Oroville

Oroville is a city in Butte County, California, located along the Feather River and spread across low hills at the edge of the Sacramento Valley. The town sits below the Oroville Dam, whose reservoir shapes the landscape to the west and creates wide water surfaces and green shorelines.

The settlement began in 1849 as Ophir City when prospectors rushed into the region and set up camps along the river. The name changed in 1854, and the town became a charter city in 1906 after mining declined and farming took over as the main activity.

The Chinese Temple built in 1863 stands as a reminder of the miners and merchants who came from Asia during the gold rush. This place remains active and shows how early settlers shaped the town's character.

The town sits along highways 70 and 99, which provide access to Sacramento and nearby communities. The area around the reservoir is best explored by car, and many viewpoints are accessible from the main roads.

The dam was completed in the 1960s and stands as one of the tallest earth-fill dams in the world. In 2017, damage to the spillway led to the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people downstream, showing how central this structure is to the region.

Location: Butte County

Elevation above the sea: 51 m

Website: http://cityoforoville.org

GPS coordinates: 39.51378,-121.55636

Latest update: December 13, 2025 16:47