A Special Six-Pack of Oroville GiFts
Oroville Dam Construction on the dam began in 1961 and finished in 1968. Not only is it the largest of features in the Oroville area, it has had the biggest impact in terms of economics and tourism. Initially, dam construction brought in hundreds of workers to the Oroville area. These numbers increased local business profits and increased population. Many families new to Oroville decided to stay put after the completion of the project, and descendents of the original workers still populate the area. Oroville Dam is the tallest dam in the U.S at 770 feet 58
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high, and also its largest earth-filled dam. It serves mainly as a water supply, hydroelectric generator, and flood control; it is capable of storing more than 1.1 trillion U.S gallons.
Oroville Wildlife Area Established after the completion of the dam leading the way for Lake Oroville, the Oroville Wildlife Area has over 11,000 acres of riparian woodland habitat. It is located next to Highway 70 and incorporates the Feather River. You can enjoy hunting, its shooting range, and fishing for a variety of fish in the river and Thermalito Afterbay. Wildlife includes coyote, deer, dove, quail, foxes, bobcats, and porcupines among others. It is also a wonderful location to bird watch osprey, egrets, and woodpeckers.
Bolt’s Antique Tool Museum “Remove the dust but leave the rust” is the steadfast motto of Bolt’s Antique Tool Museum. Officially founded in 2006, Bolt’s is home to over 12,000 of the most important tools ever invented. Bolt’s is indeed unique as it is a one-ofa-kind museum. The museum has tools
WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN
If the city of Oroville had a Christmas tree, surely wrapped the brightest and placed ever so carefully beneath the lower branches would be these six distinct and distinguished gifts. The places featured span the years from 1968 to 2020. The oldest feature is the “elephant in the room,” due to its sheer size and magnitude, while the newest has rekindled excitement and revitalized an intricate area of Oroville proper. So, let us put on our seater and muffler and take the written tour of these celebrated places from the oldest to the most recent.
