November 11

Ranchos in 1842
Rancho Corte Madera de Novato, an 8,879-acre, was deeded. That’s where Novato in Marin County got its name.

Museums in 1924 
The California Palace of the Legion of Honor was dedicated in San Francisco. Its contains more than 6,000 years of ancient and European art.  Lincoln Highway, America’s first transcontinental highway, ends there.

Radio in 1928 
KXO-AM in El Centro began radio broadcasting. It is one of the oldest stations in the region, heard from Palm Springs to Tucson, Arizona.

Sports in 1959 
Seals Stadium in San Francisco, built during the Great Depression for minor league baseball, was demolished when Candlestick Park was built.

Sports in 1981 
Fernando Valenzuela, Los Angeles Dodgers, became the first rookie to win a Cy Young Award.

November 12

Dana in 1834
Richard Henry Dana rounded Cape Horn aboard the brig Pilgrim, bound for Alta California to trade for hides and tallow. He wrote about his adventures in Two Years before the Mast (1840).

Sports in 1873
Bay District Racing Track held its first event, the “Great Race,”  in San Francisco. Its $25,000 prize was the most valuable in U.S. history. 

 

Transportation in 1936
The San Francisco Bay Bridge opened, which the San Francisco Chronicle said created “the greatest traffic jam in the history of San Francisco.” The new span opened in 2013.

Literature in 1936
Eugene O’Neill, play writer, was awarded a Nobel Prize. He lived at Tao House in Danville from 1937 to 1944. Today it is a National Historic Site.

Movies in 1946        
Walt Disney’s “Song Of South,” a live-action/animated musical film, was released featuring Uncle Remus stories. “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” won the Academy Award for Best Song (1947). 

Radio in 1947
KPO-AM in San Francisco changed its call letters to KNBC. Later it became KNBR. The station began broadcasting on April 17, 1922.

Sports in 1958 
Warren Harding led a team of rock climbers to complete the first ascent of The Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. They climbed 2,900 feet up one of the largest granite formations in the world.

Sports in 1966 
The Los Angeles Dodgers completed an 18-game tour of Japan with a 9-8-1 record.

Flight in 1981    
The Double Eagle V, the first balloon to cross the Pacific ocean, landed in Mendocino. It launched from Japan on November 10. Rocky Aoki, founder of the Benihana steakhouse, was part of the crew.

Arden in 1990      
Eve Arden, actress, died in Beverly Hills at age 82. She performed for over 60 years and is best known as the Rydell High School principal in “Grease 1” and “Grease 2.”

Crime in 1997        
Jury selection began in Sacramento in the trial of Theodore Kaczynski, known as “the Unabomber.” He was a mathematician and a serial murderer. 

Brandis in 2003        
Jonathan Brandis, actor, committed suicide in Los Angeles.

Environment in 2008     
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted restrictions on the Navy’s use of sonar in training exercises off the California coast. Environmental groups claimed sonar harms whales.

 

Gabrielson in 2008        
Walter Gabrielson, artist, teacher and writer died in Santa Barbara.

November 13

Exploration in 1542
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, Portuguese explorer for the Spanish king, named Cabo de Pinos, now known as Point Reyes. He searching for a safe harbor for Spanish galleons returning from the Philippines.

Government in 1849
California’s constitution, one of the longest in the world, was adopted before it become a U.S. state. The constitution was written at Colton Hall, which also housed a school house and a jail.

Post offices in 1882
Dunlap post office opened. The small community east of Fresno is named for George Dunlap Moss, a school teacher.

Movies in 1921
“The Sheik,” a silent film was released. It made Rudolph Valentino a star.

Movies in 1940
Walt Disney released “Fantasia,” an animated musical film and the first commercial film with stereo sound. It lost money at first but became one of the highest-grossing film of all time in the U.S.

Sports in 1973 
Reggie Jackson, Oakland A’s, won the American League MVP Award.

Sports in 1974
Steve Garvey, Los Angeles Dodgers, won the National League MVP Award.

Sports in 1990
Bob Welch, Oakland A’s, won the American League Cy Young Award.

Sports in 1996 
Ken Caminiti, San Diego Padres, won the National League MVP Award.

Fires in 2008
The Montecito Tea Fire in San Barbara County destroyed 210 homes. It started at a historic building called the “Tea House.” 

November 14

Exploration in 1792
English Captain George Vancouver, on a 4 1/2 year voyage of exploration and diplomacy around the world, anchored in San Francisco Bay. The commandant welcomed him at the Spanish Royal Presidio. 

Libraries in 1890
Santa Monica Public Library moved into two rooms in the Bank of Santa Monica building at Oregon Avenue (later Santa Monica Boulevard) and Third Street. It began as a reading room next to Dr. Fred McKinnie’s drug store in 1884. 

Television in 1965 
KNSD, channel 39 in San Diego, began broadcasting. It started as independent station KAAR, the first in San Diego to operate on the UHF band.

Science in 1967
Theodore Maiman, of the Atomic Physics Department at Hughes Aircraft Company headquartered in Glendale, patented the world’s first laser.

Sports in 1979 
Don Baylor, California Angels, won the American League Most Valuable Player Award.

Flight in 1981 
Space Shuttle Columbia 2 landed at Edwards Air Force Base. It was the second Space Shuttle mission conducted by NASA, the second flight of Columbia and the first time a manned vehicle returned from space for a second time.

Sports in 1989 
Mark Davis, San Diego Padres reliever, won the National League Cy Young Award.

Theater in 1997 
Disney’s “Lion King” set a Broadway record of $2,700,000 in sales in one day.

Fires in 2008
The Sayre Fire, also called the Sylmar Fire, burned 489 homes in Los Angeles. It was the worst loss of homes to fire in Los Angeles history.

November 15

Transportation in 1847
The Sitka, a Russian-American Company steamboat, returned from a trip up the Sacramento River to John Sutter’s New Helvetia. The 37-foot side-wheel steamer was delivered to San Francisco in pieces aboard a Russian bark from Sitka, Alaska. 

Film in 1929
Walt Disney released  “Jungle Rhythm,” a short film featuring Mickey Mouse playing music using jungle animals.

Hollywood in 1932
Walt Disney opened an art school for his animators.

Arenas in 1941
The Cow Palace opened in Daly City. Rodeos, ice shows, political conventions, professional basketball, ice hockey and concerts by the Grateful Dead, Santana and Prince have happened there. 

Television in 1949  
KRON-TV, in San Francisco, began broadcasting. It is the third oldest station in the Bay Area. Today it broadcasts more news than any local television station in California.

Sports in 1960  
Elgin Baylor of the Los Angeles Lakers scored 71 points and grabbed 25 rebounds against the New York Knicks.

Sports in 1962  
Don Drysdale, Los Angeles Dodgers, won the Cy Young Award.

Flight in 1967
Michael Adams, Air Force test pilot, lost control of his X-15 aircraft which disintegrated mid-air over the Mojave Desert. Wreckage was strewn over 60 miles.

Business in 1971  
Intel, in Santa Clara, released the first commercial single-chip microprocessor. 

Sports in 1988 
Kirk Gibson, Los Angeles Dodgers, won the National League Most Valuable Player Award.

Fires in 2008
The Freeway Complex Fire or Triangle Complex Fire destroyed 314 homes in Anaheim Hills and Yorba Linda.

November 16

Mexican American War in 1846
Californios attacked John Fremont’s California Battalion near San Juan Bautista in the Battle of Natividad. Fremont’s men were traveling south to join U.S. forces on their way to Los Angeles.

Crime in 1939 
Al Capone, convicted gang leader who served time at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, was released from prison.

Gable in 1960
Clark Gable, legendary actor, died in West Hollywood at age 59. He is best known for roles in “Gone With the Wind” (1939) and “Run Silent, Run Deep” (1958).

Sports in 1962 
Wilt Chamberlain, San Francisco Warriors, scored 73 points against the New York Knicks.

Sports in 1976 
Rick Barry, San Francisco Warriors, ended the then-longest NBA streak of 60 free throws.

Holden in 1981 
William Holden, actor, died in Santa Monica at age 63. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in “Stalag 17” (1953).

Flight in 1982 
Space Shuttle Columbia 5 landed at Edwards Air Force Base.

Sports in 1988 
Jose Canseco, Oakland A’s, won the American League Most Valuable Player.

Business in 1997
The Los Angeles Times reported that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power was $7.5 billion in debt. $4.8 billion of the debt was off the books.

Environment in 1999
California sued the U.S. government to block extensions on 36 undeveloped offshore oil leases signed by the Clinton administration.

Business in 1999 
Genentech, in Vacaville, agreed to settle a 10-year patent infringement dispute with the University of California for $200 million.

Edwards in 2005 
Ralph Edwards, radio pioneer and television host, died in West Hollywood at age 92. He was best known for the radio show “Truth or Consequences” (1940) and television show “This is Your Life” (1948-1952).

Crime in 2006 
Federal agents arrested 24 people in San Francisco on drug charges following a 4-month undercover investigation targeting gangs in the Western Addition.

Friedman in 2006 
Milton Friedman, Nobel Prize winning economist, died in San Francisco at age 94. He popularized the idea that free markets, not governments, are best at improving living standards.

Crime in 2007 
A San Diego County task force broke up an organized auto theft ring in the South Bay. It was the largest auto theft ring bust in San Diego County and possibly in California.

Crime in 2007 
Francis William Reimers, of Oakland and Danville, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison. He swindled millions from former friends.

 

 

 

Transportation in 2009
Metro Gold Line began regular service from Union Station to Atlantic Boulevard in Los Angeles. The new extension cost $898 million.

Government in 2011 
A California Legislative Analyst’s Office reported the state will collect billions of dollars less in revenue than expected and expected a budget deficit of $13 billion in the 2012-2013 fiscal year.

Protests in 2011
After California State University trustees raised tuition by 9%, protesters in Long Beach clashed with police at the system’s headquarters.

Protests in 2011
Police arrested 95 protesters in San Francisco who occupied a downtown Bank of America office.

Business in 2011 
Google launched its online music service, Google Play Music. 

Business in 2012
Activision, headquartered in Santa Monica, grossed $500 million from “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2” in 24 hours. It was the biggest entertainment launch in history. 

November 17

Street in 1853 
Street signs were authorized at San Francisco intersections.

Railroads in 1889 
The Union Pacific Railroad Co. began direct, daily railroad service between Chicago and San Francisco.

Sterling in 1926 
George Sterling, poet and critic, poisoned himself at the Bohemian Club in San Francisco. His wife committed suicide by poison in 1918.

Politics in 1947 
Members of the Screen Actors Guild had to swear they were not Communists if they wanted work in the film industry. 

Sports in 1959
Willie McCovey, San Francisco Giants, won the National League Rookie of Year Award.

Jails in 1980 
Contra Costa County opened a new $24.5 million jail in Martinez with single cells for 382 inmates.

Rolle in 1998 
Esther Rolle, actress, died in Culver City at age 78. She won an Emmy award for her role in “Good Times” (1974-1979).

Business in 2008 
Jerry Yang, co-founder and CEO of Yahoo in Sunnyvale, resigned as CEO but continued as “Chief Yahoo” and remained on the company’s board.

Protests in 2010 
Some 300 students and employees at U.C. San Francisco’s Mission Bay campus protested a sixth tuition increase in four years. Tuition went up 8% the next day.

Protests in 2011 
Police cleared the Occupy California camp in U.C. Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza. They arrested two protesters and removed about 20 tents.

November 18

Ranchos in 1840
Rancho Pismo was deeded. The 8,839-acre Mexican land grant encompassed modern Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Shell Beach and parts of Arroyo Grande.

 

 

 

Education in 1849
John and Amanda Pelton opened the first free public school in San Francisco.

Literature in 1865 
Mark Twain’s short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” was published in the New York Saturday Press.

Flight in 1913 
Lincoln Beachey, flying over San Diego, performed the first airplane loop-the-loop.

Crime in 1921
The trial of Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, actor, began. He was accused of accidentally killing Virginia Rappe at a party at  the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco.

 

Film in 1928
Mickey Mouse premiered in “Steamboat Willie,” the first animated film with synchronized music and sound effects.

Bridges in 1936 
Two sections of the main span of the Golden Gate Bridge, connecting San Francisco and Marin County, were joined.

Sports in 1966 
Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers award-winning pitcher, announced his retirement from baseball due to an arthritic left elbow.

Crime in 1978
California Congressman Leo Ryan and members of a delegation investigating Jim Jones Peoples Temple in Guyana were murdered. That was followed by murder and suicide at the temple compound in which 918 people died including 260 children.

Rizzoli in 1981 
Achilles Rizzoli, artist born in Marin, died in San Francisco at age 85. His architectural drawings, many of imaginary worlds, were found after his death.

Lottery in 1985 
Hai Vo of San Francisco won $2 million in the California state lottery. He bought the winning ticket with welfare benefits.

Sports in 2003 
Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, won a record sixth National League Most Valuable Player award.

Business in 2004 
Genentech, in South San Francisco, announced Food and Drug Administration approval of Tarceva, an experimental lung cancer drug. 

Government in 2009 
California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office reported that the state would have a $20.7 billion deficit next year.

Crime in 2010 
Police arrested George Djura Jakubec, from Serbia when they found explosives at his home in Escondido. 

Churches in 2011
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County bought the bankrupt Protestant Crystal Cathedral megachurch for $57.5 million and renamed it Christ Cathedral.

Protests in 2011
A U.C. Davis officer pepper-sprayed protesters as onlookers shrieked and screamed out for the officer to stop.