At 11 a.m. on Washington’s Birthday, February 22, 1856, the Sacramento Valley Railroad inaugurates service to Folsom, as the locomotive “Sacramento” with a string of…
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Stories about technology and commerce in California
It’s 5:54 p.m. on Friday, March 10, 1933. A 6.4 magnitude earthquake sweeps throughout Southern California, concentrating much of its damage in Long Beach. Although…
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The day after Christmas, 1958, author, actor, recording artist, comedian and puppeteer Stan Freberg donates $1,000 in royalties from “Green Chri$tma$,” his satire on the…
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On October 14, 1947, U.S. Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager becomes the first person to fly at supersonic speed – Mach 1 – streaking across…
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Brothers Walter Elias Disney and Roy Oliver Disney found Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio on October 16, 1923. The studio is in the rear of a…
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In 1961, the Beach Boys receive their first paycheck for playing three songs at the Richie Valens Memorial Concert at the Long Beach Auditorium. Most…
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Ettore Steccone, 26, immigrates to America in 1922 seeking his fortune. He becomes a window cleaner in Oakland. Steccone is a familiar sight on his…
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In 1936, California opens what’s then the longest bridge in the world. Enough Bay Area residents want to experience the new Bay Bridge firsthand that…
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In 1890, the Pasadena Valley Hunt Club draws 2,000 locals for an event it sponsors to promote the city’s unique charms and climate modeled after…
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At a McDonald’s franchise in Goleta, a breakfast sandwich – egg, cheese, Canadian bacon on a toasted English muffin – is served for the first…
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