Marysville, California, United States

🇺🇸 Marysville is a city in and the county seat of Yuba County, California, United States, located at the confluence of two rivers which drain the watersheds containing the most productive gold mining region in Northern California. As the depot for the Northern mines it became an important early centre of commerce, growing into one of the largest cities in California's first decade of existence, before the gold was all mined.

History Marysville is located on the ancestral land of the Maidu, who occupied the area for 10,000 years prior to the arrival of Jedediah Smith and trappers from the Hudson Bay Company in 1828, who were the first non-natives to explore the area. Spanish and Mexican explorers never reached that far north on the Feather River. In 1842, John Sutter leased part of his Rancho New Helvetia land to Theodore Cordua, a native of Mecklenburg in Germany, who raised livestock, and in 1843 built a home and trading post he called New Mecklenburg. The trading post and home was situated at what would later become the southern end of 'D' Street, Marysville's main street. In 1844, the Mexican government granted Cordua his own land grant, Rancho Honcut.

Geography Marysville is 40 miles north of Sacramento and located in the Sacramento Valley. The city is bordered on the south and east by the Yuba River and the west by the Feather River, with the two rivers converging just south-west of the city. In years of significant snow runoff from the nearby Sierra Nevada range or heavy rain from winter storms, these two rivers pose a serious flooding risk to the city.

Yuba county lies along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, the steep slopes making it prime territory for the siting of hydroelectric power plants.

Part of the county, where Marysville (the county seat) and most of the population lives, is west of the mountains on the valley floor. There is a great deal of agriculture business in this part of the county, especially fruit orchards, rice fields, and cattle grazing.

National protected areas in Yuba County include parts of the Plumas National Forest and the Tahoe National Forest. The county also has extensive natural areas consisting of forestation, grassland, riparian area, grassland and other habitats.

Education Marysville is served by Marysville Joint Unified School District for its public school system. It has five high schools: Marysville High, Lindhurst High School, Yuba County Career Preparatory Charter School (which is home to the award-winning Automotive Academy), Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts, and Abraham Lincoln Home School.

The city is home to the county's only brick and mortar library of the Yuba County Library system. W.T. Ellis High School was closed June 30, 1993

Media The Appeal-Democrat is a newspaper located in Marysville, and serves the Yuba-Sutter Area. The Territorial Dispatch is small weekly free paper. The Sacramento Bee is also widely sold in the city.

Marysville is the setting for Tom Waits' song "Burma Shave", a fictitious account of "… a young girl in a small little town, place called Marysville… and, uh, it's up around Yuba City, Gridley, Chico, they're all the same, the names are different. It takes, oh, about 23 miles and you're in the next one, they got a Foster's Freeze just like the one you were tryin' to get out of". These lyrics are a precursor to the song, which starts immediately after.

Transport: Road • State Route 20 • State Route 49 • State Route 65 • State Route 70

Transport: Public Yuba Sutter Transit operates local bus service, as well as commuter runs to Downtown Sacramento. Greyhound buses stop in Marysville.

Transport: Air Yuba County Airport is three miles (5 km) south of Marysville. It is a general aviation airport.

Brownsville Aero Pines Airport is off La Porte Rd in Brownsville.

Parks Marysville has 15 parks and they are classified as either community, neighborhood and passive.

*Ellis Lake * See "Sights of Marysville" or "Ellis Lake"

*East Lake * East Lake park is located between 14th and 16th Streets on Yuba Street and sports picnic facilities in a natural setting.

*Bryant Field * City-owned Baseball stadium and home of the Marysville Drakes Baseball team. The facility provides seating for 3000 people.

*Beckwourth Riverfront Park Complex * The city's Beckwourth Riverfront Park is a large complex located on Bizz Johnson Drive adjacent to the Feather River. Amenities include a OHV MotoCross Course, Soccer Fields used by the Yuba Sutter Youth Soccer League, a nature area and Feather River Pavilion, a picnicking area known as Lion's Grove, a boat launch area with restrooms maintained by Redneck Yacht Club a local volunteer group, softball fields and good fishing in the Feather River. Most of these facilities are available for rental. Beckwourth Riverfront Park also hosts the annual Marysville Stampede, a rodeo event featuring Cotton Rosser and his crew.

Neighborhood parks *Gavin Park * Located at Johnson Avenue and Val Drive, this park has picnic tables, benches, play equipment and a large open play area.

*Miner Park * Located between Swezy and Sampson Street and East 14th and East 15th, this is one of the largest neighborhood parks. The amenities include play equipment, tot equipment, benches, a picnic table and basketball hoops, as well as a large open play area.

*Motor Park * Formerly known as Market Square Park, this park, located at 14th and G streets, has play equipment, tot equipment, benches, picnic tables, a full court basketball pad and a large open play area.

Steven J. Field (circle) Park

This small circular shaped park is located on Rideout Way between Greeley Drive and Boulton Way. This park has play equipment, tot equipment, benches, picnic tables and an open play area.

*Triplett Park * Located at Rideout Way and Covillaud Street, this park has picnic tables, benches, play equipment, tot equipment, and a large open play area.

*Veterans Park * Formerly known as Napoleon Square, the name of this park was changed upon the completion of the Veterans Memorial in 2000. The amenities at this park located on 5th Street between G and H streets include play equipment, benches and picnic tables.

*Yuba Park * Located at Yuba Street and East 10th Street, the amenities at this park include play equipment, picnic facilities and a large open play area.

*Basin Park * Located on Hall Street between East 17th and Harris Street in East Marysville, this seasonal park is used for storm drainage storage during the rainy season. When the area is dry, the basin can be used for sports practices.

Passive parks *3rd and D Street Mini Park * Conveniently located in historic downtown Marysville there are benches available for taking a break while shopping.

*Plaza Park * Located at 1st and D Street near the Bok Kai Temple, there are benches and picnic tables available.

*Washington Park * The four corners at 10th and E Street were historically called Washington Square. Picnic tables and large open areas are available for outdoor dining and recreation.

Mary Aaron Memorial Museum Built in 1855, the Gothic revival residence was one of the first brick structures in the area. The home was designed by Warren P. Miller and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was home to the Aaron family until 1935, and it is now held in trust by the City of Marysville. The lives of local residents are documented by photographs, clothing, and other furnishings in the changing exhibits, including many of the Chinese community who helped establish Marysville. Admission to the museum is free of charge, and open Fridays and Saturdays.

Bok Kai Temple (北溪廟) The Bok Kai Temple was erected in 1854, and rebuilt in 1880, by Chinese residents for the worship of their gods. The most important god worshiped there is Bok Eye, the god of water who has the power to control the rains. The temple remains a focus of the present Marysville Chinese community, who have dedicated themselves to preserving it. It is open on request for tours and visitors.

Bok Kai Festival and Parade (北溪慶會) Marysville annually celebrates the Chinese New Year and the god Bok Eye with a festival. The Bok Kai parade has been produced each year since 1880 and is claimed to be the oldest continuing parade in California. Because the festival celebrates Bok Eye according to the Chinese lunar calendar, the date of the parade is different each year. Marching bands, fire trucks, antique cars, floats, and dance groups walk the streets of historic downtown. Over 15,000 spectators each year come to watch the parade's greatest asset, a dragon 175-foot (53 m) long.

The festival concludes with the lighting of "bombs", which are made by hand under special permit from the State of California. Bomb Day is formally called Yee Yuet Yee by the Chinese community. The bombs are fired in a roped arena where young Chinese scramble for “good fortune” rings which are shot into the air by the bursting bombs, traditionally bringing good fortune to the holder throughout the year.

Ellis Lake The centerpiece of Marysville is Ellis Lake, a lake surrounded by greenery and sidewalks. It is bounded by 9th Street to the south, B Street to the east, 14th Street to the north and D Street to the west.

Before 1924, Ellis Lake was a swamp. It was not until then that the Women's Improvement Club of Marysville commissioned John McLaren, famed designer of the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, to turn the swamp into a "beautiful lake". The project was completed in 1939. It was recently renovated, to the current mayor, Bill D. Harris, Sr.

On October 20, 2002, a car was found at the bottom of the lake, in seven feet of water. Inside the car was the skeletal body of Mary Jane Gooding. The Marysville Police Department believes that she accidentally drove her boyfriend's car into the lake on October 10, 1981. Her children thought she was victim of foul play; however, the Marysville Police Department maintains that there is no evidence to support that a crime was committed.

The lake, named for Marysville citizen W. T. Ellis, Jr., offers a pleasant walk, picnic areas, and fishing. For decades, Ellis Lake hosted a 4th of July celebration every year, featuring power boat and cardboard boat races. Youths built boats out of cardboard and duct tape, then tried to cross the lake without sinking. An annual fireworks display was canceled in 2004 after a young girl lost part of her leg due to a rogue firework shot from the island in the centre of the lake into the gathered crowd. That year they had twice as many fireworks than usual, which made shooting the fireworks more difficult and dangerous. The lawsuit finally closed 11 months later when the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection released a report stating that mortar shells burst low into the crowd onto the other side of the lake from Gazebo Island.

In October 2007, the water fountain and lighting display was renovated and upgraded. The lights feature 37 colors and are viewable year round from 8 pm to midnight. This renovation was made possible by the combined efforts of a group of local citizens who have formed a group called Help Ellis Lake Prosper (H.E.L.P.).

California Swan Festival The California Swan Festival, was held from 2013 to 2016, November 13–15, with the central events in Marysville's Caltrans Building.

Historic sites The National Register list the following 9 Historic sites and 1 Historic district as cultural resources worthy of preservation, including Bok Kai Temple, Decker-Jewett Bank, Ellis Building, Forbes House, Hart Building, Warren P. Miller House: also known as the "Mary Aaron Museum", Packard Library, Jose Manuel Ramirez House: also known as "The W.T. Ellis House" or "The Castle", the US Post Office - Marysville Main, and Marysville Historic Commercial District.

Other sites of historic interest include homes designed by Julia Morgan, the Hotel Marysville, the State Theater, the Marysville Cemetery, and the Marysville Hebrew Cemetery.