Do You the California Legisla Ture Chose the Phrase "The Remember? Golden State" As the State's Official Nickname in 1968
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THE INDEPENDENT • THURS Do You The California Legisla ture chose the phrase "The Remember? Golden State" as the state's official nickname in 1968. By Anne Homan The state reptile has Livermore City Historian been the desert tortoise (Gopherus agasiizii) since . California Insignia (Continued) ,its selection in 1972. It is listed as a threatened species. A vegetarian, it is native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. It aver ages 9 to 15 inches on its upper carapace. The Caifornia dog-face butterfly (Zerene eurydice) is our state insect. Found onl y in California. the male has the silhouette of a dog 's face colored an iridescent bluish-black on its upper wings. Its lower wings are a bright yellow. The female on its upper wings is yellow except for the black dot of the dog's Gray whale eyes; the lower wings are completely yellow. and Calico, the silver Knott purchased the town They feed on the fle<:tar of rush ghost town. Bodie site in 1950 and restored thistles. This colorful but is preserved in a state of the buildings to the 1880 terfly became the official "arrested decay," that is, era. Calico is now a San state insect in 1972. the state doe not attempt Bernardino County Re The state marine animal to restore the buildings gional Park. is the California gray whale but keeps them tanding. The state marine fish, (Eschrichtius robutu , The town had a population the garibaldi (Hypsypope selected in 1975. It spends of 10,000 by 1880 at the rubicundus), is a brilliant' summers in the icy wat rs height of tbe gold rush. golden orange color. It of the Bering and Chukchi It is estimated that $18 grows to about 14 inches Seas near Alaska. As the million of gold was mined long and is commonly ice pack advance in the here. About 170 of 2,000 found in shallow waters faU, the whale embarks on buildings remain; at its and reefs off the Southern one of the longest knowo peak there were 65 saloons California coast, from migrations of any mam on Main Street. Now, it is Magdalena Bay in Baja mal. Staying close to the the site of a State Historic to Monterey Bay. It was western North American Park and named as a state chosen as a state insignia coastline, it swims more insignia in 2002. It is near in 1995. than 5,600 miles to Baja the CNNV state border, The state quarter was California. Protected about 75 miles south of designed and issued in since 1946, it has made an Lake Tahoe at an eleva 2005 . It has John Muir astonishing comeback; in tion of 8,379 feet. The old standing on the left looking 1994, it was removed from Miners' Union Hall serves toward Half Dome and the the endangered species list. as a museum. Calico, near Yosemite Valley. Muir was Baleen hangs from its up Barstow, was named as a naturalist and conserva per jaw, allowing it to filter the state silver rush ghost tionist who was instrumen the seawater and feed on town in 2005. The town tal in establishing the area tiny plankton and krill. The is near the site of a major as a national park in 1890. gray whale's length aver silver strike in 1881; there He also helped to organize ages 35 to 50 feet, and its were 15 mines in the area. the Sierra Club to preserve weight from 20 to 40 tons. By the early 1900s it had it. Between Muir and Half California has rwo become a ghost town. The Dome is a representation state ghost towns-Bodie, mines produced nearly $20 of the California condor is the gold rush ghost town million of silver. Walter on the quarter. Its inclusion THE INDEPENDENT • THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013 9 DoYou was to celebrate the bird's widespread from Oregon remarkable return from to Baja. Remember? near extinction. Purple needlegrass was chosen as a state insignia By Anne Homan Purple needlegrass Livermore City Historian (NasseUa pulchra) is the in 2004. Selected in 1991 state grass. A native peren by the legislature, my California Insignia (Continued) nial grass, much of its hab favorite insignia is the itat has been overgrown by state prehistoric artifact, a non-native annual escapees chipped stone bear, created from fanners' fields, for in the same manner Native example, wild oats. The Americans made arrow Contra Costa Water Dis heads or spear points. It trict is trying to preserve is small, only 2'12 by 1 '12 the needlgrass. In early inches, fashioned from spring the land around Los black meta-volcanic rock Vaqueros Reservoir is used about 8,000 years ago. Dis as a short-term pasture for covered at an archeological sheep, which prefer the dig in San Diego County in wild oats and leave the 1985, it resembles a walk native grasses when herded ing bear and was perhaps quickly over the hills. The used for religious purposes seeds of the native grasses by Native Americans. were an important food This artifact is one of the source for Native Califor earliest forms of represen nians. They were harvested tational art found in the Gray whale by the women with baskets Western United States. and seed-beaters when the The Archeology, History and CaIic , the siIver Knott purchased the town seeds were ripe. Then they and Museums Division of rush gho t town. Bodie site in 1950 and restored used rock mortars to pro the California State Parks is pr erved in a state of the buildings to the 1880 cess the seeds, somewhat is the custodian of the "arre t decay," that is, era. Calico is now a San like a vertical metate. Once artifact. the state d e not attempt Bernardino County Re the seeds were ground You can find more to re tore the buildings gional Park. into meal, the women California State Insignia, but keep them tanding. The state marine fish, made various edibles, for such as the state tartan, The to n had a population the garibaIdi (Hypsypope example, seed cakes or a the state tall ship, the state of 10.000 b 1880 at the rubicundus), is a brilliant' warm cereal called pinole, military museum, and the height 0 the gold rush. golden orange color. It somewhat like oatmeal. state fife and drum band on It is estimated that 18 grows to about 14 inches These native grasses are the computer. million of gold was mined long and is commonly bunch grasses, tolerant of (Readers can reach me at here. About 170 of 2,000 found in shallow waters summer drought. They are [email protected].) buildings remain; at its and reefs off the Southern peak there were 65 saloons California coast, from on Main Street. Now, it is Magdalena Bay in Baja the site of a State Historic to Monterey Bay. It was Park and named as a state chosen as a state insignia insignia in 2002. It is near in 1995. the CAINV state border, The state quarter was s about 75 miles south of designed and issued in Lake Tahoe at an eleva 2005. It has John Muir o THE tion of 8.379 feet. The old standing on the left looking Miners' Union Han serves toward Half Dome and the ED as a museum. Calico, near Yosemite Valley. Muir was Barstow, was named as a naturalist and conserva the state silver rush ghost tionist who was instrumen CARPE town in 2005. The town tal in establishing the area is near the site of a major as a national park in 1890. silver strike in 1881; there He also helped to organize were 15 mines in the area. the Sierra Club to preserve By the early 1900s it had it. Between Muir and Half become a ghost town. The Dome is a representation mines produced nearly $20 of the California condor is DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER million of silver. Walter on the quarter. Its inclusion 1600 U til JJl 11' .