Oroville, CA

Oroville is a city located in Butte County, California. The population was 16,521 at the 2010 census. Oroville is the county seat of Butte County. Oroville is located approximately 50 miles north of Sacramento and 85 miles south of San Francisco.

The first Europeans to visit the area were members of the Spanish Portolà expedition in 1769. They named the place El Valle de Oro (the valley of gold). In 1848, John Sutter established a mill near what is now downtown Oroville. The town began to grow when the railroad arrived in 1872 and was incorporated as a city in 1902. The city's economy was based on agriculture until silver mining began in earnest in Butte County in 1879 and led to an influx of workers into Oroville. However, by 1920, the mines had closed and the city's economy went into a steep decline.

In 1932, Congress created Feather River National Wildlife Refuge which helped revive tourism in the area and led to new economic development opportunities for businesses such as hotels and restaurants. Today, tourism continues to be an important part of the local economy with visitors coming for recreational activities such as fishing, hiking, bird watching, horseback riding, skiing and golfing as well as business events such as conventions and trade shows.

Real estate prices vary greatly throughout Oroville due to its proximity to major metropolitan areas as well as its natural attractions such as lakes and forests which make it a desirable place to live or invest property values are high throughout much of the city due to its growing popularity among families looking for suburban living without sacrificing access to nature or cultural amenities like theaters or museums