It Happened in Northern California: Remarkable Events that Shaped History, by Erin H. Turner, Twodot, Guilford, CT, 2016.
This book presents 33 short stories of history in Northern California. It lists them chronologically, although some stories take place over a period of time.
Among other stories it includes, the first siting of California by non-Native Americans. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo lead the expedition, which never did make landfall because the tides and winds were not favorable. However Cabrillo would not survive the trip. He had previously fallen on rocks in the San Diego area and broken his arm. He continued on, but eventually gangrene set in and killed him. His first-mate made a final attempt to make it to shore, but eventually his men insisted it was not to be and the returned to Mexico.
He tells of an early Native American story teller.
A romance between a Russian trader and the magistrate at San Francisco Bay; Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov and Maria de la Concepcion Arguello y Morage. In this the guy does not get the girl, but intends to.
The Bear Flag Revolt of 1846.
He tells the bravery of Patty Reed of the Donner Party in 1847.
The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill by James Marshall.
The story of Joaquin Murieta, who was considered a bandit by some. By others he was compared to Robin Hood, fighting against injustice after the Mexican American War and many Hispanics were forced off their land. However Murieta became a cold blooded killed. In his wrath he killed many. He could gather 80 men or more, people who had been offended by the Whites, and they would take out their vengeance. This included killing Chinese. The reward offered for his capture eventually bore fruit. He was killed and his head taken as proof, as well as the hand of the three-fingered bandit, his side-kick. Although displayed, his wife said it was not him. She said Joaquin Murieta had escaped to Mexico.
The story of Ulysses Grant in California before the Civil War.
The mail delivered by Snowshoe Thompson.
Start of the wine making business in Sonoma,
Jessie Benton Fremont confronting those who would take her property. She was the wife of John C. Fremont.
A terrible massacre of Indians. The responsible parties were never identified.
Mary Ellen Pleasant, and African American business woman had an early incident similar to that of Rosa Parks.
Emperor Norton, who was treated as royalty because he had a delusion that he was.
The take of Captain Jack, chief of the Modocs, who refused to be relocated, and the had an effective stronghold in lava caves.
The story of Caruso during the San Francisco earthquake. Damage would have been much less had not the fires started.
The story of Ishi, last of the Yahi, a small tribe of Yana Indians.
The fire that destroy the dream of Jack London, and in a real way also took his will to live, and he passed away not long after.
Sarah Winchester and her mystery house in San Jose, when the tools did not go silent until after her death.
The state of Jefferson; proposed from parts of Northern California and Southern Oregon, which may have really happened if not for the advent of WWII which took everyone’s focus.
Japanese internment. Those who wouldn't say yes to the loyalty question were kept at Tule Lake.
The Olympics in Squaw Valley, 0960.
Bodega Bay and the birds,
Haight Ashbury summer of love in San Francisco, which came out of the protest movement.
The Native American take over at Alcatraz.
How a computer club developed into Apple, McIntosh and the iphones.
An art project you could see from space.
The mayor and supervisor in San Francisco murdered, George Moscone nd Harvey Milk.
And the World Series being stopped by an earthquake.
I think there are a couple left out, such as the explosion during WWII, the train robbery in Manteca, the story of New Hope, The Brooklyn, or the history of Drawbridge in the San Francisco Bay, The Battle between Mexican forces and Native Americans close the Riverbank. I will be using this post as a link for some of these stories.
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