THE AMERICAN GUIDE

ALCATRAZ ISLAND - CALIFORNIA

ALCATRAZ ISLAND (Sp., pelican), in the bay between San Francisco and Sausalito, is one of the world’s most feared and widely publicized penal institutions, the Federal prison for incorrigibles (visitors by warden’s permission only). Alcatraz, known colloquially as “The Rock,” a 12-acre island, was fortified by the Spanish prior to American occupation. From 1859 it was used as a military prison and a United States Army disciplinary barracks; during and after the World War many conscientious objectors were removed here from Fort Leavenworth. Alcatraz was made a Federal penitentiary in 1933, to house unruly prisoners form other Federal institutions. The rigid discipline, its elaborate barriers to prevent escape, including the “electric eye” to detect the presence of metal on a prisoner, and the names of its notorious inmates have combined to make thousands of newspaper headlines. Swift currents flowing around “The Rock” make escape by water practically impossible. Two prisoners made the attempt in 1938, but their ultimate success or failure is unknown.
—California, A Guide To the Golden State (WPA, 1939)

Before visiting Alcatraz I was worried the island would be some kind of weird Disney type of tourist trap. Such a famous landmark with so much history can often be sucked dry of the uniqueness and truth of the place. I was surprised to find that Alcratraz, although a bit touristy in certain aspects, was pretty damn authentic. It had creepily empty corners and areas everywhere I looked, and I wasn’t left feeling like I had been robbed of the authenticity of the place. Every shadow dripped with history and the past and my mind couldn’t help but creating story lines for every shot I took. Disney it is not.
* * *
EE Berger is a photographer Detroit bred and Brooklyn based. She seeks out emptiness, solitude and peaceful moments and was recently selected as one of Photoboite’s “30 Women Photographers Under 30” for 2013. You can find her on Tumblr at eeberger.tumblr.com, and find her website at eebergerphoto.com.

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ALCATRAZ ISLAND - CALIFORNIA

ALCATRAZ ISLAND (Sp., pelican), in the bay between San Francisco and Sausalito, is one of the world’s most feared and widely publicized penal institutions, the Federal prison for incorrigibles (visitors by warden’s permission only). Alcatraz, known colloquially as “The Rock,” a 12-acre island, was fortified by the Spanish prior to American occupation. From 1859 it was used as a military prison and a United States Army disciplinary barracks; during and after the World War many conscientious objectors were removed here from Fort Leavenworth. Alcatraz was made a Federal penitentiary in 1933, to house unruly prisoners form other Federal institutions. The rigid discipline, its elaborate barriers to prevent escape, including the “electric eye” to detect the presence of metal on a prisoner, and the names of its notorious inmates have combined to make thousands of newspaper headlines. Swift currents flowing around “The Rock” make escape by water practically impossible. Two prisoners made the attempt in 1938, but their ultimate success or failure is unknown.

—California, A Guide To the Golden State (WPA, 1939)

Before visiting Alcatraz I was worried the island would be some kind of weird Disney type of tourist trap. Such a famous landmark with so much history can often be sucked dry of the uniqueness and truth of the place. I was surprised to find that Alcratraz, although a bit touristy in certain aspects, was pretty damn authentic. It had creepily empty corners and areas everywhere I looked, and I wasn’t left feeling like I had been robbed of the authenticity of the place. Every shadow dripped with history and the past and my mind couldn’t help but creating story lines for every shot I took. Disney it is not.

* * *

EE Berger is a photographer Detroit bred and Brooklyn based. She seeks out emptiness, solitude and peaceful moments and was recently selected as one of Photoboite’s “30 Women Photographers Under 30” for 2013. You can find her on Tumblr at eeberger.tumblr.com, and find her website at eebergerphoto.com.

MASTER GARDENERS - SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA

The American conquest opened a new market for agricultural products… The period is graphically described in the diary of John Sutter, the great adventurer-agriculturist and first white man to settle the interior, who combined a longing to live in the grand style with an intensely practical passion for farming. …
“I found a good market for my products among the new-comers and the people in the Bay district” Sutter wrote of the period immediately following the American occupation. “Agriculture increased until I had several hundred men working in the harvest fields, and to feed them I had to kill four or sometimes five oxen daily. I could raise 40,000 bushels of wheat without trouble, reap the crops with sickles, thrash it with bones, and winnow it in the wind. … My best days were just before the discovery of gold.”
— California, A Guide To the Golden State (WPA, 1939)

We recently made a trip to Sunnyvale’s community gardens where we met up with several of the University of California’s Master Gardeners. Located in 46 counties in the state, this group of experts helps set up community gardens, find productive methods to grow crops and also educate gardeners about how to cook with what they’ve grown.
The Master Gardeners are part of a larger UC network known as the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. In the late 1800s, UC researchers discovered how to remove salts from the soils of California’s Central Valley, turning what was once barren alkaline land into the most productive agricultural region in the world. Since then, UC has remained committed to supporting the industry by introducing new technologies in crop management and pest control, and helping it adapt to changing regulations while remaining competitive.
The UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources is a statewide network of researchers and educators celebrating its 100th anniversary.
* * *

UC Research tells the stories of the innovative research emerging from the University of California. You can follow them on Facebook,Twitter and at ucresearch.tumblr.com, and find their website here.

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MASTER GARDENERS - SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA

The American conquest opened a new market for agricultural products… The period is graphically described in the diary of John Sutter, the great adventurer-agriculturist and first white man to settle the interior, who combined a longing to live in the grand style with an intensely practical passion for farming. …

“I found a good market for my products among the new-comers and the people in the Bay district” Sutter wrote of the period immediately following the American occupation. “Agriculture increased until I had several hundred men working in the harvest fields, and to feed them I had to kill four or sometimes five oxen daily. I could raise 40,000 bushels of wheat without trouble, reap the crops with sickles, thrash it with bones, and winnow it in the wind. … My best days were just before the discovery of gold.”

— California, A Guide To the Golden State (WPA, 1939)

We recently made a trip to Sunnyvale’s community gardens where we met up with several of the University of California’s Master Gardeners. Located in 46 counties in the state, this group of experts helps set up community gardens, find productive methods to grow crops and also educate gardeners about how to cook with what they’ve grown.

The Master Gardeners are part of a larger UC network known as the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. In the late 1800s, UC researchers discovered how to remove salts from the soils of California’s Central Valley, turning what was once barren alkaline land into the most productive agricultural region in the world. Since then, UC has remained committed to supporting the industry by introducing new technologies in crop management and pest control, and helping it adapt to changing regulations while remaining competitive.

The UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources is a statewide network of researchers and educators celebrating its 100th anniversary.

* * *

UC Research tells the stories of the innovative research emerging from the University of California. You can follow them on Facebook,Twitter and at ucresearch.tumblr.com, and find their website here.

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CATALINA ISLAND, CALIFORNIA

The island was discovered by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, Portuguese navigator who, seeking the mythical Strait of Anian under orders from the Spanish Crown, put into the small, placid bay now called Avalon on October 7, 1542. … In 1811 a Russian vessel, seeking the prized sea otters, landed in the bay and slaughtered many of the Indians. Until 1821, when Mexico freed herself from Spain and lifted the Spanish ban on foreign trade in California, Santa Catalina was the base for unlawful trading operations with the mainland.

Although gold had been discovered on Santa Catalina in 1834, it was not until 1863 that several prospectors “struck it rich,” starting a gold rush; some 100,000 feet of claims were staked and filed in the Los Angeles County Recorder’s office, and indefatigable prospectors even ran their mine tunnels under the ocean floor. The boom was cut short by three developments: a new island owner, José Maria Covarrubias, bought the property in 1855 and vociferously objected to the freebooting activities of the prospectors; a pirate scare frightened the Federal Government; and last but not least the gold ran out.

— California, A Guide To the Golden State (WPA, 1939)

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Michelle Legro is a native Californian whose writing has appeared in numerous publications, including The Atlantic and Brain Picker. She is an editor at Lapham’s Quarterly and the woman behind My Daguerrotype Boyfriend.

HOT MESS / RCA - OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
The Hot Mess/RCA is a squatted compound in Oakland that’s “housed literally hundreds of freaks, queerdos, radicals, hustlers, lovers, and comrades.” It was recently involved in a lengthy court battle against eviction. But the court case was dropped in March, the eviction cancelled and the squat has now won quiet title.
Visit Hot Mess/RCA on Tumblr at theoaklandcompound.tumblr.com.
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Loco Lark was born in Fremont, California, but now resides in Oakland. Follow Loco on Tumblr at locolarkphoto.tumblr.com.
This dispatch arrived care of The American Guide submission page. Be a guide yourself and send a post from your state: theamericanguide.org/submit.

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HOT MESS / RCA - OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

The Hot Mess/RCA is a squatted compound in Oakland that’s “housed literally hundreds of freaks, queerdos, radicals, hustlers, lovers, and comrades.” It was recently involved in a lengthy court battle against eviction. But the court case was dropped in March, the eviction cancelled and the squat has now won quiet title.

Visit Hot Mess/RCA on Tumblr at theoaklandcompound.tumblr.com.

* * *

Loco Lark was born in Fremont, California, but now resides in Oakland. Follow Loco on Tumblr at locolarkphoto.tumblr.com.

This dispatch arrived care of The American Guide submission page. Be a guide yourself and send a post from your state: theamericanguide.org/submit.

$GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY - LOS ANGELES, CA The OBSERVATORY AND PLANETARIUM (open 11-11 weekdays, 2-11 Sun.; free; planetarium demonstrations 3 and 8:30 p.m. Daily; adm. 25¢), designed by John C. Austin, is built on a spur of foothills. Before the entrance is a dedicatory obelisk, designed by Archibald Garner, bearing the names and dates of the world’s great astronomers. Surmounting the shaft is the early astronomical instrument, the astrolabe. Inside the building are observatory exhibits, and a large model of the moon; a creeping light is thrown on it to represent the sun and reveal the changing shadows, mountains, craters, as they would appear from a distance of 500 miles. Other exhibits cover the fields of electricity, optics, spectroscopy, electronics, geology, and chemistry. At night the 12-inch refractor telescopes allow visitors a view of the celestial bodies. — California, A Guide To the Golden State (WPA, 1939) Guide note: Still an iconic building in Southern California, the hours and admissions policy of the Griffith Observatory have changed a bit since 1939. They are now open 12-10pm weekdays (Tuesday – Friday), 10am-10pm weekends, closed Monday. Admission to the Observatory building and grounds is free, but tickets to the planetarium’s shows range from $3.00-$7.00. Now showing in the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon theater – The Once and Future Griffith Observatory, a 24-minute film narrated by Leonard Nimoy “provides an exciting and compelling introduction to the history and unique public offerings of the Observatory.” Show times – every hour on the hour. * * * Find Vanessa and Nick on Tumblr at shotonthespot and see the Southwest as they see it in realtime.$

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GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY - LOS ANGELES, CA

The OBSERVATORY AND PLANETARIUM (open 11-11 weekdays, 2-11 Sun.; free; planetarium demonstrations 3 and 8:30 p.m. Daily; adm. 25¢), designed by John C. Austin, is built on a spur of foothills. Before the entrance is a dedicatory obelisk, designed by Archibald Garner, bearing the names and dates of the world’s great astronomers. Surmounting the shaft is the early astronomical instrument, the astrolabe. Inside the building are observatory exhibits, and a large model of the moon; a creeping light is thrown on it to represent the sun and reveal the changing shadows, mountains, craters, as they would appear from a distance of 500 miles. Other exhibits cover the fields of electricity, optics, spectroscopy, electronics, geology, and chemistry. At night the 12-inch refractor telescopes allow visitors a view of the celestial bodies.

— California, A Guide To the Golden State (WPA, 1939)

Guide note: Still an iconic building in Southern California, the hours and admissions policy of the Griffith Observatory have changed a bit since 1939. They are now open 12-10pm weekdays (Tuesday – Friday), 10am-10pm weekends, closed Monday. Admission to the Observatory building and grounds is free, but tickets to the planetarium’s shows range from $3.00-$7.00. Now showing in the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon theater – The Once and Future Griffith Observatory, a 24-minute film narrated by Leonard Nimoy “provides an exciting and compelling introduction to the history and unique public offerings of the Observatory.” Show times – every hour on the hour.

* * *

Find Vanessa and Nick on Tumblr at shotonthespot and see the Southwest as they see it in realtime.

HASTINGS NATURAL RESERVE, CALIFORNIA
University of California has long been known as an innovative institution. The 1939 WPA guide to California referred to the university as a “home of celebrated scholars and a brilliant center of research,” and today, that tradition of research continues at UCLA, UC Berkeley and the other campuses across the state.
One of the university’s invaluable resources is its nature reserve system - a network of protected land throughout the state where researchers and graduate students can conduct field studies. Hastings Natural Reserve is the oldest in the system. Its rich and unique history as a research station dates back to the 1930s when former farming land was offered to the University for biological fieldwork. The forward-thinking landowner and University staff and faculty allowed the 2700 acres of land to return to a natural state, and 80 years later, it’s become a great place for scientists to investigate anything from geology to phenology - the study of seasonal or periodic events in biology - with a focus on long term patterns in the environment.
We visited the reserve to interview Brian Haggerty, a UC Santa Barbara graduate student. He’s one of the researchers working on the The California Phenology Project, an effort to track and keep record of plants as a way to monitor climate change. He conducted a workshop with thirty scientists from central California to talk about creating a statewide database for phenological events… or as he calls it “Facebook for plants.” Brian and Vince Voegeli, the reserve manager, took some time to show us around Hastings and tell us a little bit about current research going on here along with the other reserves at UC.
* * *
UC Research tells the stories of the innovative research emerging from the University of California. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and at ucresearch.tumblr.com, and find their website here.

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HASTINGS NATURAL RESERVE, CALIFORNIA

University of California has long been known as an innovative institution. The 1939 WPA guide to California referred to the university as a “home of celebrated scholars and a brilliant center of research,” and today, that tradition of research continues at UCLA, UC Berkeley and the other campuses across the state.

One of the university’s invaluable resources is its nature reserve system - a network of protected land throughout the state where researchers and graduate students can conduct field studies. Hastings Natural Reserve is the oldest in the system. Its rich and unique history as a research station dates back to the 1930s when former farming land was offered to the University for biological fieldwork. The forward-thinking landowner and University staff and faculty allowed the 2700 acres of land to return to a natural state, and 80 years later, it’s become a great place for scientists to investigate anything from geology to phenology - the study of seasonal or periodic events in biology - with a focus on long term patterns in the environment.

We visited the reserve to interview Brian Haggerty, a UC Santa Barbara graduate student. He’s one of the researchers working on the The California Phenology Project, an effort to track and keep record of plants as a way to monitor climate change. He conducted a workshop with thirty scientists from central California to talk about creating a statewide database for phenological events… or as he calls it “Facebook for plants.” Brian and Vince Voegeli, the reserve manager, took some time to show us around Hastings and tell us a little bit about current research going on here along with the other reserves at UC.

* * *

UC Research tells the stories of the innovative research emerging from the University of California. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and at ucresearch.tumblr.com, and find their website here.

RENAISSANCE PLEASURE FAIRE - VARIOUS PLACES IN CALIFORNIA
Begun in 1963 in Agoura, near Malibu, to create “living history” for schoolchildren and their families, the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire has grown into an annual interactive playground and gallery for over 200,000 participants and guests. It has given birth to an industry nationwide and this year is more fun and exciting than ever.
This Southern California Faire has traveled a bit since Agoura. The Glen Helen Pavilion provided two different settings in Devore (in San Bernadino County) where the Faire spent many years. Shortly after the turn of the Century, the Faire moved back to Los Angeles County, to its current home at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, a United States Army Corps of Engineers’ Facility and a unit of County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation System in Irwindale, CA.
Since its inception, more than 5 million people from around the world have visited Southern California’s Renaissance Pleasure Faire, averaging approximately 20,000 each weekend.
—The Original Renaissance Faire website
Guide Note: All photos taken from the 1970 event that took place in Agoura Hills. You can see 44 different Kodachrome photos in my collection right here.
* * *

Jordan Smith is the guide to ephemeral America for The American Guide. He currently works for the University of Notre Dame during the day and scans at night. He lives in South Bend, Indiana and you can find him on Flickr, his blog, or one of several Tumblr sites, including colortransparency.tumblr.com.

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RENAISSANCE PLEASURE FAIRE - VARIOUS PLACES IN CALIFORNIA

Begun in 1963 in Agoura, near Malibu, to create “living history” for schoolchildren and their families, the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire has grown into an annual interactive playground and gallery for over 200,000 participants and guests. It has given birth to an industry nationwide and this year is more fun and exciting than ever.

This Southern California Faire has traveled a bit since Agoura. The Glen Helen Pavilion provided two different settings in Devore (in San Bernadino County) where the Faire spent many years. Shortly after the turn of the Century, the Faire moved back to Los Angeles County, to its current home at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, a United States Army Corps of Engineers’ Facility and a unit of County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation System in Irwindale, CA.

Since its inception, more than 5 million people from around the world have visited Southern California’s Renaissance Pleasure Faire, averaging approximately 20,000 each weekend.

—The Original Renaissance Faire website

Guide Note: All photos taken from the 1970 event that took place in Agoura Hills. You can see 44 different Kodachrome photos in my collection right here.

* * *

Jordan Smith is the guide to ephemeral America for The American Guide. He currently works for the University of Notre Dame during the day and scans at night. He lives in South Bend, Indiana and you can find him on Flickr, his blog, or one of several Tumblr sites, including colortransparency.tumblr.com.

EGGLAND - PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA
A guide to Petaluma, California, using California: a Guide to the Golden State (WPA, 1939) as your map.
“The World’s Egg Basket.” “Egg Capital of the World.” “Chickaluma.”
These are just a few of the historical nicknames for Petaluma, a Sonoma County town just off today’s Hwy. 101, north of San Francisco. The unusual name, which voice-activated GPS systems don’t usually agree with, probably comes from a Miwok word, in the language of the area’s First Peoples. (Farming and ranching by both Mexican settlers and, eventually, Americans, overran the original inhabitants.)
Petaluma’s story really began in the 1870s when a Canadian named Lyman Byce realized that the area was perfect for poultry and, of course, egg production. Working with a local dentist named Isaac Dias, Byce also created the first egg incubator, which sped up the process of getting eggs to market.
By World War I, Petaluma’s chickens and eggs were being promoted in sophisticated advertising campaigns, and the town was enshrined with its reputation and nickname as the capital of all things eggy. Just ask the WPA Guide to California: “Petaluma even has a CHICKEN PHARMACY, on the main street, devoted exclusively to the sale of remedies for ailing chickens.”
Modern factory farming after World War II made the chicken coops and even the old incubators obsolete, and Petaluma reverted to its original agricultural roots. Acres of flowers grown for seed companies soon flourished. And its beautiful setting on the river of the same name, plus its proximity to San Francisco, also helped make the town a magnet for families and commuters.
Today, remnants of Petaluma’s past can still be seen in a drive around town: grain elevators, old, brick buildings which used to house poultry supplies and the “Butter and Eggs Day” parade and craft fair held every April.
* * *
Lynn Downey is an At-large Guide to the West for The American Guide. She’s a writer and archivist based in Sonoma, California. Follow on her website, LynnDowney.com.

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EGGLAND - PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA

A guide to Petaluma, California, using California: a Guide to the Golden State (WPA, 1939) as your map.

“The World’s Egg Basket.” “Egg Capital of the World.” “Chickaluma.”

These are just a few of the historical nicknames for Petaluma, a Sonoma County town just off today’s Hwy. 101, north of San Francisco. The unusual name, which voice-activated GPS systems don’t usually agree with, probably comes from a Miwok word, in the language of the area’s First Peoples. (Farming and ranching by both Mexican settlers and, eventually, Americans, overran the original inhabitants.)

Petaluma’s story really began in the 1870s when a Canadian named Lyman Byce realized that the area was perfect for poultry and, of course, egg production. Working with a local dentist named Isaac Dias, Byce also created the first egg incubator, which sped up the process of getting eggs to market.

By World War I, Petaluma’s chickens and eggs were being promoted in sophisticated advertising campaigns, and the town was enshrined with its reputation and nickname as the capital of all things eggy. Just ask the WPA Guide to California: “Petaluma even has a CHICKEN PHARMACY, on the main street, devoted exclusively to the sale of remedies for ailing chickens.”

Modern factory farming after World War II made the chicken coops and even the old incubators obsolete, and Petaluma reverted to its original agricultural roots. Acres of flowers grown for seed companies soon flourished. And its beautiful setting on the river of the same name, plus its proximity to San Francisco, also helped make the town a magnet for families and commuters.

Today, remnants of Petaluma’s past can still be seen in a drive around town: grain elevators, old, brick buildings which used to house poultry supplies and the “Butter and Eggs Day” parade and craft fair held every April.

* * *

Lynn Downey is an At-large Guide to the West for The American Guide. She’s a writer and archivist based in Sonoma, California. Follow on her website, LynnDowney.com.

SIKH PARADE - STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA

“I just got back from the Sikh Parade,” I tell my friends. “The what?” they say. “The Sikh Parade. Starts near the beginning of San Joaquin Street, snakes through Downtown and across Weber, then back up California Street. Ya know?”
“Never heard of it.”

I’ve attended the Sikh Parade for three years in a row now, and I maintain that it is one of the most enjoyable and liberating events that Stockton, California, has to offer its residents.
Fresh, delicious Indian food is available on every street corner. Cultural music spills out of float speakers as they roll by. A wash of vibrant, colorful fabric streams through the street — collecting the bright spring sunlight and reflecting it against shop windows and the dashboards of parked cars.
In 2012, the April parade preluded the October celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Stockton Gurdwara on South Grant Street. This temple is the first permanent Sikh settlement in the United States, and Sikhs from all over the California Central Valley come to visit and participate in the parade’s progression through the city.
The Sikh parade happens each year at the tail end of April.
* * *
Brandon Getty is a State Guide to California, specifically the Central Valley region and his home city of Stockton. Follow on Tumblr at Maps to Stockton, on blogspot at Shooting Daggers, or on his Carbonmade Portfolio.

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SIKH PARADE - STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA

“I just got back from the Sikh Parade,” I tell my friends. “The what?” they say. “The Sikh Parade. Starts near the beginning of San Joaquin Street, snakes through Downtown and across Weber, then back up California Street. Ya know?”

“Never heard of it.”

I’ve attended the Sikh Parade for three years in a row now, and I maintain that it is one of the most enjoyable and liberating events that Stockton, California, has to offer its residents.

Fresh, delicious Indian food is available on every street corner. Cultural music spills out of float speakers as they roll by. A wash of vibrant, colorful fabric streams through the street — collecting the bright spring sunlight and reflecting it against shop windows and the dashboards of parked cars.

In 2012, the April parade preluded the October celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Stockton Gurdwara on South Grant Street. This temple is the first permanent Sikh settlement in the United States, and Sikhs from all over the California Central Valley come to visit and participate in the parade’s progression through the city.

The Sikh parade happens each year at the tail end of April.

* * *

Brandon Getty is a State Guide to California, specifically the Central Valley region and his home city of Stockton. Follow on Tumblr at Maps to Stockton, on blogspot at Shooting Daggers, or on his Carbonmade Portfolio.

LA COUNTY FAIR

…on the northwest are the 175-acre LOS ANGELES COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS, since 1922 the scene of what the exposition’s literature calls “the biggest county fair in America.” Half-a-million visitors flock in annually in September to see agricultural, horticultural, livestock, domestic arts, educational, machinery, and arts and crafts exhibits, as well as poultry, rabbits, and dairy produce. Thousands of entries compete for prizes against a carnival background. On the half-mile track, with its huge grandstand, is pari-mutuel racing.
— California, A Guide To the Golden State (WPA, 1939)

This past summer my girlfriend Vanessa and I hit the Los Angeles County Fair on one of its last days running. We found the entire set up to be more than inspiring as we had our cameras to our eyes most of the night. Our goal: document everything! From sticky fingered children to old couples continuing a So Cal tradition, the LA County Fair had an amazing blend of California residents.
(Ed. note: The LA County fair usually opens at the end of August and lasts for the month of September.)
* * *

Nick Jojola is a State Guide to California and the Southwest. Follow him on Tumblr at nhjojola and shotonthespot and on Twitter.

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LA COUNTY FAIR

…on the northwest are the 175-acre LOS ANGELES COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS, since 1922 the scene of what the exposition’s literature calls “the biggest county fair in America.” Half-a-million visitors flock in annually in September to see agricultural, horticultural, livestock, domestic arts, educational, machinery, and arts and crafts exhibits, as well as poultry, rabbits, and dairy produce. Thousands of entries compete for prizes against a carnival background. On the half-mile track, with its huge grandstand, is pari-mutuel racing.

— California, A Guide To the Golden State (WPA, 1939)

This past summer my girlfriend Vanessa and I hit the Los Angeles County Fair on one of its last days running. We found the entire set up to be more than inspiring as we had our cameras to our eyes most of the night. Our goal: document everything! From sticky fingered children to old couples continuing a So Cal tradition, the LA County Fair had an amazing blend of California residents.

(Ed. note: The LA County fair usually opens at the end of August and lasts for the month of September.)

* * *

Nick Jojola is a State Guide to California and the Southwest. Follow him on Tumblr at nhjojola and shotonthespot and on Twitter.

ARCADIA
The Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden is just across Baldwin Avenue from the Santa Anita Racetrack. It’s a world away from sure bets and sorry nags. The grounds surround the 19th century home of Lucky Baldwin—one of America’s most celebrated breeders of fine horseflesh.
Your intrepid correspondents, Vanessa and Nick from shotonthespot share some snapshots.
* * *
Find Vanessa and Nick on Tumblr at shotonthespot and see the Southwest as they see it in realtime.

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ARCADIA

The Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden is just across Baldwin Avenue from the Santa Anita Racetrack. It’s a world away from sure bets and sorry nags. The grounds surround the 19th century home of Lucky Baldwin—one of America’s most celebrated breeders of fine horseflesh.

Your intrepid correspondents, Vanessa and Nick from shotonthespot share some snapshots.

* * *

Find Vanessa and Nick on Tumblr at shotonthespot and see the Southwest as they see it in realtime.

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CERRO GORDO, CALIFORNIA

KC O’Connor sends word from the land of fortunes made and lost…

Cerro Gordo is a high desert mining town at 8,500ft in the Inyo mountains, near Death Valley National Park. Before being abandoned in the 1920s it was California’s greatest silver and lead producer. Of the three trails to the mine, my favorite is the rugged but scenic 13-mile 4WD Swansea Grade Road. The townsite is private property but tours of the old buildings and mine are provided by the town’s caretaker.

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KC O’Connor is a Guide to Wyoming for The American Guide. He’s a writer and photographer based in Lander, Wyoming. Follow him on Tumblr and Twitter.

CALIFORNIA GOLD

We’ve noticed more than a few folks in our feed today posting about the passing of California public television icon Huell Howser. For the non-Golden Staters among us, Howser was the host of programs like “California Gold,” “Visiting,” and “Road Trip.” He was the first man allowed inside the venerable In-N-Out Burger with a camera. He was parodied on The Simpsons. And most importantly, he was beloved by Californians.

From the LA Times:

But though his shows were focused on points and people of interest, it was Howser who turned into the main attraction, tackling his subjects with an awestruck curiosity and relentless enthusiasm. His upbeat boosterism accompanied an appearance that was simultaneously off-kilter and yet somehow cool, with a hint of retro — a thick, square mane of white hair, sunglasses, shirts that showed off a drill sergeant’s build and huge biceps, and expressions that ranged from pleasantness to jaw-dropping wonder with some of his discoveries. Often, he wore shorts.

From A/G Guide to California, Nick Jojola:

California Gold was a show you grew up to. Huell Howser, with his camerman Louie, would show us all the great parts of California that you wouldn’t know existed. He dissected the state and showed us how much there is to explore and how to enjoy life. He is responsible for my need to continue to explore California and now I feel I owe it to him. It’s weird how a simple show can affect how you feel towards something. California is my home, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank you Huell, for the hours of honest entertainment and love for our state. Cheers, Huell, and rest well buddy.

“That’s Amazing”

KCET created this map to track Huell’s ramblings. Plenty of places worth exploring.

LAKE ARROWHEAD

…through a narrow, heavily timbered canyon to ARROWHEAD VILLAGE (5,109 alt., 510 pop.), on the south shore of LAKE ARROWHEAD, made up of shops, hotels, theaters, cafes, and dance halls, largely in the Norman style. Roads and footpaths radiate to the innumerable resorts on the forested rim of the lake, from auto camps to luxury hotels.

— California, A Guide To the Golden State (WPA, 1939)
To reach the ersatz Alpine country of Lake Arrowhead take the Rim of the World Highway through the San Bernardino mountains. Its hills provided the backdrop for Heidi, The Parent Trap, and High Sierra. So come walk in the footsteps of Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, and Humphrey Bogart. Enjoy tobogganing, duck feeding, and evergreen appreciation in its tranquil setting.
Photos by Nick Jojola.
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Nick Jojola is a State Guide to California and the Southwest. Follow him on Tumblr at nhjojola and shotonthespot and on Twitter.

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LAKE ARROWHEAD

…through a narrow, heavily timbered canyon to ARROWHEAD VILLAGE (5,109 alt., 510 pop.), on the south shore of LAKE ARROWHEAD, made up of shops, hotels, theaters, cafes, and dance halls, largely in the Norman style. Roads and footpaths radiate to the innumerable resorts on the forested rim of the lake, from auto camps to luxury hotels.

— California, A Guide To the Golden State (WPA, 1939)

To reach the ersatz Alpine country of Lake Arrowhead take the Rim of the World Highway through the San Bernardino mountains. Its hills provided the backdrop for Heidi, The Parent Trap, and High Sierra. So come walk in the footsteps of Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, and Humphrey Bogart. Enjoy tobogganing, duck feeding, and evergreen appreciation in its tranquil setting.

Photos by Nick Jojola.

* * *

Nick Jojola is a State Guide to California and the Southwest. Follow him on Tumblr at nhjojola and shotonthespot and on Twitter.

MT. DIABLO
On a hazy day in central California, Mt. Diablo can be viewed from Interstate 5 as a faint watercolor splotch on the horizon line. During the right sunset, it’s silhouetted inky black against a backdrop of pastels. If the shoulder is wide enough, feel free to pull over and marvel.
Though the view on a crystal clear day can’t be beat, make an effort to visit during foggy seasons. When visibility is a mere four feet and you’re at the very edge of a vista it is pure, wonderful solitude.
You can convince yourself that you’re floating, if you really try.
* * *
Brandon Getty is a State Guide to California, specifically the Central Valley region and his home city of Stockton. Follow on Tumblr at Maps to Stockton, on blogspot at Shooting Daggers, or on his Carbonmade Portfolio.

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MT. DIABLO

On a hazy day in central California, Mt. Diablo can be viewed from Interstate 5 as a faint watercolor splotch on the horizon line. During the right sunset, it’s silhouetted inky black against a backdrop of pastels. If the shoulder is wide enough, feel free to pull over and marvel.

Though the view on a crystal clear day can’t be beat, make an effort to visit during foggy seasons. When visibility is a mere four feet and you’re at the very edge of a vista it is pure, wonderful solitude.

You can convince yourself that you’re floating, if you really try.

* * *

Brandon Getty is a State Guide to California, specifically the Central Valley region and his home city of Stockton. Follow on Tumblr at Maps to Stockton, on blogspot at Shooting Daggers, or on his Carbonmade Portfolio.

THE AMERICAN GUIDE

FOLLOW YOUR GUIDE AND SEE AMERICA

THE AMERICAN GUIDE

FOLLOW YOUR GUIDE AND SEE AMERICA

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Stuff I Like

FOLLOW YOUR GUIDE AND SEE AMERICA

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Stuff I Like

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