California's Gold
Season 12
TV-G
Huell Howser travels around California looking for interesting stories about the state's rich history, cultural diversity, landmarks, natural wonders, amazing people and points of interest, especially lesser known and out-of-the-way places.
Where to Watch Season 12
13 Episodes
- White HouseE1
Episode 1White HouseInside it's a Doll Museum with literally thousands of Dolls from all eras and styles, but it's what's outside that caught Huell’s attention... the building is an exact 1/2 scale replica of the White House. Meet the "First Lady" of this marvelous place, then travel to the Oval Office with Huell as he gets a guided tour of most important office in the world, or at least a copy of it in The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. - Modjeska HouseE2
Episode 2Modjeska HouseNamed Arden by Modjeska and her husband, the two settled in Santiago Canyon in Orange County in 1888. The estate they built, surrounded by oaks and running brooks, has been faithfully preserved. The Helena Modjeska Historic House and Gardens is one of only two National Historic Landmarks in Orange County and is open to the public for tours. - Fire LookoutE3
Episode 3Fire LookoutTravel with Huell to Sequoia National Forest to visit historic Buck Rock Fire Lookout. Established in the early 1900s, Buck Rock Lookout was one of the first fire detection locations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The current lookout building, constructed in 1923, is historically significant as a representation of the earliest live-in towers in California. Huell climbs 172 stairs to an elevation of 8,500 feet to interview the woman who currently staffs the lookout through the fire season, and to learn what it's like to live perched on the edge of a cliff! We'll also visit with a woman who staffed the lookout for many years in the '40s. - Sub-NetE4
Episode 4Sub-NetIts huge, metal and stretches across the Golden Gate, but it's not the bridge. It's the former site of the Tiburon Sub-Net Depot, where they built and deployed nets across the San Francisco Bay to keep out enemy submarines. Long before the Tiburon Sub-Net Depot was there, this small piece of land had many incarnations, among them are: home to Native Americans, an original Spanish Ranchero, the largest Cod fish drying plant on the west coast, a coaling station for the Navy, and it was where the cables for the bridge were spun... in fact if you look over the edge at low tide you can still see them. Come on along with us as we get a up close look at this little, but important piece of California's Gold. - Erle Stanley GardnerE5
Episode 5Erle Stanley GardnerThe City of Temecula is nestled in a lush valley about 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean in Southwest Riverside County, just north of the San Diego County line. Besides a thriving wine industry, significant mission history and the distinction of being on the Butterfield Stage route, Temecula was also home to Erle Stanley Gardner. The lawyer-turned-writer, best known for bringing Perry Mason to life through novels, radio, film and television settled in Temecula on a 3,000-acre ranch he dubbed "Rancho del Paisano." Remaining there from 1937 until his death in 1970, he was an inexhaustible writer sometimes dictating 5,000 words to one of his four secretaries before breakfast. He also indulged his outdoorsman spirit by exploring the rugged ranch with his dogs. Join Huell as he strolls the grounds of the former home of Erle Stanley Gardner accompanied by a longtime ranch manager, one of Gardner's secretaries and Gardner's 99-year-old widow, Jean. - Fire SteamerE6
Episode 6Fire SteamerHuell travels to the 2002 National SPAAMFAA Winter Convention in San Bernardino. SPAAMFAA stands for “Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Motor Fire Apparatus in America.” This get together was a wonderful place to get glimpse of our state’s fire-fighting history. There were all kinds of apparatus from small hand pumpers to elaborate steam driven engines from the turn of the century. The highlight of the day was Dave Hubert’s lovingly restored rig, the "Reno #1", which served the city of Reno, Nevada from 1902 to 1922. Dave pulled out all the stops and did a "full steam" and a run behind special horses that are trained just for this purpose. - Drawbridge
E7Episode 7DrawbridgeDrawbridge is a small, marshy island at the southern end of San Francisco Bay. People started going there in 1876 for the excellent hunting and fishing. By the early 20th Century, Drawbridge had become a full time community for a handful of families. It had also become something of a weekend resort. By the 1940s, pollution in the bay and urbanization nearby had destroyed most of the island's hunting and fishing. Today, Drawbridge is a ghost town of gray, weathered buildings sinking into the bay, and is part of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Huell goes back to Drawbridge with some of the original inhabitants and gets a very special tour. - Missing San FranciscoE8
Episode 8Missing San FranciscoThe Berkeley, an 1898 steam ferryboat operated for 60 years on San Francisco Bay, and now has a loving home at the San Diego Maritime Museum. Likewise, the organ from the Fox Theater has a new life entertaining audiences at the El Capitan theater in Hollywood. Join Huell Howser as he retraces the journeys of these two items from their beginnings in San Francisco. - Corona Road RaceE9
Episode 9Corona Road RaceIn the early 1900s Corona was known for its citrus, and even dubbed "The World's Lemon Capitol." Legend has it that Corona was laid out to resemble a wagon wheel with Grand Boulevard as the rim. This circular street is still probably one of the most unusual thoroughfares in the world, and from 1913 to 1916 it was even used as a racetrack. Join Huell Howser as he steps back in time to recreate the Corona Road Races complete with vintage race cars and even an attendee from the 1916 race. - Turtle Bay MuseumE10
Episode 10Turtle Bay MuseumThere is nothing quite as exciting for a community as opening a new museum. For Redding, California and the surrounding North State communities, Turtle Bay Exploration Park is a dream realized after years of planning and hard work. In this episode, Huell Howser visits the museum on opening day and not only takes a tour of its creative exhibits, but watches as Native American dancers perform in the main lobby as part of the dedication ceremonies. No doubt about it, Turtle Bay Museum, which celebrates the people, the culture and the natural resources of the North State is not only a community's pride and joy, but a fine example of California's Gold. - Nitt Witt RidgeE11
Episode 11Nitt Witt RidgeHuell Howser travels to the Central Coast in search of Nitt Witt Ridge, an unusual state historical landmark in Cambria Pines. Built from cement and found objects like bottle caps, toilet seats and abalone shells, this folk art home was lovingly built by self-taught artist Art Beal over a period of fifty years. - ManzanarE12
Episode 12ManzanarManzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps at which Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II. It is located at the foot of the imposing Sierra Nevada's in the Owens Valley. Huell Howser is joined by experts and former internees to learn about the camp's complex history. And although little remains of the camp itself, Huell discovers a permanent reminder of the internees' detention--their names etched in concrete. - MattressE13
Episode 13MattressJoin Huell Howser as he visits the McRoskey Airflex Mattress Company in San Francisco. The McRoskey family has been manufacturing mattresses since 1899 and they still make them in much the same way as they did back then -- and they are all assembled by hand. The McRoskeys have even keep a record of every mattress sold dating back to 1921.