Louisa and John Bendle

John Bendle came west in 1851 and to the Bidwell area soon afterward. In 1855 he returned east, married Louisa and they returned to Bidwell. John purchased the Gluckauf store in 1859 and operated it for several years. He died at eighty-five years of age in 1918.

In the early 1900's a store was established about  three-quarters of a mile north of the Suspension Bridge. Since there were no stores remaining in the historic town of Bidwell, this new store location  userped the name Bidwell Bar. See the Use of Bidwell Name page to learn of the many locations where the Bidwell name was used.