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The Resilient Paradise Ridge
Paradise, California, United States
In Butte County in Northern California, Paradise and Magalia form a subregion that’s decidedly small-town, isolated and uniquely determined to retain its reputation of quaintness.
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Unique in Butte County for its forested terrain and elevation, Paradise and Magalia together form a subregion, locally known as “The Ridge"
Paradise, California, United States
For a century, the “fresh pine air of Paradise” was not just a pleasant-sounding trope here, but reality—it became an ideal place for retirees to live or for quick weekend recreation for nearby and decidedly more urban Chico.
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The Ridge is decidedly small-town, isolated, and determined to retain its reputation of quaintness that comes from its natural beauty.
4117 Skyway
Paradise, CA
Monday:
Open 24 hours
Tuesday:
Open 24 hours
Wednesday:
Open 24 hours
Thursday:
Open 24 hours
Friday:
Open 24 hours
Saturday:
Open 24 hours
Sunday:
Open 24 hours
There are several key characteristics that set Paradise Ridge apart from its sister cities in the valley below.
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Founded in 1877, Paradise has deep Gold Rush roots, even celebrating Gold Nugget Days with a parade and naming of the Gold Nugget Queen.
Paradise, California, United States
Johnny Appleseed Days, another local point of pride, is known as the oldest harvest in the state, a tradition dating back to 1888; the two-day fall festival celebrates the famed figure with apple-themed desserts, games, and crafts. One of the most enduring traditions in Paradise is seen on service-member holidays like Memorial Day and Veterans Day, when volunteers line the streets of the Skyway, the town’s main drag, with American flags in honor of the military.
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Small businesses and true mom-and-pop shops—such as the family-run Joy Lyn's Candies—are, in many aspects, the lifeblood of the Ridge.
220 Pearson Rd
Paradise, CA
Monday:
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday:
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday:
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday:
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday:
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday:
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday:
Closed
Ridge residents could easily be characterized as fiercely proud of their hometown.
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Since Nov. 2018, Resiliency has also been a defining characteristic of the Ridge, as its people work to rebuild the paradise they loved.
6295 Skyway
Paradise, CA
Monday:
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday:
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday:
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday:
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday:
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday:
Closed
Sunday:
Closed
With all but an estimated 2,000 people remaining after the Camp Fire, in a town that previously housed about 22,000, Paradise and parts of Magalia are in a state of rebuilding. Much of the natural beauty still remains on the Ridge, including the serene fishing and hiking at Paradise Lake or the west branch of the Feather River. The townspeople here had built their paradise on the Ridge, and while many have moved away, those who are staying have no designs on losing the hallmarks of Paradise they know and love: A kinship with their neighbors, an embrace and respect for the surrounding natural habitat, and a truly resilient town personality.
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As they rebuild—a project that will doubtless be a work in progress for years—one can squint and start to see the Ridge they once knew it.
Paradise, California, United States
Local historical groups work together to salvage and preserve what they can. A group that funded the upkeep of the fabled Honey Run Covered Bridge is in the process of trying to restore a replica. Many surviving or rebuilt businesses around town still proudly serve the Ridge, providing for Paradise and Magalia residents who have remained.
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Paradise, California, United States
Paradise in Northern California continues to rebuild and look forward to a brighter future.