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92-631: Coarsegold , California , is a census-designated place in Madera County , situated in the central part of the state. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 4,144. Coarsegold holds historical significance as Madera County's last surviving "gold town" and is notable for its Native American heritage, particularly as the headquarters of the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians , a federally recognized tribe . The community celebrates its frontier culture with annual events such as

184-627: A vigilante group . In 1856, Fresno County was established, with the area becoming part of the initial supervisorial district. The gold from the region was notably valuable, prompting the construction of infrastructure like schools and mines. Notable individuals from this era include Theodore Thure Strombeck, an early settler and member of the Mariposa Battalion and the local vigilantes. Coarsegold has previously had several names, including "Coarse Gold", "Gold Gulch", "Michaels", "Oro Grosso", "Texas Flat", and "Coarse Gold Gulch". The place

276-510: A 75-mile radius of the Picayune Reservation. General eligibility requires tribal members to be 18 years or older and have attended at least eight council meetings. For officer positions, candidates must be 25 years or older and also meet the meeting attendance requirement. Founded in 1912, the Picayune Rancheria ( 37°12′41″N 119°42′03″W  /  37.21139°N 119.70083°W  / 37.21139; -119.70083 )

368-473: A Caliph) on their way to Guerrero, Mexico where they played a future role in the wars of independence . Sebastián Vizcaíno explored and mapped the coast of California in 1602 for New Spain , putting ashore in Monterey . Despite the on-the-ground explorations of California in the 16th century, Rodríguez's idea of California as an island persisted. Such depictions appeared on many European maps well into

460-459: A Spanish navigator." The name most likely derived from the mythical island of California in the fictional story of Queen Calafia , as recorded in a 1510 work The Adventures of Esplandián by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo . Queen Calafia's kingdom was said to be a remote land rich in gold and pearls, inhabited by beautiful Black women who wore gold armor and lived like Amazons , as well as griffins and other strange beasts. Abbreviations of

552-598: A commodity until the 1849 California Gold Rush . From the 1820s, trappers and settlers from the United States and Canada began to arrive in Northern California. These new arrivals used the Siskiyou Trail , California Trail , Oregon Trail and Old Spanish Trail to cross the rugged mountains and harsh deserts in and surrounding California. The early government of the newly independent Mexico

644-576: A free state, the "loitering or orphaned Indians", were de facto enslaved by their new Anglo-American masters under the 1850 Act for the Government and Protection of Indians . One of these de facto slave auctions was approved by the Los Angeles City Council and occurred for nearly twenty years. There were many massacres in which hundreds of indigenous people were killed by settlers for their land. Between 1850 and 1860,

736-570: A high percentage of veterans (17.8%) and a substantial older population, with 27.0% over 65, compared to 15.8% in the state. Lastly, Coarsegold residents face longer commutes than most Californians, with an average travel time to work of 41.7 minutes, surpassing the state average of 28.3 minutes. Since 2008, Chukchansi language courses have been offered at the local elementary school in Coarsegold. By 2012, these classes expanded to include both children and adults. Initiated in 1953 to celebrate

828-441: A median household income of $ 81,814, slightly below the state's $ 91,551. However, its poverty rate is lower at 8.2%, compared to California's 12.2%. The town's employment rate is 49.8%, under the state's 60.0%, and 22.7% of its residents have at least a bachelor's degree, less than the state's 37.0%. Demographically, Coarsegold has fewer foreign-born residents (3.9%) and fewer non-English speakers than California overall. Yet, it has

920-624: A modest home which in the 1960s cost $ 25,000 would cost half a million dollars or more in urban areas by 2005. More people commuted longer hours to afford a home in more rural areas while earning larger salaries in the urban areas. Speculators bought houses, expecting to make a huge profit in months, then rolling it over by buying more properties. Mortgage companies were compliant, as people assumed prices would keep rising. The bubble burst in 2007–8 as prices began to crash. Hundreds of billions in property values vanished and foreclosures soared, as financial institutions and investors were badly hurt. In

1012-406: A nearby creek. At one time, several dozen gold mines operated in the area. By the 1860s, Coarsegold became well-known as an important stop for people heading to the mountains for cattle raising, farming, and lumbering. The town grew even more popular after the wagon road to Yosemite Valley was completed in 1876, attracting tourists worldwide. However, in the 1880s, Coarsegold saw less traffic after

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1104-576: A new road was built directly from the valley to the mining areas in Grub Gulch and Ahwahnee , leading straight to Yosemite. The Coarse Gold Gulch post office opened in 1878, changed the name to "Goldgulch" in 1895 and to "Coarsegold" in 1899. By the early 20th century, the number of indigenous people in California, including the Chukchansi, had drastically reduced. In an attempt to address

1196-410: A part of Mexico. In 1846, the total settler population of the western part of the old Alta California had been estimated to be no more than 8,000, plus about 100,000 Native Americans, down from about 300,000 before Hispanic settlement in 1769. In 1848, only one week before the official American annexation of the area, gold was discovered in California, this being an event which was to forever alter both

1288-471: A population of 4,144. Coarsegold stands out from state averages with its older population, high homeownership rates, and unique cultural traits. The town's median age is 40.5, older than the state's 37.9. A notable 90.0% of Coarsegold homes are owner-occupied, well above California's 55.8% average. Additionally, linguistic diversity is lower here, with only 7.1% speaking a non-English language at home, compared to 44.4% statewide. Economically, Coarsegold has

1380-748: A short break in 1862 when legislative sessions were held in San Francisco due to flooding in Sacramento . Once the state's Constitutional Convention had finalized its state constitution, it applied to the U.S. Congress for admission to statehood . On September 9, 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850 , California became a free state and September   9 a state holiday . During the American Civil War (1861–1865), California sent gold shipments eastward to Washington in support of

1472-612: A state Constitutional Convention was first held in Monterey. Among the first tasks of the convention was a decision on a location for the new state capital. The first full legislative sessions were held in San Jose (1850–1851). Subsequent locations included Vallejo (1852–1853), and nearby Benicia (1853–1854); these locations eventually proved to be inadequate as well. The capital has been located in Sacramento since 1854 with only

1564-621: Is Sacramento . The state's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast and metropolitan areas in the west to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east, and from the redwood and Douglas fir forests in the northwest to the Mojave Desert in the southeast. Two-thirds of the nation's earthquake risk lies in California. The Central Valley , a fertile agricultural area, dominates the state's center. The large size of

1656-1087: Is 160 acres (650,000 m ) large and located in Madera County, in Coarsegold, California . The community of Yosemite Lakes is also nearby. The tribe operates the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino and associated dining venues in Coarsegold . They also hold naming rights to Chukchansi Park in Fresno . Since the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino opened in 2003, the Chukchansi Tribe has disenrolled more than half its members. Disenrollment involves removing individuals from tribal membership, denying them various federal tribal benefits including educational support, land rights, tax advantages, medical care, and income from tribal enterprises like casinos. Following

1748-547: Is 38 miles (61 km) to the south, and the south entrance of Yosemite is 23 miles (37 km) to the north. Nearby communities include Oakhurst 8 miles (13 km) to the north and Yosemite Lakes Park the same distance to the southwest. Indian Lakes Estates is 5 miles (8 km) southeast of the center of Coarsegold. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the CDP has an area of 17.3 square miles (45 km), of which 0.1 square miles (0.3 km), or 0.38%, are water. The area

1840-583: Is a federally recognized tribe of indigenous people of California , affiliated with the Chukchansi subgroup of the Foothills Yokuts . The Picayune Rancheria , founded in 1912 and located in Coarsegold, California , covers 160 acres (1 km ) in Madera County and serves as the tribal land . The tribe has historically confronted numerous challenges, including European colonization, displacement, and loss of land. In response, they have pursued cultural and economic revitalization efforts, notably with

1932-513: Is drained by Coarse Gold Creek, a south-flowing tributary of the Fresno River . Coarsegold has a Mediterranean climate ( Csa according to the Köppen climate classification system) with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Its average annual precipitation is 27.29 in (693 mm). It is located in hardiness zone 8b. The 2020 United States Census reported that Coarsegold had

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2024-460: Is set in a fictional 1880s Coarsegold and was published by Sierra On-Line , then based in nearby Oakhurst . The company also released Cranston Manor in 1981, another game set in Coarsegold. The Coarsegold (Coarse Gold) mining site is the destination for stars Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott in the 1962 film Ride the High Country . California California is a state in

2116-526: Is the home of Hollywood , the oldest and one of the largest film industries in the world, profoundly influencing global entertainment. The San Francisco Bay and the Greater Los Angeles areas are seen as the centers of the global technology and U.S. film industries, respectively. The Spaniards gave the name Las Californias to the peninsula of Baja California (in modern-day Mexico). As Spanish explorers and settlers moved north and inland,

2208-504: The Battle of Providencia near Los Angeles, he convinced each side that they had no reason to be fighting each other. As a result of Marsh's actions, they abandoned the fight, Micheltorena was defeated, and California-born Pio Pico was returned to the governorship. This paved the way to California's ultimate acquisition by the United States. In 1846, a group of American settlers in and around Sonoma rebelled against Mexican rule during

2300-652: The Bear Flag Revolt . Afterward, rebels raised the Bear Flag (featuring a bear, a star, a red stripe and the words "California Republic") at Sonoma. The Republic's only president was William B. Ide , who played a pivotal role during the Bear Flag Revolt. This revolt by American settlers served as a prelude to the later American military invasion of California and was closely coordinated with nearby American military commanders. The California Republic

2392-453: The Bureau of Indian Affairs intervened by reinstating the 2010 Tribal Council, recognized as the last uncontested election, as a temporary measure to alleviate the conflict until a new council could be elected. In 2019, more than 60 members were expelled from the tribe, and in 2023, an additional 49 members faced disenrollment. This reduction in total membership has resulted in an increase in

2484-715: The California Master Plan for Higher Education in 1960 to develop an efficient system of public education. Meanwhile, attracted to the mild Mediterranean climate, cheap land, and the state's variety of geography, filmmakers established the studio system in Hollywood in the 1920s. California manufactured 9% of US armaments produced during World War II , ranking third behind New York and Michigan . California easily ranked first in production of military ships at drydock facilities in San Diego, Los Angeles, and

2576-477: The Central Valley . While these tribes shared cultural traits and languages, they also maintained distinct dialects. The discovery of gold marked a period of significant disruption for the Chukchansi, characterized by loss of land, spread of diseases, and societal upheaval. These events, coupled with policies of forced assimilation like the removal of children to boarding schools, led to a marked decline in

2668-566: The Graham Affair , which was resolved in part with the intercession of Royal Navy officials. One of the largest ranchers in California was John Marsh . After failing to obtain justice against squatters on his land from the Mexican courts, he determined that California should become part of the United States. Marsh conducted a letter-writing campaign espousing the California climate, the soil, and other reasons to settle there, as well as

2760-553: The Indigenous people of California had not yet developed a natural immunity. Under its new American administration, California's first governor Peter Hardeman Burnett instituted policies that have been described as a state-sanctioned policy of elimination of California's indigenous people. Burnett announced in 1851 in his Second Annual Message to the Legislature: "That a war of extermination will continue to be waged between

2852-616: The Presidio of San Diego , the first religious and military settlements founded by the Spanish in California. By the end of the expedition in 1770, they would establish the Presidio of Monterey and Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo on Monterey Bay. After the Portolà expedition, Spanish missionaries led by Father-President Serra set out to establish 21 Spanish missions of California along El Camino Real ("The Royal Road") and along

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2944-774: The Route 66 . From 1900 to 1965, the population grew from fewer than one million to the greatest in the Union. In 1940, the Census Bureau reported California's population as 6% Hispanic, 2.4% Asian, and 90% non-Hispanic white. To meet the population's needs, engineering feats like the California and Los Angeles Aqueducts ; the Oroville and Shasta Dams ; and the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges were built. The state government adopted

3036-625: The Sierra Nevada foothills to the Fresno and Chowchilla River valleys and down to the Tehachapi Mountains . Today, many Chukchansi reside near their tribal headquarters in the Picayune Rancheria, approximately 30 miles north of Fresno . The Chukchansi language, part of the broader Yokuts linguistic classification, reflects the diversity of approximately 60 tribes identified by anthropologists, each with distinct dialects but sharing cultural similarities. Historically,

3128-527: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (February 2, 1848) that ended the war, the westernmost portion of the annexed Mexican territory of Alta California soon became the American state of California, and the remainder of the old territory was then subdivided into the new American Territories of Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Utah . The even more lightly populated and arid lower region of old Baja California remained as

3220-771: The Western United States , lying on the American Pacific Coast . It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California to the south. With nearly 39   million residents across an area of 163,696 square miles (423,970 km ), it is the most populous U.S. state, the third-largest by area, and most populated subnational entity in North America . Prior to European colonization , California

3312-673: The coast of California were the members of a Spanish maritime expedition led by Portuguese captain Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo in 1542. Cabrillo was commissioned by Antonio de Mendoza , the Viceroy of New Spain , to lead an expedition up the Pacific coast in search of trade opportunities; they entered San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542, and reached at least as far north as San Miguel Island . Privateer and explorer Francis Drake explored and claimed an undefined portion of

3404-513: The 18th century. The Portolá expedition of 1769–70 was a pivotal event in the Spanish colonization of California, resulting in the establishment of numerous missions, presidios , and pueblos . The military and civil contingent of the expedition was led by Gaspar de Portolá , who traveled over land from Sonora into California, while the religious component was headed by Junípero Serra , who came by sea from Baja California . In 1769, Portolá and Serra established Mission San Diego de Alcalá and

3496-491: The 1992 Rodney King riots. California was the hub of the Black Panther Party , known for arming African Americans to defend against racial injustice. Mexican, Filipino, and other migrant farm workers rallied in the state around Cesar Chavez for better pay in the 1960s and 70s. During the 20th century, two great disasters happened: the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and 1928 St. Francis Dam flood remain

3588-403: The 21st century, droughts and frequent wildfires attributed to climate change have occurred. From 2011 to 2017, a persistent drought was the worst in its recorded history. The 2018 wildfire season was the state's deadliest and most destructive. One of the first confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States occurred in California on January 26, 2020. A state of emergency was declared in

3680-522: The California coast in 1579, landing north of the future city of San Francisco . The first Asians to set foot on what would be the United States occurred in 1587, when Filipino sailors arrived in Spanish ships at Morro Bay . Coincidentally the descendants of the Muslim Caliph Hasan ibn Ali in formerly Islamic Manila and had converted, then mixed Christianity with Islam, upon Spanish conquest, transited through California (Named after

3772-526: The California coast, 16 sites of which having been chosen during the Portolá expedition. Numerous major cities in California grew out of missions, including San Francisco ( Mission San Francisco de Asís ), San Diego ( Mission San Diego de Alcalá ), Ventura ( Mission San Buenaventura ), or Santa Barbara ( Mission Santa Barbara ), among others. Juan Bautista de Anza led a similarly important expedition throughout California in 1775–76, which would extend deeper into

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3864-534: The California government in 2022. These groups were also diverse in their political organization, with bands, tribes, villages, and, on the resource-rich coasts, large chiefdoms , such as the Chumash , Pomo and Salinan . Trade, intermarriage, craft specialists, and military alliances fostered social and economic relationships between many groups. Although nations would sometimes war, most armed conflicts were between groups of men for vengeance . Acquiring territory

3956-443: The California state government paid around 1.5   million dollars (some 250,000 of which was reimbursed by the federal government) to hire militias with the stated purpose of protecting settlers, however these militias perpetrated numerous massacres of indigenous people. Indigenous people were also forcibly moved to reservations and rancherias, which were often small and isolated and without enough natural resources or funding from

4048-773: The Chukchansi Yokuts Revitalization Project. With only a few native speakers remaining, the tribe partnered with the university and contributed $ 1 million in 2012 to support the language's preservation. The tribe also established the Picayune Rancheria Chukchansi Scholarship at Fresno State to support students with an interest in Native American culture. Moreover, the tribe offers a range of educational programs, scholarships, and internships for its members. They prioritize early education to support

4140-555: The Chukchansi people were adept at utilizing their environment, engaging in farming, hunting, and gathering using advanced techniques. They relied on various animals for protein and employed innovative methods, such as decoys, for hunting. Their diet was complemented by plants, nuts, and seeds, particularly acorns, which were abundant in summer. Fire played a crucial role in their lifestyle, used not only for cooking but also for managing land and hunting grounds. Following European contact, including Spanish missionaries and American settlers,

4232-464: The Chukchansi population faced significant challenges, including disease and displacement, dramatically reducing their numbers. The discovery of gold further exacerbated their loss of land and rights under American governance. In the early 20th century, the U.S. government allocated land to landless Native Californians, forming Rancherias . However, the Chukchansi experienced a period of federal non-recognition and land loss until their federal recognition

4324-668: The Coarsegold Rodeo and the Tarantula Awareness Festival. Positioned between Fresno and Yosemite National Park , the town appeals to both retirees and commuters, thanks to its strategic location along Highway 41 . The Chukchansi, native to the Coarsegold region, have a history dating back over 8,000 years. They are part of a larger group known as the Yokuts , classified by anthropologists based on linguistic similarities among approximately 60 tribes in

4416-624: The San Francisco Bay Area. Due to the hiring opportunities California offered during the conflict, the population multiplied from the immigration it received due to the work in its war factories, military bases, and training facilities. After World War II, California's economy expanded due to strong aerospace and defense industries, whose size decreased following the end of the Cold War . Stanford University began encouraging faculty and graduates to stay instead of leaving

4508-497: The U.S. Army. In the 20th century, thousands of Japanese people migrated to California. The state in 1913 passed the Alien Land Act , excluding Asian immigrants from owning land. During World War II, Japanese Americans in California were interned in concentration camps; in 2020, California apologized. Migration to California accelerated during the early 20th century with the completion of transcontinental highways like

4600-454: The Union . However, due to the existence of a large contingent of pro-South sympathizers within the state, the state was not able to muster any full military regiments to send eastwards to officially serve in the Union war effort. Still, several smaller military units within the Union army, such as the "California 100 Company" , were unofficially associated with the state of California due to a majority of their members being from California. At

4692-454: The best land in the state, were secularized by 1834 and became the property of the Mexican government. The governor granted many square leagues of land to others with political influence. These huge ranchos or cattle ranches emerged as the dominant institutions of Mexican California. The ranchos developed under ownership by Californios (Hispanics native of California) who traded cowhides and tallow with Boston merchants. Beef did not become

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4784-464: The best route to follow, which became known as "Marsh's route". His letters were read, reread, passed around, and printed in newspapers throughout the country, and started the first wagon trains rolling to California. After ushering in the period of organized emigration to California, Marsh became involved in a military battle between the much-hated Mexican general, Manuel Micheltorena and the California governor he had replaced, Juan Bautista Alvarado. At

4876-530: The case was dismissed. February 2012 saw the election of leaders opposed to disenrollment, but the standing council members disputed the election results, leading to a standoff. Protests escalated when supporters of the new leaders occupied a tribal building, leading to confrontations involving pepper spray and burning logs. Law enforcement from Fresno and Madera Counties, alongside the California Highway Patrol, intervened. In February 2014,

4968-510: The casino's opening, hundreds of members were disenrolled, resulting in increased financial shares for the remaining members. Those disenrolled included individuals with verified ancestry and rights, as well as some of the last speakers of the Chukchansi language. By 2013, tribal membership reportedly halved from approximately 1,800 to 900. In 2012, the Ramirezes family's legal challenge asserted their exclusive legitimacy as tribe members, but

5060-551: The conquest include the Battle of San Pasqual and the Battle of Dominguez Rancho in Southern California, as well as the Battle of Olómpali and the Battle of Santa Clara in Northern California. After a series of defensive battles in the south, the Treaty of Cahuenga was signed by the Californios on January 13, 1847, securing a censure and establishing de facto American control in California. Following

5152-535: The deadliest in U.S. history. Although air pollution has been reduced, health problems associated with pollution continue. Brown haze known as " smog " has been substantially abated after federal and state restrictions on automobile exhaust. An energy crisis in 2001 led to rolling blackouts , soaring power rates, and the importation of electricity from neighboring states. Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric Company came under heavy criticism. Housing prices in urban areas continued to increase;

5244-500: The displacement, the U.S. government created "Rancherias" in 1902. These were smaller than reservations and intended to provide living spaces and means for subsistence. The Rancheria at Picayune was specifically allocated to the Chukchansi in 1912, representing a federal recognition of their land rights, albeit in a limited form. Coarsegold is located on Highway 41 between Fresno and the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park , at an elevation of 2,218 ft (676 m). Fresno

5336-457: The educational success of Native American children and families, focusing on maintaining and sharing their cultural heritage. The tribe's administrative center is in Coarsegold, California , managed by a seven-member tribal council elected by the community. Annual Tribal Council elections are overseen by an election committee, adhering to the tribe's constitutional guidelines. Eligible candidates and officers must be qualified voters residing within

5428-626: The government to adequately sustain the populations living on them. As a result, settler colonialism was a calamity for indigenous people. Several scholars and Native American activists, including Benjamin Madley and Ed Castillo , have described the actions of the California government as a genocide , as well as the 40th governor of California Gavin Newsom . Benjamin Madley estimates that from 1846 to 1873, between 9,492 and 16,092 indigenous people were killed, including between 1,680 and 3,741 killed by

5520-459: The highest output of any U.S. state, and is led by its dairy , almonds , and grapes . With the busiest port in the country ( Los Angeles ), California plays a pivotal role in the global supply chain, hauling in about 40% of goods imported to the US. Notable contributions to popular culture , ranging from entertainment , sports , music , and fashion , have their origins in California. California

5612-410: The indigenous peoples developed complex forms of ecosystem management, including forest gardening to ensure the regular availability of food and medicinal plants . This was a form of sustainable agriculture . To mitigate destructive large wildfires from ravaging the natural environment, indigenous peoples developed a practice of controlled burning . This practice was recognized for its benefits by

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5704-572: The interior and north of California. The Anza expedition selected numerous sites for missions, presidios, and pueblos, which subsequently would be established by settlers. Gabriel Moraga , a member of the expedition, would also christen many of California's prominent rivers with their names in 1775–1776, such as the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin River . After the expedition, Gabriel's son, José Joaquín Moraga , would found

5796-531: The largest dam removal and river restoration project in US history was announced for the Klamath River , as a win for California tribes. Covering an area of 163,696 sq mi (423,970 km ), California is the third-largest state in the United States in area, after Alaska and Texas . California is one of the most geographically diverse states in the union and is often geographically bisected into two regions, Southern California , comprising

5888-774: The middle of the state lies the California Central Valley , bounded by the Sierra Nevada in the east, the coastal mountain ranges in the west, the Cascade Range to the north and by the Tehachapi Mountains in the south. The Central Valley is California's productive agricultural heartland. Divided in two by the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta , the northern portion, the Sacramento Valley serves as

5980-602: The native population. Following the 1849 gold strike at Coarsegold, miners spread throughout the region, particularly along the Fresno River . By 1852, a settlement had formed at the river's only fordable point, marked by the establishment of a trading post by John Ledford and George M. Carson. Initially constructed from adobe, the site featured a store, saloon, and living quarters. The trading post changed hands, eventually becoming known under J.L. Hunt and J.R. Roan. During this period, scarce goods led to high prices, especially for whiskey and flour. The area, known as The Crossing,

6072-403: The opening of the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino in 2003. Various initiatives have been undertaken to revive the Chukchansi language and to maintain the tribe's cultural heritage. The tribal governance is based in Coarsegold and consists of a seven-member council. Economic activities of the Picayune Rancheria have expanded into investments into retail, construction and other areas. However,

6164-414: The population of San Francisco increased from 500 to 150,000. The seat of government for California under Spanish and later Mexican rule had been located in Monterey from 1777 until 1845. Pio Pico, the last Mexican governor of Alta California, had briefly moved the capital to Los Angeles in 1845. The United States consulate had also been located in Monterey, under consul Thomas O. Larkin . In 1849,

6256-733: The pueblo of San Jose in 1777, making it the first civilian-established city in California. During this same period, sailors from the Russian Empire explored along the northern coast of California. In 1812, the Russian-American Company established a trading post and small fortification at Fort Ross on the North Coast . Fort Ross was primarily used to supply Russia's Alaskan colonies with food supplies. The settlement did not meet much success, failing to attract settlers or establish long term trade viability, and

6348-416: The races until the Indian race becomes extinct must be expected. While we cannot anticipate the result with but painful regret, the inevitable destiny of the race is beyond the power and wisdom of man to avert." As in other American states, indigenous peoples were forcibly removed from their lands by American settlers , like miners, ranchers, and farmers. Although California had entered the American union as

6440-403: The region known as California , or Las Californias , grew. Eventually it included lands north of the peninsula, Alta California , part of which became the present-day U.S. state of California. A 2017 state legislative document states, "Numerous theories exist as to the origin and meaning of the word 'California, ' " and that all anyone knows is the name was added to a map by 1541 "presumably by

6532-543: The state as part of the Gold Rush or to seek work. Even though the Chinese proved indispensable in building the transcontinental railroad from California to Utah, perceived job competition with the Chinese led to anti-Chinese riots in the state, and eventually the US ended migration from China partially as a response to pressure from California with the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act . Under earlier Spanish and Mexican rule, California's original native population had precipitously declined, above all, from Eurasian diseases to which

6624-521: The state on March 4, 2020, and remained in effect until Governor Gavin Newsom ended it in February 2023. A mandatory statewide stay-at-home order was issued on March 19, 2020, which was ended in January 2021. Cultural and language revitalization efforts among indigenous Californians have progressed among tribes as of 2022. Some land returns to indigenous stewardship have occurred. In 2022,

6716-430: The state results in climates that vary from moist temperate rainforest in the north to arid desert in the interior, as well as snowy alpine in the mountains . Droughts and wildfires are an ongoing issue. California's economy is the largest of any U.S. state, with a $ 4.0 trillion gross state product as of 2024 . It is the largest sub-national economy in the world. California's agricultural industry has

6808-515: The state's demographics and its finances. Soon afterward, a massive influx of immigration into the area resulted, as prospectors and miners arrived by the thousands. The population burgeoned with United States citizens, Europeans, Middle Easterns, Chinese and other immigrants during the great California gold rush . By the time of California's application for statehood in 1850, the settler population of California had multiplied to 100,000. By 1854, more than 300,000 settlers had come. Between 1847 and 1870,

6900-522: The state's name include CA, Cal., Calif., Califas , and US-CA . California was one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse areas in pre-Columbian North America . Historians generally agree that there were at least 300,000 people living in California prior to European colonization. The Indigenous peoples of California included more than 70 distinct ethnic groups , inhabiting environments ranging from mountains and deserts to islands and redwood forests. Living in these diverse geographic areas,

6992-620: The state, and develop a high-tech region, now known as Silicon Valley . As a result of this, California is a world center of the entertainment and music industries, of technology, engineering, and the aerospace industry, and as the US center of agricultural production. Just before the Dot Com Bust , California had the fifth-largest economy in the world. In the mid and late twentieth century, race-related incidents occurred. Tensions between police and African Americans, combined with unemployment and poverty in inner cities, led to riots, such as

7084-511: The ten southernmost counties, and Northern California , comprising the 48 northernmost counties. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east and northeast, Arizona to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California to the south (with which it makes up part of The Californias region of North America , alongside Baja California Sur ). In

7176-407: The time of California's admission into the Union, travel between California and the rest of the continental United States had been a time-consuming and dangerous feat. Nineteen years later, and seven years after it was greenlighted by President Lincoln, the first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. California was then reachable from the eastern States in a week's time. Much of the state

7268-499: The town's centennial, the Coarsegold Rodeo has become an annual tradition, occurring on the first weekend of May. Additionally, the Tarantula Awareness Festival is held yearly in Coarsegold. This event corresponds with the mating season of local tarantulas , marking the transition to cooler temperatures and the start of autumn rains. It provides an opportunity to learn about and observe these spiders in their natural habitat. The 1993 adventure game Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist

7360-570: The transition from Spanish colonial rule to independent Mexican rule. In 1821, the Mexican War of Independence gave the Mexican Empire (which included California) independence from Spain. For the next 25 years, Alta California remained a remote, sparsely populated, northwestern administrative district of the newly independent country of Mexico, which shortly after independence became a republic. The missions , which controlled most of

7452-625: The tribe has faced issues related to the disenrollment of a significant portion of its members following the casino's opening. The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians is affiliated to the Chukchansi Yokuts culture, indigenous to Central California . This group has occupied the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills for over 12,000 years. The Chukchansi territory has traditionally spanned from

7544-587: The watershed of the Sacramento River , while the southern portion, the San Joaquin Valley is the watershed for the San Joaquin River . Both valleys derive their names from the rivers that flow through them. With dredging, the Sacramento and the San Joaquin Rivers have remained deep enough for several inland cities to be seaports . Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians The Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians of California

7636-544: Was abandoned by 1841. During the War of Mexican Independence , Alta California was largely unaffected and uninvolved in the revolution, though many Californios supported independence from Spain , which many believed had neglected California and limited its development. Spain's trade monopoly on California had limited local trade prospects. Following Mexican independence, California ports were freely able to trade with foreign merchants. Governor Pablo Vicente de Solá presided over

7728-552: Was extremely well suited to fruit cultivation and agriculture in general. Vast expanses of wheat, other cereal crops, vegetable crops, cotton, and nut and fruit trees were grown (including oranges in Southern California), and the foundation was laid for the state's prodigious agricultural production in the Central Valley and elsewhere. In the nineteenth century, a large number of migrants from China traveled to

7820-496: Was first called "Texas Flat" after miners from Texas discovered gold there in 1849. By 1874, the name had changed to "Michaels", honoring Charles Michaels, a local merchant. A rival mining camp inhabited by Mexicans there was called "Oro Grosso", the Spanish translation of "coarse gold". The current name derives from the California Gold Rush of the mid-19th century, when prospectors discovered coarse nuggets of gold in

7912-607: Was highly unstable, and in a reflection of this, from 1831 onwards, California also experienced a series of armed disputes, both internal and with the central Mexican government. During this tumultuous political period Juan Bautista Alvarado was able to secure the governorship during 1836–1842. The military action which first brought Alvarado to power had momentarily declared California to be an independent state, and had been aided by Anglo-American residents of California, including Isaac Graham . In 1840, one hundred of those residents who did not have passports were arrested, leading to

8004-714: Was not usually the purpose of these small-scale battles. Men and women generally had different roles in society. Women were often responsible for weaving, harvesting, processing, and preparing food, while men for hunting and other forms of physical labor. Most societies also had roles for people whom the Spanish referred to as joyas , who they saw as "men who dressed as women". Joyas were responsible for death , burial , and mourning rituals , and they performed women's social roles. Indigenous societies had terms such as two-spirit to refer to them. The Chumash referred to them as 'aqi. The early Spanish settlers detested and sought to eliminate them. The first Europeans to explore

8096-465: Was notorious for violent encounters among miners, leading to numerous burials on a nearby hill. The Crossing also served as a launch point for the first tourist group to Yosemite Valley and was central to the community's history, including the first private school in California. The area experienced typical frontier challenges such as horse thefts, sluice box robberies, and a significant Chinese population facing theft. To combat lawlessness, locals formed

8188-666: Was one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse areas in pre-Columbian North America . European exploration in the 16th and 17th centuries led to the colonization by the Spanish Empire . The area became a part of Mexico in 1821, following its successful war for independence , but was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican–American War . The California gold rush started in 1848 and led to social and demographic changes, including depopulation of Indigenous tribes. The western portion of Alta California

8280-525: Was reinstated in 1983, although they initially remained landless. Awani descendants from Yosemite Valley are also enrolled in the Picayune Rancheria. In recent years, the Chukchansi have worked to reclaim their heritage and land, notably establishing the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino , marking a step toward economic and cultural revitalization. The tribe promotes education and has collaborated with Fresno State's Department of Linguistics since June 2009 to revive its nearly extinct language through

8372-502: Was short-lived; the same year marked the outbreak of the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). Commodore John D. Sloat of the United States Navy sailed into Monterey Bay in 1846 and began the U.S. military invasion of California , with Northern California capitulating in less than a month to the United States forces. In Southern California, Californios continued to resist American forces. Notable military engagements of

8464-399: Was then organized and admitted as the 31st state in 1850 , as a free state , following the Compromise of 1850 . The Greater Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas are the nation's second- and fifth-most populous urban regions , with 19 million and 10 million residents respectively. Los Angeles is the state's most populous city and the nation's second-most ; California's capital

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