California's 174th Birthday: Fastest Statehood in US History

This is the restored California State Capital building in Benicia, Ca. The entire building is restored to 1853 era.Photo byThe Benicia Capital State Historic Park Website

Happy 174^th birthday to the state of California, which became the 31^st state on this day.

On September 9^th, 1850, California became the fastest region to gain statehood in U.S. history. While most regions had to wait years to decades to become a state, California did it quickly, and no other state has done it faster.

To become a state at that time, you needed about 60,000 residents. Most regions were territories for long periods of time to gain the numbers needed for statehood.

The gold rush changed everything, and it's predicted that in 1849 alone, 60,000 people from around the world came to California seeking their fortune. The area was growing so fast that the government bypassed the rules and allowed California to be a state without ever being a territory.

California's first capital was in San Jose, CA. The city was not equipped to house proper buildings, so they went to what is now Vallejo, Ca., for a short time until they moved to Benicia, Ca. They built a beautiful state house, which still stands today and can be viewed by the public for a small fee. It is now the Benicia Capital State Historic Park. In time, though, they realized it would be too small for expansion, so they built it in Sacramento, where it obviously is today.