California, the Golden State


Land area: 155,973 sq. mi. (3)
Population (2000): 33,871,648 (1)
Population density: 217.16 per sq. mi. (12)
U.S. Representatives (2003-12): 53
Entered Union: 9-Sep-1850 (31)
In 1974, I saw a taping of the game show Split Second in Hollywood. Alas, the biggest production out of L.A. when I went back in 1994 was called The People vs. O.J. Simpson. So on that trip, I concentrated on the rest of this beautiful state: Old Town San Diego, Death Valley, the Kern River valley, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks, San Francisco ... and a small vineyard town in Napa County that made me feel at home. It was called Rutherford. In 1997, I added Muir Woods (north of San Francisco) and the Shasta valley. In 2004, I added some of the beautiful canyons in the northern part of the state, and in 2008 I got to Lassen Volcanic National Park.

No. of Counties I’ve Visited: 58 of 58

County Pop. (2000)     Latest Visit   County Seat Visited?
Alameda 1,443,741 15-Aug-2009 Oakland yes
Alpine 1,208 19-Aug-2004 Markleeville
Amador 35,100 19-Aug-2004 Jackson yes
Butte 203,171 2-Aug-2008 Oroville yes
Calaveras 40,554 19-Aug-2004 San Andreas
Colusa 18,804 22-Aug-2006 Colusa
Contra Costa 948,816 15-Aug-2009 Martinez yes
Del Norte 27,507 13-Aug-2004 Crescent City yes
El Dorado 156,299 15-Aug-2009 Placerville yes
Fresno 799,407 2-Aug-2008 Fresno yes
Glenn 26,453 22-Aug-2006 Willows yes
Humboldt 126,518 13-Aug-2004 Eureka yes
Imperial 142,361 9-Aug-2004 El Centro yes
Inyo 17,945 18-Aug-2004 Independence yes
Kern 661,645 3-Aug-2008 Bakersfield yes
Kings 129,461 30-Aug-1997 Hanford
Lake 58,309 12-Aug-2004 Lakeport yes
Lassen 33,828 1-Aug-2008 Susanville yes
Los Angeles 9,519,338 3-Aug-2008 Los Angeles yes
Madera 123,109 2-Aug-2008 Madera yes
Marin 247,289 12-Aug-2004 San Rafael yes
Mariposa 17,130 7-Sep-1994 Mariposa yes
Mendocino 86,265 13-Aug-2004 Ukiah
Merced 210,554 2-Aug-2008 Merced yes
Modoc 9,449 20-Aug-2004 Alturas
Mono 12,853 18-Aug-2004 Bridgeport yes
Monterey 401,762 21-Aug-2006 Salinas yes
Napa 124,279 5-Sep-1994 Napa yes
Nevada 92,033 27-Aug-2006 Nevada City
Orange 2,846,289 28-Jul-2008 Santa Ana yes
Placer 248,399 27-Aug-2006 Auburn yes
Plumas 20,824 1-Aug-2008 Quincy yes
Riverside 1,545,387 29-Jul-2008 Riverside yes
Sacramento 1,223,499 15-Aug-2009 Sacramento yes
San Benito 53,234 21-Aug-2006 Hollister
San Bernardino 1,709,434 29-Jul-2008 San Bernardino yes
San Diego 2,813,833 29-Jul-2008 San Diego yes
San Francisco 776,733 14-Aug-2009 San Francisco yes
San Joaquin 563,598 2-Aug-2008 Stockton yes
San Luis Obispo 246,681 21-Aug-2004 San Luis Obispo yes
San Mateo 707,161 14-Aug-2009 Redwood City yes
Santa Barbara 399,347 2-Aug-1974 Santa Barbara yes
Santa Clara 1,682,585 15-Aug-2009 San Jose yes
Santa Cruz 255,602 21-Aug-2006 Santa Cruz yes
Shasta 163,256 1-Aug-2008 Redding yes
Sierra 3,555 1-Aug-2008 Downieville
Siskiyou 44,301 22-Aug-2006 Yreka yes
Solano 394,542 15-Aug-2009 Fairfield yes
Sonoma 458,614 12-Aug-2004 Santa Rosa yes
Stanislaus 446,997 2-Aug-2008 Modesto yes
Sutter 78,930 2-Aug-2008 Yuba City yes
Tehama 56,039 1-Aug-2008 Red Bluff yes
Trinity 13,022 17-Aug-2004 Weaverville yes
Tulare 368,021 2-Aug-2008 Visalia yes
Tuolumne 54,501 7-Sep-1994 Sonora yes
Ventura 753,197 7-Aug-2004 Ventura yes
Yolo 168,660 15-Aug-2009 Woodland yes
Yuba 60,219 2-Aug-2008 Marysville yes

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