Oroville, CA Real Estate

Originally called ‘Ophir’, the Egyptian word for gold, Oroville began its history along the wild Feather River prior to the Gold Rush of 1848. Gold discovered at Bidwell Bar, one of the first gold mining sites in California, started a wave of Gold Fever that brought thousands of prospectors to the Oroville area seeking riches. Now under the enormous Lake Oroville, Bidwell Bar is memorialized by the Bidwell Bar Suspension Bridge, the first suspension bridge in California.

Just 70 miles outside of Sacramento, Oroville's housing market is abundant with prominent Victorians, classic ranch-style homes and modern houses with all the amenities. Many of the early pioneers who made their fortunes and later settled Oroville built homes and mansions that still stand today. The City of Oroville also offers assistance for first-time buyers and low-income families, and Oroville's cost of living is well below the state average.

In addition to a friendly buyers market, Oroville dedicated to education featuring 26 public schools, three private schools and one adult school. Each of the Oroville area schools offers low student-to-teacher ratios, progressive curricula and encouraging atmospheres. In addition, within 20 minutes of Oroville are Butte Community College and California State University, Chico, a four-year university renowned for its high quality and affordable tuition.

In addition to an abundance of educational options, Oroville offers lovers of the outdoors a wide variety of pastimes. The City of Oroville's parks are administered by the Feather River Recreation and Park District which offers classes, trips, youth and adult sports leagues, and the popular concerts in the parks series every summer. Lake Oroville, the second-largest reservoir in California, offers 167 miles of shoreline including hundreds of campsites, world-class fishing, and California's only floating campsites. In addition, the nearby Feather River, Oroville's founding body of water, winds its course through the Feather River Canyon, Historic Downtown Oroville, and out to the Oroville State Wildlife Area, an 11,400-acre wildlife area for camping, fishing, hunting, and off-road driving.

Oroville's most famous resident, Ishi, last of the Yahi Indians, was considered to be the last "Stone Age" Indian to come out of the wilderness and into western civilization. When he appeared in Oroville around 1911, he was immediately thrust into the national spotlight. The Visitor's Center at Lake Oroville features a thorough exhibit and documentary film on Ishi and his life in society.

Another tribute to Oroville's storied past is the Chinese Temple. Chinese laborers from the pioneer era established the Temple as a place of worship for followers of three major Eastern Philosophies: Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. The Chinese Temple and Garden, as it is now called, has a beautiful collection of artifacts and a serene garden to enjoy year-round.
recent years, Penn Valley has seen completion of a new post office, fire station, performing arts pavilion, a small sub-division featuring affordable homes and a 42- unit affordable apartment complex. Two recently completed projects include a professional office building and complex for light industry.