Jun precipitation inch = 0.87

| Jul precipitation inch = 0.3

| Aug precipitation inch = 0.33

| Sep precipitation inch = 0.52

| Oct precipitation inch = 1.07

| Nov precipitation inch = 1.98

| Dec precipitation inch = 2.38

| year precipitation inch = 15.91

| Jan precipitation days = 11

| Feb precipitation days = 10

| Mar precipitation days = 10

| Apr precipitation days = 8

| May precipitation days = 7

| Jun precipitation days = 5

| Jul precipitation days = 2

| Aug precipitation days = 2

| Sep precipitation days = 3

| Oct precipitation days = 5

| Nov precipitation days = 9

| Dec precipitation days = 11

| Jan snow inch = 15

| Feb snow inch = 9.4

| Mar snow inch = 7.6

| Apr snow inch = 3.4

| May snow inch = 1

| Jun snow inch = 0

| Jul snow inch = 0

| Aug snow inch = 0

| Sep snow inch = 0

| Oct snow inch = 0.8

| Nov snow inch = 6

| Dec snow inch = 11.6

| year snow inch = 54.9

|source 1 = WRCC{{cite web

|url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ca3157 |title=FT BIDWELL, CA (043157) |access-date=November 29, 2015 |publisher=Western Regional Climate Center }}

|date=November 2015

}}

Wired telephone numbers in the community follow the format (530) 279-2xxx or 279-6xxx and appear to be served out of the Cedarville central office. Wired telephone service is provided by Citizens Utilities.

File:Fort Bidwell 1877.jpg

File:John Bidwell.jpg

In 1865, General John Bidwell backed a petition from settlers at Red Bluff, California to protect Red Bluff's trail to the Owhyhee Mines of Idaho. The U.S. Army commissioned seven forts for this purpose, and dispatched a Major Williamson in April to explore a site for a fort in either Goose Lake Valley or Surprise Valley, from which he selected a site near Fandango Pass at the base of the Warner Mountains in the north end of Surprise Valley, and orders to build the fort were issued on June 10, 1865.{{cite book | last = Pease | first = Robert W. | title = Modoc County; University of California Publications in Geography, Volume 17 | publisher = University of California Press | year = 1965 | location = Berkeley and Los Angeles | pages = 75–78, 97 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.militarymuseum.org/FtBidwell.html |title=Historic California Posts: Fort Bidwell(Camp Bidwell) |access-date=2010-04-06 |last=Hart, USMC |first=Colonel Herbert M |year=1965 |work=Pioneer Forts of the Far West |publisher=The California State Military Museum }} Although Surprise Valley settlers desired Army protection, ranchers dispossessed of lands for the fort complained, and claimed damages from the Army.{{cite book | last = War Department | first = United States | author-link = United States War Department |author2=John Sheldon Moody|author3=Calvin Duvall Cowles|author4=Frederick Caryton Ainsworth|author5=Robert N. Scott|author6=Henry Martyn Lazelle|author7=George Breckenridge Davis|author8=Leslie J. Perry|author9=Joseph William Kirkley | title = The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies | publisher = Government Printing Office | year = 1897 | location = Washington | pages = 593–594, 1125, 1214–1215 | volume =L (part II)| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Jb89AAAAYAAJ&q=%22Camp+Bidwell%22 }}

The fort was built in 1865 amid escalating fighting with the Snake Indians of eastern Oregon and southern Idaho. It was a base for operations in the Snake War that lasted until 1868, the Battle of Infernal Caverns in 1867 with General George Crook, the Modoc War of 1872–73 and the Bannock and Nez Perce campaigns. Although traffic dwindled on the Red Bluff route once the Central Pacific Railroad extended into Nevada in 1868, the Army staffed Fort Bidwell to quell various uprisings and disturbances until 1890.

Both Fort Bidwell and Camp Bidwell, near Chico were named for General John Bidwell. However, Camp Bidwell was commissioned in 1863, renamed Camp Chico by the time Fort Bidwell was commissioned in 1865, and was decommissioned in 1893. Observing confusion between the two, Robert W. Pease explained that such a transfer of name between outposts was a common Army practice of the time.

The Fort Bidwell post office opened in 1868. A 1913 book described Fort Bidwell as having a population of about 200, and containing a school and reservation for the Northern Paiute Kidütökadö band (Gidu Ticutta - ‘Yellow-bellied marmot-Eaters’, also called "Northern California Paiute").{{California tourist guide|249}}

Fort Bidwell is now registered as California Historical Landmark #430.{{cite ohp|430|Fort Bidwell|2012-10-10}}

{{US Census population

|2000=67

|2010=173

|2020=180

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}
1850–1870{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-12.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1880-1890{{Cite web|title= 1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1890/bulletins/demographics/134-population-of-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1900{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/10-population-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1910{{Cite web|title= 1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1920{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-ca-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1930{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch03.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1940{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1950{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-08.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1960{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-d.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1970{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ca1-01.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1980{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caAB-01.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1990{{Cite web|title= 1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}

2000{{Cite web|title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 2010{{Cite web|title= 2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}

}}

The 2010 United States Census{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0625030|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715024946/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0625030|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Fort Bidwell CDP|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}} reported that Fort Bidwell had a population of 173. The population density was {{convert|53.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Fort Bidwell was 75 (43.4%) White, 2 (1.2%) African American, 76 (43.9%) Native American, 0 (0.0%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 10 (5.8%) from other races, and 10 (5.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23 persons (13.3%).

The Census reported that 173 people (100% of the population) lived in households.

There were 79 households, out of which 17 (21.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 24 (30.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 16 (20.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 3 (3.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 7 (8.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 0 (0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 30 households (38.0%) were made up of individuals, and 14 (17.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19. There were 43 families (54.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.95.

The population was spread out, with 35 people (20.2%) under the age of 18, 26 people (15.0%) aged 18 to 24, 29 people (16.8%) aged 25 to 44, 51 people (29.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 32 people (18.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

There were 126 housing units at an average density of {{convert|39.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}, of which 45 (57.0%) were owner-occupied, and 34 (43.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 14.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 12.8%. 80 people (46.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 93 people (53.8%) lived in rental housing units.

In the state legislature, Fort Bidwell is in {{Representative|casd|1|fmt=sdistrict}},{{Cite web |url=http://senate.ca.gov/senators |title=Senators |access-date=March 10, 2013 |publisher=State of California}} and {{Representative|caad|1|fmt=adistrict}}.{{Cite web |url=http://assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers |title=Members Assembly |access-date=March 2, 2013 |publisher=State of California}}

Federally, Fort Bidwell is in {{Representative|cacd|1|fmt=district}}.{{Cite GovTrack|CA|1|accessdate=March 3, 2013}}

• Fort Bidwell Indian Community of the Fort Bidwell Reservation of California

{{Reflist|2}}

• [http://www.militarymuseum.org/FtBidwell.html The California Military Museum: Historic California Posts: Fort Bidwell(Camp Bidwell)]

{{Modoc County, California}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Census-designated places in Modoc County, California

Bidwell

Bidwell

Category:Former installations of the United States Army

Category:Census-designated places in California

Category:Snake War