CHICO — Ever since an arsonist set fire to Bidwell Mansion, leaving the historic home in ruins, the legacy of Chico’s founder General John Bidwell has been the subject of debate.

Considering the contrast in these two perceptions, local history writer Michelle Shover is set to give a lecture titled “SAINT OR SINNER: John Bidwell and the Mechoopda.” The lecture is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at The Westport, located at 603 Broadway St.

“My concern is that most talk about Bidwell rests on stereotypes: one, that he was everything good and the other that he was some kind of predator,” said Shover in a written statement to this newspaper. “My findings are more complex on all sides.”

Shover, a Chico State political science professor emeritus, began investigating local history after moving i

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