National California Day

We recognize each state in the order they entered the union, beginning with Hawaii and ending with Hawaii on Independence Day. We feature a small part of each state's past, foods, and the people who make up the state. There's so much more to discover, we can't help but celebrate our beautiful country even more.

Spanish missionaries settled in California for more than a century. The Mexican American War and Manifest Destiny will play a significant part in making California a US territory. California and its territories north of the Rio Grande sold California and the Rio Grande for 15 million dollars under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in the Sierra Nevada Mountains just days before the treaty was signed. The gold rush of 1849 would usher in a period of peace that no other a new territory had ever seen. California became the 31st state on September 9, 1850, two years after the gold rush began two years ago.

Although most people think of sunny beaches and orange groves, California has a diverse climate. Each region has the opportunity to enjoy seasonal outdoor adventures. If surfing or downhill skiing is on the agenda, it's sure to be found. You'll find it here if hiking among giant redwoods or visiting historic missions is more to your liking.

Of course, we can't ignore Northern California's wine country. Wine enthusiasts must attend wine tours and wine tastings along the stunning Napa Valley or Sonoma County coasts.

California has a large number of swimmers and film stars in large numbers. Although moving pictures weren't invented in California, Hollywood sure made them flourish. Hollywood established a foundation of movie studios that continued to expand and some of which still exist today, by the turn of the twentieth century.