Bathroom Book of Northern California Trivia »

Northern California is full of fascinating and often humorous stories of strange places, bizarre events, intriguing history and colorful characters: The term Silicon Valley was coined in 1971 by Don Hoefler, a journalist writing for the trade newspaper Electronic News, Some of the world's largest waves, cresting up to 100 feet, break over the reef at Mavericks, just outside Half Moon Bay, Berkeley has an element named for it on the periodic table-berkelium-which was first synthesized at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1949, The town of Clovis erected a statue honoring Gunsmoke deputy and beloved character Festus Haggen, complete with hat, kerchief, gun and holster, In 1885, Santa Cruz saw the first surfing in California when three Hawaiian princes surfed on locally made boards at the mouth of the San Lorenzo River, The state's famed coast redwood trees can grow more than 360 feet tall. And more great facts...

Introduction     6
Northern California's Wow Factor
What Sets Northern California Apart     8
Just the Facts
In the Beginning     12
Symbols and Emblems     14
Climate and Weather
Averages and Extremes     19
The Worst Weather     21
The Lay of the Land
General Geography     27
Counties Galore     29
Earthquake Central     35
The Environment
Vegetation     38
Environmental Altercations     40
The People of Northern California
By the Numbers     42
Where the Money Is-and Where It Isn't     46
Tourism and Trivia
Roadside Attractions     48
Must-See Places     63
Ghostly Encounters     66
Historical Happenings
The When and How of Northern California's Communities     68
Founding Fathers (And Mothers)     71
Notable Events     75
Wars and Conflict     80
Communities
Unique Places     82
Place Names     85
Notable Happenings     88
Claim to Fame     91
Lifestyle
Life in Northern California     94
Drugs, Booze and All Things Naughty     98
EarlyCross-Dressers     104
Gays and Lesbians     105
Economy
Work and Taxes     108
Transportation     113
Entrepreneurs and Their Companies     117
Cost of Living     119
Agriculture     121
Other Industries     125
Health
General Health and Wellness     128
Air Quality     132
A Weighty Issue     134
Notable People and Events in Health     135
Education
Trends in Education     142
Oldest Schools     148
Higher Learning     152
Notable People and Events     156
Politics
Division of Power     159
Notable Figures     164
Underground Movements     168
The Arts
Photographers, Painters and Sculptors     171
Music     174
Architecture     178
Literature     181
Media and Entertainment     187
Science and Technology
Inventions, Discoveries and Breakthroughs     193
Law and Crime
Common Crimes     205
Local Laws of Interest     208
Most Dangerous Places     210
Notable Criminals      212
Sports
Notable Sports Figures And Record-Breakers     216
Memorable Moments     222
Popular Sports in the State     226
Record-Breakers and Other Firsts
Firsts of All Kinds     232
Ten (or so) Good Reasons to Live in Northern California     242