Colusa celebrates 150th anniversary

River activities, ribbon cuttings, barbecues and walking tours – Colusa was bustling Saturday as residents celebrated the city’s 150th anniversary.

“Today is the 150th anniversary of the city of Colusa being incorporated,” said Thomas Reische, Colusa council member. “When you have a history that spans 150 years, you have to have a celebration.”

The Colusa Sesquicentennial Celebration saw events scheduled throughout the day, starting with a pancake breakfast in the morning and ending with a barbecue at Veterans Memorial Park in the evening.

Gov. Jerry Brown was in attendance for the start of the day, as well as over 200 other people showing up for the breakfast.

Jim White, chairman of the Colusa Heritage Preservation Commission, said the celebration couldn’t have gone any better.

“It was very successful,” White said. “We had no idea how many people would show up, so we were pleasantly surprised with the turnout.”

White said the Colusa Fire Department did a wonderful job cooking and providing the breakfast.

After breakfast, a local historian led a walking tour around the city. Some people even participated in the day’s festivities by floating down the Sacramento River in a timed race to the city’s water towers.

The Chamber of Commerce held ribbon cutting events at two of the city’s newest businesses – Downtown 627 and the Colusa Meat Market.

“We are very excited to open and bring something fun and colorful to downtown,” said Carolyn Hulbert, Carolyn Hulbert, center, and daughter Tessa Lindquist during Downtown 627’s ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday. The ribbon cutting was part of Colusa’s Sesquicentennial Celebration.

owner of Downtown 627.

Hulbert cut the ribbon with her daughter, Tessa Lindquist, surrounded by friends and chamber members. The shop sells candy, toys, novelties and gifts.

The main event of the day was the “Hogs and Dogs” picnic between 5 p.m.-8 p.m. White said the menu was inspired by the city’s history.

“The reason Colusa needed to become incorporated in the first place was so that it could make ordinances,” White said. “The first two initiated were for enforcing an ordinance regarding stray dogs and stray hogs, which were a menace to Colusa back in 1868.”

The same menu was offered during the city’s centennial celebration as well. The Sacramento River Fire

District provided the food for the picnic.

White said the plan was to also have a flyover during dinner, where city residents would get together and take a town picture together.

“This celebration was a way to get people in town together in an environment where they can be relaxed and chatty,” White said. “We had a lot of people come back just for this. In Colusa, we like to get together but we don’t have very many opportunities to do so. When we do get together, we make a big deal out of it.”

The event was organized by the Colusa Sesquicentennial Committee through the Heritage Preservation Commission.