California Trivia & Tidbits - Page 10

Looking for California trivia? Try our list California little know facts, tidbits and trivia.

Ridgewood Ranch near Willits (pop. 5,073) is the burial place of Seabiscuit, the racehorse whose 1940 victory in the Santa Anita Handicap inspired both a book and the 2003 movie Seabiscuit. The horse lived at the ranch prior to the race while recuperating from an injury, and from his retirement in 1940 until his death at age 14 in 1947.

first appeared: 5/2/2004

San Diego de Alcala, founded in 1769, was the first of 21 Franciscan missions established by Father Junipero Serra between San Diego and Sonoma (pop. 9,128). The 650-mile El Camino Real, or royal road, linked the missions, later becoming a stagecoach route. Today, U.S. Highway 101 traces much of its path.

first appeared: 4/25/2004

The first NASCAR race held in California took place April 8, 1951, at the Carrell Speedway in Gardena (pop. 57,746).

first appeared: 4/25/2004

The state’s motto—“Eureka” (a Greek word meaning, “I have found it”)—was adopted in 1849 after gold was discovered in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Eureka is also the name of a northern California coastal city (pop. 26,128), 270 miles north of San Francisco.

first appeared: 4/18/2004

Northern California’s redwood trees are known for their enormity and long life span, but why the massive trees grow so tall and live so long is unknown. Scientists believe that resistance to insects and disease, as well as the soil and rainfall conditions in the forests in which they grow, contribute to the trees’ health. Redwoods also withstand fire well due to a thick bark and because their foliage is so high off the ground.

first appeared: 4/11/2004

The Los Angeles Zoo, comprised of more than 1,200 animals, is toured by 1.4 million visitors annually. The zoo opened in 1966 and is the third zoo to serve the city. The first, Eastlake Zoo, opened in 1885, followed by the Griffith Park Zoo in 1912.

first appeared: 4/4/2004

Dogtown, established in the 1849 gold rush, became famous 10 years later when a giant 54-pound gold nugget was discovered there. The story goes that when miners’ wives began to arrive they objected to the name Dogtown, and renamed it Magalia about 1862.

first appeared: 3/28/2004

Borax traces its roots to California’s Death Valley, where borate deposits were discovered in 1872. It was hauled out with teams of 20 mules, and the company sponsored a popular 1950s show, Death Valley Days, narrated by Ronald Reagan. Borates are used as a cleaner, wood preservative, fertilizer, and have numerous other industrial uses.

first appeared: 3/21/2004

Author Zane Grey’s 1926 pueblo-style home on Catalina Island overlooks Avalon Bay, and is now a 16-room bed and breakfast inn.

first appeared: 3/14/2004

During his engagement at the Fillmore West in San Francisco in 1967, Otis Redding stayed on a houseboat in Sausalito (pop. 7,330). There he wrote his last song and greatest hit, Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay.

first appeared: 3/7/2004

Auburn (pop. 12,462) was settled in 1848 as Wood’s Dry Diggings, but was renamed the following year by gold prospectors from Auburn, N.Y. (pop. 28,574).

first appeared: 3/7/2004

The 21 Spanish missions built in California from 1769 to 1823 span 600 miles from San Diego to San Francisco. Their architecture has influenced the state profoundly, and while many were destroyed by natural disasters or neglect, nearly all have been restored.

first appeared: 2/29/2004

The California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento has more than 225,000 square feet of exhibit space and draws more than 500,000 visitors annually.

first appeared: 2/29/2004

To get from Los Angeles to Reno, Nev., one doesn’t drive east, but northwest.

first appeared: 2/22/2004

An estimated 500,000 detectable seismic tremors occur in the state each year.

first appeared: 2/22/2004

The state ranks third in the amount of sweet potatoes produced annually (235 million pounds in 2001) behind North Carolina (558 million) and Louisiana (319 million pounds).

first appeared: 2/15/2004

The Coachella Valley is known as the Date Capital of the World. A good date palm there produces 300 to 600 pounds of dates a year.

first appeared: 2/15/2004

The highest and lowest points in the continental United States are within 100 miles of one another. Mount Whitney in the Sierra Nevada mountain range is 14,495 feet above sea level, and Bad Water in Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level. Alaska, however, has 19 peaks taller than Mount Whitney.

first appeared: 2/8/2004

California’s state economy ranks among the top 10 national economies in the world, topping $1.3 trillion in 2000.

first appeared: 2/1/2004

According to the University of California at Berkley Wellness Letter, dieters say the most difficult food to give up is cheese. The average American eats 28 pounds of it a year, mostly cheddar and mozzarella.

first appeared: 1/25/2004

jump to page: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19

newspaper partner login create account

Recent

Popular

Recipes

Below are the most recent American Profile articles:

Below are the most recent, highest rated American Profile articles:

Below are the most recent, highest rated American Profile recipes:

Relish

Spry

Below are the most recent articles from our Relish sister site. Click on the "Spry" tab above to see the most recent articles from our other sister site.

Below are the most recent articles from our Spry sister site. Click on the "Relish" tab above to see the most recent articles from our other sister site.