In 1542 Spanish occupancy of California began but Spain ruled loosely until the mid 1700's. At that time military presence increased and Franciscan missions were established up and down the coast. The Spanish rule ended in 1822 when Mexico won its independence and claimed California as its territory. In 1848 California and most of current southwestern United States was ceded to the U.S. That same year gold was found at Sutter's mill. The population soared and in 1850 California became the 31st state.
Sacramento became the capital; the Capitol was constructed from 1860 through 1874. It was restored and structurally strengthened between 1975 and 1982.
On the capitol about the same level as the roof of the entrance these two sculptures exist. The top is on the left side, the bottom is on the right. The hunter, horses, bear, bison, lady and child represent something about California but I found no information on them.
The California State Capitol was in part modeled after the United States Capitol, which features a bronze statue of “Freedom” as its crowning ornament. Given the already marked resemblance between the two Capitols’ architecture, the absence of a statue on the California State Capitol was intended to distinguish the two buildings. In addition, the presence of a gold ball, reminiscent of a gold nugget, reminds visitors to the Capitol of California’s Gold Rush heritage.
This statue is in the rotunda just inside the main entrance. It depicts a Spanish decision to finance a voyage to the new world. The inscription on the base:
I will assume the undertaking she said, "for my own crown of Castille, and am ready to pawn my jewels to defray the expenses of it, if the funds in the treasury shall be found inadequate."
Much of the Capitol's first floor is now a museum. Several rooms have been restored to their look at some previous time in history.
The current Governor's Office is in a new addition to the Capitol. Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected in a special recall election to replace then-Governor Gray Davis in 2003. In 2003 California was in the midst of a huge financial problem which was one of the reasons for the special election.
As the workers were placing the letters for Governor Schwarzenegger's name above the door, I wonder if any said "the state could have saved a bundle by electing the other guy".
Conceived by First Lady Maria Shriver, the California Hall of Fame was established in 2006 to honor legendary people who embody California’s innovative spirit and have made their mark on history. The California Hall of Fame is a landmark destination at The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts. It inspires visitors by exhibiting the diverse, creative and innovative body of trailblazers, leaders and legends who have called California their home.
The Senate consists of 40 members, each member is elected from a Senate district. A senator is limited to serving two four-year terms. Half the senate seats are up for election every two years.The Senate chamber and gallery were both closed. It and the Representative chamber may be open for those that take a guided tour.
The House consists of 80 representatives, each member is elected from a district. A representative is limited to three two-year terms.
Each of California’s 58 counties has a shadowbox display in the hallways of the capitol building, near the governor’s office. Each highlights the cultural and economic assets of its county.
The Sisters of Mercy arrived in San Francisco on December 8, 1854, to respond to the city's greatest needs: the untended sick, the destitute, abused women, orphaned children, and the uneducated. Known as "walking nuns," they visited shanties and county hospitals and were the first females to visit a state penitentiary, San Quentin Prison, and anywhere misery was found.
Sculptor: Ruth Coelho
One part of the sculpture depicts Mother Russell firmly guiding a worried mother and gravely ill child on a stretcher to the hospital. Another part is “a nurse guiding a young Chinese girl, similar to the girls coerced into prostitution and rescued by the sisters who provided a safe haven in which to heal,” according to Coelho.
Father Serra was "the first Franciscan missionary to whom California owes an everlasting tribute - he brought civilization to our land and in deed and character he deserves a foremost place in the history of our State."
Before his death in 1784, Father Junípero Serra helped to establish nine Spanish missions in California.
The Memorial is circular in design, with full relief bronze sculptures depicting scenes from daily life during the war. The sculptures represent many sides of the war, with grunts, nurses, and POWs. The American flag waves over the Memorial. The 5,822 names of California's dead and missing are engraved on twenty-two black granite panels, arranged by their hometowns.
Inscription on base:
In Tribute: Since statehood the people of California have sought and cherished a quality of life unsurpassed in the Great Nation. There have been, among those who chose to serve as peace officers and when called upon unselfishly gave more than we had a right to ask, a passionate desire among their brother and sister peace officers and concerned Californians to commemorate those fallen heroes as evidenced here. This moving memorial is a tribute to the dedicated men and women of the California Law Enforcement family who have given their lives to assure a peaceful and orderly society for their fellow citizens. Those brave and gallant protectors who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty are symbolically represented here by the County Sheriff of the 1880's, the State Motorcycle Officer of the 1930's and the Municipal Police Officer of the 1980's. In Our Hearts We HOnor Those Who Gave Their Lives - For We Can Do No Less
The court consists of one Chief Justice and six Associate Justices who are appointed by the Governor of California for 12-year terms. New justices are subject to a retention vote by the public at the next general election after their appointment, and each 12 years thereafter. It is headquartered in San Francisco, and regularly holds sessions at its branch offices in Los Angeles and Sacramento.
