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Butte County marks 175th anniversary with ceremony and remarks from former supervisors and tribal chair
Summary
The Butte County Board of Supervisors celebrated the county's 175th anniversary on March 11 with a resolution, remarks from former supervisors, a blessing from a tribal chairman and a presentation of a congressional certificate.
Butte County’s Board of Supervisors on March 11 formally marked the county’s 175th anniversary with a resolution, a blessing from a tribal leader and remarks from former county supervisors who attended the ceremony.
The celebration opened with a blessing from Matt Wilford, identified in the meeting as tribal chairman of the Concow Valley Band of Maidu Indians, who asked the room to honor local Maidu bands and leaders. The board then adopted a resolution recognizing Feb. 18, 1850, as the county’s founding date and commending the county’s residents and institutions for 175 years of civic life.
Why it matters: The event combined historical acknowledgment — including recognition of Indigenous communities that predate county government — with public recognition of former officeholders and civic leaders. The observation underscores the county’s focus on continuity after recent disasters and on preserving local heritage.
Former supervisors who spoke included Bob Bealer, Maureen Kirk, Ed McLaughlin, Kurt Josiasen and Steve Lambert. Speakers recalled past county projects ranging from flood control and Oroville Dam construction to recent disaster recovery efforts. Maureen Kirk, who served from 2007–2018, praised the current board’s deliberations and staff leadership. Several former supervisors highlighted county resilience in the face of fires and other emergencies.
The board received a certificate of congressional recognition presented by a district representative for Congressman LaMalfa, and county staff screened a short video summarizing local history, from Native American presence through the Gold Rush to modern recovery efforts.
The resolution was read aloud by Supervisor Bill Connolly and adopted by the board. After the short program the meeting recessed for photographs and light refreshments.
Ending: The board recessed the session after the ceremony and planned to reconvene at 10:00 a.m. for regular business.
