The City of Chico was founded in 1860 by General John Bidwell, and became incorporated on February 5, 1872 with a population of approximately 1000 persons in an area of 6.6 square miles. By 2003, the population of the incorporated area of the City of Chico has grown to 68,589. Chico can be found in Butte County, east of Interstate 5, on Highway 99, in Northern California.