15 Odd Facts About California

It has an unusual hsitory.

CaliforniaPhoto byMark NealonUnsplash

When you hear the word ’California” what comes to mind? Do you think of sunshine and liberal politics? Hollywood? Eccentric people? Possibly, depending on where we get our news. What’s an accurate picture of California? I don’t know.

My wife was actually born in California, but didn’t spend much time there as she and her family hit the highway and moved back to Oklahoma when she was very young. Sheer size alone should make for some diversity. So, after some research, here are some things you didn’t know about California.

1: The state’s official fruit is the avocado.

First of all, I wasn’t sure the avocado was a fruit. It’s sort of like the tomato.So, the state fruit of California has an identity crisis.

2: Beverly Hills used to be a lima bean ranch.

First of all, why is it a lima bean ranch and not a lima bean farm? Also, when Beverly Hills became home to swimming pools, movie stars, did it try to scrap the lima bean ranch thing form its bio?

3: California is home to the largest tree in the world.

It’s a redwood named General Sherman and its circumference at the ground is 102.6 feet. And millions of dogs throughout the world dream of visiting it.

4: Gravity behaves oddly it some parts of California.

In some places, it will actually push a car uphill. That is another example of why your mileage may vary.

5: There are more dogs than children in San Francisco. The city has about 115,000 children but 120,000 and 150,000 dogs.

So, San Francisco has literally gone to the dogs.

6: California is home to “watermelon show.”

And no, that’s not some type of illegal drug. It refers to snow that has microscopic algae that give the snow a pink hue.

7: The Gold Rush presented economic opportunities for women.

No. it’s not what you think. For example, one woman reportedly made over $18,000 just by baking pies.

8: The Gold Rush stressed a lot of people out, resulting in mental breakdowns and mental heal disorders.

To help those afflicted, in 1851 the Insane Asylum of California at Stockton was constructed. It’s now known by the more politically correct name, Stockton State Hospital. The name has changed, but the facility still adheres to those high standards established in 1851. Okay, I’m just guessing on that last part.

9: Originally, California was known as the Grizzly Bear State.

However, after the Grizzlies were hunted to near extinction, it became known as the Golden State. We will see what they call it if the gold market crashes.

10: During the 1920s, some buffalo were taken to Catalina Island for the filming of a movie. Around two hundred roam there now.

So, if you want a home where the buffalo roam, Catalina Island might fill the bill. It seems like a real estate broker should use that.

11: More turkeys are raised in California than in any other state.

And no, that is not a political statement.

12: The first Europeans to reach California found about 300,000 natives living there, with plenty of food and no wars.

And then decided to fix things.

13: On September 28, 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and his crew became the first Europeans to enter California.

And in his journal his entry read, “These dudes are totally rad!” Well maybe not, but that dialogue goes back to nearly 1542.

14: When it comes to diversity, California is the most diverse state in the union. It has 40,000 plant and animal species.

Even its people are diverse. Some have even been known to have more than one ethnicity.

15: The fortune cookie originated in California.

Some say it began in Los Angles while others say it was in San Francisco. No doubt that’s those two cities’ sports teams have such heated rivalries.