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Explore California History

“There’s only the American Dream and the California dream.”
—Gov. Gavin Newsom

CAL@170 is a collection of 170 stories celebrating California’s 170 years of statehood. The aim is to offer examples of California’s unique character and that of its residents, past and present. That means among the good there will be some bad. For every success story, there’s a failure, a tragedy, an injustice. It’s from these mistakes that we learn and grow stronger together. Share a story with us that helps define what California means to you.

A Year in the Life of Julia Morgan, Architect

On January 21, 1913, the Oakland YWCA announces that the city’s own Julia Morgan -- the most accomplished woman architect…

California’s Anti-Trafficking Pioneers

Chinatown Alley/Bancroft Library It is nearly dusk on December 14, 1933 when a Chinese teen named Jeung Gwai Ying flees…

Rincon Annex Murals Violate “American Ideals”

In 1940, the Treasury Department holds a contest to choose an artist to paint a series of murals for the…

Two Kings — Man and Mountain — are Bested

Three fishermen from Lone Pine become the first recorded to reach the 14,505 summit of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak…

“A Smile Is a Curve That Sets Everything Straight”

Phyllis Diller, 37, mother of five, former San Leandro News-Observer shopping columnist, gets her first stand-up comedy gig at San…

“Life Is Not a Spectator Sport”

Jackie Robinson is best known for becoming the first Black player in Major League Baseball when he joins the Brooklyn…

“Dream with Ambition, Lead with Conviction”

On January 20, 2021, amidst political turmoil and civil unrest, Kamala D. Harris makes history as she is sworn in…

“Savior of the Songsters”

Catherine Hittell is passionate about wildlife preservation. Saving the meadowlark from extinction, in particular. During the 19th Century and the…

Lydia Flood Jackson, Fierce Advocate for Educational and Social Equality

On her 100th birthday in 1962, Lydia Flood Jackson is honored by the City of Oakland as their oldest living…

Yosemite’s Unscalable Peak is Scaled

Yosemite Valley's majestic 8,839 foot Half Dome is…