Book Description

In 1911 representatives of the Richvale Land Company began promoting the wonderful value of a new Sacramento Valley investment opportunity. Many hardworking Kansas and Nebraska farmers, weary of drought, blizzards, and hardship, found the lure of the California dream too powerful to resist.According to a Richvale Land Company 1911 brochure, "The lots in the new town of Richvale have just been placed on the market. Any representative of the Richvale Land Company will furnish you prices and terms and explain details regarding the same. The improvement work at Richvale will cover macadamized streets, cement sidewalks, water mains and a septic sewage tank system, and another year will see in Richvale one of the most modern towns on the Pacific coast."The promise was great, and new landowners, having sold their belongings and packed their families and livestock onto immigrant trains, began to depart for the Richvale Colony. Upon arrival, settlers were shocked to discover that there were no paved or even graveled roads, no sidewalks, and no city improvements. One early settler got off the train at Richvale with his wife and five children on December 17, 1911. The man stood next to his wife as she surveyed the landscape. With the exception of two or three buildings, there was open space as far as she could see in all directions, and there was mud everywhere. The woman sat down on her suitcase and cried. The immigrants kept coming, and despite the challenges, the resilient farmers worked hard and proved that the heavy adobe soil made excellent rice land. The community began to grow, and by 1913 there were not only a church and school, but a hotel, grocery store, and hardware store. The strong and hardy men and women who settled in Richvale during the early years built a community that thrives today, nearly one hundred years later. The dedication and perseverance of these pioneers is narrated by members of the Richvale Writing Group, many of whom were born and raised in the community and who were personally acquainted with Richvales founders. The group began work on this book in 2001, with the goal of creating a vivid and detailed portrayal of the lives and experiences of Richvale settlers. For more than five years, the group has met regularly to discuss their progress and to present ideas regarding the collaborative project. Dennis Lindberg, Richvale native and longtime rice farmer, has facilitated the meetings. Teresa Ward, Butte College developmental writing instructor, has served in an advisory capacity to the group.