California - Named by the Spanish after Califia, a mythical paradise in a Spanish romance, written by Montalvo in 1510.

Historic Bear Flag raised at Sonomaon June 14, 1846, by a group of American settlers in revolt against Mexican rule. The flag was designed by William Todd on a piece of new unbleached cotton. The star imitated the lone star of Texas. A grizzly bear represented the many bears seen in the state. The word, "California Republic" was placed beneath the star and bear. It was adopted by the 1911 State Legislature as the State Flag.

California Facts and Trivia

• California's Mount Whitney measures as the highest peak in the lower 48 states. Its most famous climb is Mount Whitney Trail to the 14,495 feet summit. Wilderness permits are required.

• In 1925 a giant sequoia located in California's Kings Canyon National Park was named the nation's national Christmas tree. The tree is over 300 feet in height.

• More turkeys are raised in California than in any other state in the United States.  (There's a comment there waiting to be made)

• Fallbrook is known as the Avocado Capital of the World and hosts an annual Avocado Festival. More avocados are grown in the region than any other county in the nation.

• In the late 1850s, Kennedy Mine, located in Jackson, served as one of the richest gold mines in the world and the deepest mine in North America.

• An animal called the riparian brush rabbit calls Caswell Memorial State Park (near Manteca) its home. Endemic only to the state's park system, the critter lives in approximately 255 acres stretching along the area's once-vast hardwood forest. 

• The largest three-day rodeo in the United States is held on the Tehama County Fairgrounds in Red Bluff.

• Demonstrations on making toothpaste from orange by-products were popular attractions at the Los Angeles County fair in 1922. The fair is held in Pomona.

• Located in Sacramento, the California State Railroad Museum is the largest museum of its kind in North America. 

• California Caverns claims the distinction of being the most extensive system of caverns and passageways in the Mother Lode region of the state.  

• On Catalina Island in 1926, American author Zane Grey built a pueblo-style home on the hillside overlooking Avalon Bay. He spent much of his later life in Avalon. The home is now a hotel.

• Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge contains the largest winter population of bald eagles in the continental United States. 

• In Atwater the Castle Air Museum has the largest display of military aircraft in the state.

• The Country Store in Baker has sold more winning California State Lottery tickets than any outlet in the state.

• Reputed to be the most corrupt politician in Fresno County history, Vice-leader Joseph Spinney was mayor for only ten minutes.

• The Hollywood Bowl is the world's largest outdoor amphitheater.

• The first person to personally receive a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood was actress Joanne Woodward. She received it in 1960. Death Valley is recognized as the hottest, driest place in the United States. It isn't uncommon for the summer temperatures to reach more than 115 degrees.

• The first motion picture theater opened in Los Angeles on April 2, 1902.

• Inyo National Forest is home to the bristle cone pine, the oldest living species. Some of the gnarled trees are thought to be over 4,600 years old.

• San Francisco Bay is considered the world's largest landlocked harbor.

• Sequoia National Park contains the largest living tree. Its trunk is 102 feet in circumference.

• Yorba Linda is home to the Richard Nixon Library.

• The Coachella Valley is nicknamed The Date Capital of the world and The Playground of Presidents.

• One out of every eight United States residents lives in California.

• If California's economic size were measured by itself to other countries, it would rank the 7th largest economy in the world. 

• California is known variously as The Land of Milk and Honey, The El Dorado State, The Golden State, and The Grape State. There are more than 300,000 tons of grapes grown in California annually.

• California produces more than 17 million gallons of wine each year. 

• Fresno proclaims itself the Raisin Capital of the World.

• The highest and lowest points in the continental United States are within 100 miles of one another. Mount Whitney measures 14,495 feet and Bad Water in Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level.

• Castroville is known as the Artichoke Capital of the World. In 1947 a young woman named Norma Jean was crowned Castroville's first Artichoke Queen. She went on to become actress Marilyn Monroe.