Lime Light: The Lime Manufacturing Industry in 19th Century Oroville, Butte County, California

William Gwynn's entrepreneurial character was the impetus behind the 1850's inception of the lime industry in Oroville, Butte County, along the West Branch of the Feather River. Gwynn recognized the need for collateral industries to gold mining, and the development of a network of small scale operations, scattered throughout the Sierra foothill gold districts, supplied lime for construction and agriculture in these growing gold mining towns. The purpose of this study is to explore the role these smaller collateral industries specifically, Oroville's lime manufacturing industry played in the long-term processes of community formation during the boom bust economic times in an emergent capitalist society. In addition, this case study also serves to clarify the inception date of Oroville's lime industry. Research on the topic of Oroville's lime manufacturing industry was extensive, covering nearly ten counties within California. Historical documents reviewed include: tax assessments, deeds, and mining and water claims, as well as other official county documents; Mineralogy Reports; Department of Interior Preservation Briefs; newspapers; and maps. In addition, reports from previous archaeological studies were consulted. This case study identified the actual establishment date of the lime manufacturing industry in Oroville occurred in June of 1855, by William Gwynn, in partnership with two local businessmen. This information corrects earlier archaeological reports that claimed the industry began sometime between 1885 and 1892, and attributed its establishment to Augustine Parrish. Lime supplied by the West Branch Lime Kilns made its way to buildings in Oroville, Marysville, and elsewhere, as well as on General John Bidwell's rancho in Chico. The masonry kilns that supplied lime for over 50 years on an intermittent basis, exhibit a basic level of technological sophistication. By investing only a small amount of capital into low level technology, which required low maintenance costs, Gwynn and his partners could rely on hand labor to operate these satellite kilns to supply the local market with lime, while staying flexible in the ever changing, mining driven economy. This business strategy of diversification allowed for greater stability during the economic depressions of the nineteenth century.