Some mysterious places are born with legendary qualities, others have legendary qualities thrust upon them. Both are the case with Mt. Shasta, which has been the subject of mystical speculation perhaps more than any other single mountain in history.
A great deal is revealed about Mt. Shasta and how it is related to other mysteries in California. The Town of Chico and its Founder John Bidwell played a distant yet important role in the development of many of the strange myths and legends of Mt. Shasta. The entire notion of cities beneath the mountain or hidden treasures may be a result of much older European “Man in the Mountain” myths. Strangely the already existing Native American creation story of Mt. Shasta and the people is very similar to this European tradition. See how the creation of the New Age may have been a response to the American ideal and its value of freedom of religion. The Bidwell family played an interesting role that relates them to many of the movers and shakers of the New Age.