An oil well off the Santa Barbara coast became the largest oil spill in the U.S. at the time. Today it ranks third after Deepwater Horizon (2010) and Exxon Valdez (1989) spills. In response to this blowout, modern environmental protection laws were passed.
1865 view of Ladies Protection and Relief Society, bounded by today's Haight, Buchanan, Hermann and Laguna Streets, where the UC Berkeley Extension operated until mid 2000s.
Japanese delegation to the U.S. (1860).
People in San Francisco called a meeting to organize a rescue of the Donner Party. The first rescuers included James Reed, whose wife and daughter were trapped in the Sierras.
A U.S. post office opened in Woodland, originally called Yolo City. Today it is part of the Sacramento – Arden – Arcade – Roseville metropolitan area.
The Bee, a Sacramento newspaper, debuted. It has been the the region's leading newspaper for more than 150 years.
Edward F. Adams, San Francisco Chronicle editorial writer, founded the San Francisco Commonwealth Club as a forum for discussing disputed questions. For over 100 years, it has hosted conversations with world leaders in politics, science and the humanities.
The bear flag became the California state flag. The original flag was made in Sonoma for the 1846 revolt. It was lead by John Frémont to free Alta California from Mexico before the Mexican American War.
Twin Peaks Tunnel opened in San Francisco. At 2.27 miles long, it is among the longest streetcar tunnels in the world.
Walt Disney Productions, in Burbank, released "The Three Caballeros," a Latin American musical adventure combining live-action with animation.
Candlestick Park, the new home of the San Francisco Giants, was officially turned over to the team.
John Edmond Buster, at UCLA School Medical Center, performed the first embryo transfer from one woman to another, producing a live birth.
Exploratorium. Photograph by Bruce Damonte.
Frank Oppenheimer, physicist and educator, died in Sausalito at age 73. He worked on the Manhattan Project, was politically targeted by McCarthyism and later began the Exploratorium, an interactive science museum in San Francisco.
The San Diego Yacht Club celebrated the victory of skipper Dennis Conner and the Stars and Stripes over Australia, sweeping the America's Cup series.
Robert Duncan, visionary poet, died. He and his partner Jess Collins, co-founded San Francisco's King Ubu Gallery in 1953, which later became a place for Beatnik poetry readings.
John Cassavetes, actor and director, died in Los Angeles at age 60. His films included "A Woman Under the Influence" (1974), "Gloria" (1980) and "Love Streams" (1984).
Nancy Kulp, actress, died in Palm Desert at age 70. She played Miss Jane Hathaway in "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962-1971).
Audrey Meadows, actress, died in Los Angeles at the age of 71. She played Alice Kramden on the 1950s television comedy "The Honeymooners".
Heavy rain continued to thrash the state and Northern California rivers flooded over their banks.
Phil Spector, legendary rock-n-roll producer, was arrested in Los Angeles for murder after Lana Clarkson was found dead in his mansion.
PG&E agreed to pay $295 million to settle lawsuits over drinking wells polluted with the toxic chemical chromium.
Jorge Liderman, age 50, a composer and professor at U.C. Berkeley, was struck and killed by a BART train at the El Cerrito station in a suspected suicide.
Angel of Grief at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park.
Thieves stole 225 bronze vases from Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma. Some 300 more were stolen from another part of the cemetery on February 18. The vases were valued at over $85,000.
A tour bus crashed into other vehicles on Hwy. 38 in San Bernadino County, killing seven people.
Tour bus crash on Hwy. 38 (2013).
This entry was posted in This Week from California History on January 27, 2017 by Jim Silverman.