Did You Know? Hawaiian royalty introduced surfing to the U.S. mainland at Santa Cruz (1885). California’s first highway, El Camino Real, connected Spanish missions. The sports mascot at UC Santa Cruz is a banana slug, a yellow mollusk found in nearby redwood forests. O’Neill Wetsuits, based in Santa Cruz, is
Did You Know ... ? Much of the movie, “Sideways” (2004), was shot in the Santa Barbara wine country. Kinko's launched its business at UC in Santa Barbara, in a corner of a taco stand (1970). When Flying A Studio opened (1910) in Santa Barbara, it was the world’s largest
Did You Know? The screen in the Hearst Castle theater is eight times the size of a standard movie screen. The world’s first modern motel, the Milestone Mo-Tel, opened in San Luis Obispo (1925). The city’s Spanish mission is San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, named for the 14th century St.
Did You Know? San Jose was California’s first civilian settlement (1777) and the state’s first capital (1850). Local mines produced more than 37,500 tons of mercury, more valuable than any California gold mine. The first Apple computer was created in a San Jose garage. The moniker, Silicon Valley, was coined
Did you know….? An average of 39 million vehicles cross the Golden Gate Bridge each year. The 1906 earthquake killed 3,000 people and destroyed 28,000 buildings. San Francisco has an estimated 14,000 Victorian homes. It was the gold lust effect: The city’s population was 800 in 1848, 25,000 in 1849.
Did you know….? California was born in San Diego; it was the state’s first Spanish settlement (1769). San Diego hosts the world’s largest military complex. The city claims the highest number of PhDs per capita of any U.S. city. The Hotel del Coronado operates the world’s three oldest Otis elevators
Did you know ... ? Market Square is the largest Mexican marketplace outside of Mexico. There were survivors at the Alamo bloodletting: a score of women and children plus one male slave. The San Antonio River originates from artesian springs. Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson were married at St. Marks
Did You Know? When the Mormons arrived in Salt Lake Valley (1847), it was part of Mexico. The Great Salt Lake is two to seven times saltier than the oceans. Based on best estimates, Brigham Young had 55 wives, but didn’t live with all of them. The Family History Library
Did You Know? During the American Revolution, Salem's fleet captured or sank 455 British vessels. In 1790, Salem was America’s richest city on a per capita basis. A catastrophic 1914 fire left 18,000 Salem residents homeless, nearly half the population. Of goods carried by Salem’s late-18th century traders, pepper was
Did You Know? The world’s largest almond plant, Sacramento’s Blue Diamond, processes 12 million pounds of nuts daily in peak season. The Sacramento-St. Joseph, Mo., Pony Express required 200 relay stations, 500 horses and 80 riders for the 10-day service. The Mexican government literally gave away a goldmine in an
