California's Gold
Season 18
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 18
18 Episodes
- Ansel AdamsE1
Episode 1Ansel AdamsMany people are familiar with Ansel Adams famous landscape photographs of Yosemite, but there is a whole other body of work that is rarely discussed. Huell visits the Los Angeles Public Library to see the “forgotten Los Angeles photographs” taken by Ansel in 1940 for a Fortune Magazine article on pre-war L.A. These photographs were later donated to the library by Ansel and are now in their collection. Huell is joined by Jonathan Spaulding, the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Museum of the American West and Autry National Center, and author of “Ansel Adams and the American Landscape.” They spend the day in downtown Los Angeles to visit many of the sites where the original photographs were taken. - Barack Obama's California College DaysE2
Episode 2Barack Obama's California College DaysIn an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Barack Obama described Occidental as "a wonderful, small liberal arts college. The professors were diverse and inspiring. I ended up making some lifelong friendships there, and those first two years really helped me grow up." Who knew that the next president of the United States had such a formative connection to California? Huell gets the presidential tour of Occidental College in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, where Obama spent his freshman and sophomore years. Huell visits Obama's dorm room with a former classmate, talks to some of his old professors, and learns how his two years at Oxy helped to shape him. - Oil IslandsE3
Episode 3Oil IslandsIn Long Beach, Calif., there’s a 42-acre oilfield -- offshore, in plain view of tourists, port traffic and beach lovers -- with 175-foot-high drilling towers and 1,100 wells that penetrate a vast underground. It may well be the most unique and beautiful oil drill site in America. The idea that you could drill for oil within site of a major city and do it in a way that would please the residents, was and is revolutionary. Huell visits these four architectural gems and learns about their rich history. - Pacific Asia MuseumE5
Episode 5Pacific Asia MuseumThe Pacific Asia Museum is one of only four institutions in the United States dedicated exclusively to the arts and culture of Asiaand the Pacific Islands. The museum’s mission is to further cultural awareness and under-standing through the arts. This museum was originally the home and art galleries of an extraordinary woman named Grace Nicholson, who came to Pasadena from Philadelphia in 1901. In 1924, Nicholson commissioned local architects Marston, Van Pelt & Maybury to build a Chinese-style building for “Oriental and Western Art.” She lived in the building with her galleries down-stairs and her private apartment upstairs until her death in 1948. Since 1971, Pacific Asia Museum has served a broad audience of students, families, adults, and scholars through its education and outreach programs. It has a collection of over 14,000 works of art including paintings, prints, sculptures, ceramics, jades and textiles from all over Asia and the Pacific Islands, and a research library containing more than 7,000 reference volumes relating to Asian and Pacific art and culture. - Gold Rush MedicineE6
Episode 6Gold Rush MedicineIt wasn’t always pretty, and it didn’t always work, but the “doctors” of the Gold Rush did the best they could to take care of the throngs of immigrants who came to California in search of fame and fortune. Sacramento’s Sutter’s Fort is the backdrop of this adventure. Huell hears the story of how the Fort was chosen as the site of the first hospital in Sacramento that housed doctors, midwifes, Chinese herbalists certainly some charlatans with plenty of snake oil to sell. With the help of docents and some real doctors, it’s sure to be an education. - Centennial FarmE7
Episode 7Centennial FarmHuell visits the Centennial Farm, a 4-acre working farm at the OC Fair & Event Center. Created to educate youth about Orange County's agricultural heritage, the Farm is home to fruit and vegetable gardens, livestock, and Millennium Barn. We join a group of school kids and teachers as they view pigs, peacocks, cows, honey bees, oxen and the crowd favorite, baby chicks! We'll see all of this and more while strolling through gardens of lush vegetation. - Huntington Central ParkE8
Episode 8Huntington Central ParkHuntington Beach is known as “Surf City”, but in this adventure, we wont even get near the ocean. Huntington Central Park is the largest city-owned park in Orange County covering over 350 acres of land. Huell visits the Shipley Nature Center, an 18-acre natural area filled with beautiful winding paths and spectacular flora and fauna. Next it’s off to The Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center which is home to 420 privately owned horses and surrounded by 185 acres of public trails. We’ll also visit the Frisbee golf course and lots of other hidden gems in this wonderful oasis. - Getty GardenE9
Episode 9Getty GardenThe Central Garden, created by renowned artist Robert Irwin, lies at the heart of the Getty Center. The 134,000-square-foot design features a natural ravine and tree-lined walkway that leads the visitor through an extraordinary experience of sights, sounds, and scents. Huell gets a special tour from Jim Duggan, the Curatorial Advisor for the Central Garden and some of the gardeners who keep this living sculpture alive and beautiful for everyone to enjoy. - Newport BoatsE12
Episode 12Newport BoatsOrange County is filled with maritime history and in this adventure; Huell visits Newport Beach to learn about two “boats” that are very historic. Family owned since 1919, Balboa Island Ferry has provided continuous service between Balboa Island and Balboa Peninsula. Crossings just 0.25 miles, this Newport tradition is not only a wonderful tourist attraction, but also a service the locals cherish. Next it’s off for an evening cruise aboard the John Wayne’s famous yacht the Wild Goose. Beginning her life as a minesweeper in World War II, Wayne bought her in 1965 and had her converted into a luxuriously appointed yacht which served as a backdrop for celebrity events, family vacations, and infamous poker sessions with such luminaries as Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Bob Hope. The last captain of the ship shares some wonderful stories about this historic vessel. - PersimmonsE14
Episode 14PersimmonsHuell spends the day in Granite Bay, California at Otow Orchard to learn the ancient art of Hoshigaki, which is the drying of persimmons. The persimmons are dried each fall in a slow, patient, hands-on process that usually takes three to six weeks... per persimmon. Each persimmon is hand-peeled, strung onto a rack, and massaged every 3 to 5 days for several weeks. Weather conditions are watched carefully. The result is a transformation into a sugary delicacy that is tender and moist. - PetroglyphsE16
Episode 16PetroglyphsHuell travels to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake to see some rock art that is arguably the largest concentration within the Western Hemisphere, and can number 6,000 images just in one small canyon area of 1.5 miles alone. Though an accurate dating technique is still being sought, it is thought that certain petroglyphs date as much as 16,000 years old, with others made as recently as 1800. This rock art is so important to our cultural heritage and our knowledge of the desert's past that in 1964 the sites were listed in the National Register of Historic Places. - Old Town TustinE17
Episode 17Old Town TustinTustin is famous for it’s WWII blimp hangers, but this vibrant community has lots of history and some real hidden gems. Huell spends the day exploring Tustin and starts off at the Tustin Museum for a little history lesson. He visits an honest to goodness blacksmith and stops into the Wooden Indian for a haircut. We’ll see some wonderful old architecture and even grab some lunch at wonderful BBQ joint. - Pear FairE18
Episode 18Pear FairHuell travels to the Sacramento Delta to learn about California pears. We’ll start our adventure with a family who has been farming in the Delta for five generations. The soil and climate have made the Delta a perfect place to grow agriculture since the Gold Rush. Huell ends up at the 26th annual Pear Fair in Courtland. Everything from pear ice cream to pear vinegar, it’s a whole festival devoted to the Delta pear.