July 26, 2011
aphotographedlife
Columbia, California
Columbia came about in 1850 when thousands of miners settled here to pan for gold. Eighty-seven million dollars of gold, in 1860′s prices, was discovered in the area. Unlike many mining towns, Columbia was preserved and protected by legislature in 1945 by creating Columbia State Historic Park. In a trip to historic Columbia, you can revisit the era of the Gold Rush in the beautiful foothills.
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the oldest city on South Caroline. It was originally called Charles Towne in 1670 and moved from it’s original location on the bank on the Ashley River in 1680. In the mid-1700′s Charleston was the central trade hub for the southern colonies. In 1776, the city played it’s part in the American Revolution, being attacked twice by British troops. After Lincoln’s election in 1860, South Caroline seceded from the Union, later causing the battle at Fort Sumter and beginning that war. You can clearly see the history of the United States through the streets of Charleston. The beautiful architecture tells the story of our country.
San Francisco, California
The San Francisco Zoo was originally named the Fleishhacker Zoo after it’s founder, Herbert Fleishhacker. The planning for the zoo began in 1929 with the first exhibits being built in the 1930′s for the cumulative cost of $3,500,000. Most of the animals were brought in from Golden Gate Park. The zoo has gone through much growth and now houses 260 species, earning the title of Northern California’s largest and oldest zoo.
California Palace of the Legion of Honor was gift to the city of San Francisco from Alma de Bretteville Spreckels. Construction was completed in 1924 within Lincoln Park. The design was inspired by the Palais de la Legion d’Honneur in Paris and the model of the Hotel de Salm. The museum contains a collection that spans 6,000 years including Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and European Art. Some highlighted artists are Rembrandt, Rodin, Picasso, and Monet.
The Music Concourse Area of Golden Gate Park was built for the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. At the four-front is the Spreckles Temple of Music where musicians can be seen performing. It sits within a sunken plaza between the De young Museum and Academy of Sciences.
Grand Canyon, Arizona
The Colorado River has been working on carving out the Grand Canyon for 17 million years, creating a magnificent natural wonder. The canyon has grown to be 277 miles long, 18 miles wide and over a mile deep. It was the 17th national park to be established by an Act of Congress and was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson February 26, 1919. Within the park there are 34 mammal species, 1,737 species of vascular plants, and 9 historic buildings so I would have to say there is plenty to photograph,
Paramount Theater, Oakland
The Paramount Theater opened December 16, 1931. It was a group project of creative artists lead by architect Timothy L. Pflueger who made it an outstanding example of art deco. After it’s early glory in the 30′s, the theater suffered neglect for three decades until the Oakland Symphony, City of Oakland, and private donors rescued this landmark. The theater was restored to its previous glory in 1973 and was soon after entered into the National Register of Historic Places. The City of Oakland took ownership of it in 1975 and is to this day. Oakland East Bay Symphony calls the theater home and other concerts, shows and movies are still shown year around.
Knights Ferry, California
Knights Ferry was first settled by Dr. William Knight in 1849. He settled there in order to house a ferry and that area at the time was filled with gold so it stood to be quite profitable. He was murdered later that year in the middle of town so his partner, James Vantine, took over and took on a partner of his own, Dent. Business further developed and in 1854 a flour mill was set up by David Locks. He bought out Dent but instead of keeping the ferry he built a bridge in 1857. But due to flooding in 1862, the bridge was destroyed by another bridge that had come down the river. In the next year the cover bridge that can be seen today was built, spanning 330 feet across the river, as the longest bridge this side of the Mississippi.
With the building of the Stockton-Visalia railroad station in Oakdale in 1871, Knights Ferry lost its government power in Stanislaus County. They no longer controlled the river crossing in the area and the flour mill was sold and later turned into a power plant for Stanislaus County. The bridge was also taken over by the County in 1880 leaving Knights Ferry to how it resides today.
