USA - California - Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary

ALCATRAZ ISLAND SAN FRANCISCO BAY
Once a federal prison for notorious crriminals, the island is now part of the National Park System, and can be visited on tours leaving from Fisherman's Wharf.

Sent by Hannah from Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

United States Penitentiary, Alcatraz Island, also known simply as Alcatraz (English: /ˈælkəˌtræz/, Spanish: [alkaˈtɾas] "the gannet") or the Rock, was a maximum security federal prison on Alcatraz Island, 1.25 miles (2.01 km) off the coast of San Francisco, California, United States. The site of a fort since the 1850s, the main prison building was built in 1910–12 as a U.S. Army military prison.

The United States Department of Justice acquired the United States Disciplinary Barracks, Pacific Branch, on Alcatraz on October 12, 1933. The island became adapted and used as a prison of the Federal Bureau of Prisons in August 1934 after the buildings were modernized and security increased. Given this high security and the island's location in the cold waters and strong currents of San Francisco Bay, prison operators believed Alcatraz to be escape-proof and America's most secure prison (read more).

USA - California - Muir Woods National Monument

MUIR WOODS NATIONAL MONUMENT

One of the Golden Gate National Parks

The world's famous redwoods grow in Muir Woods, a cool, foggy canyon a short drive north of the Golden Gate. These tall tress, some more than 1,000 years old, are a spectacular remnant of the vast redwood forests that once covered the hillseides around San Francisco Bay.

Sent by Patricia from Napa Valleyin California, USA.

Muir Woods National Monument (/mjʊər/ MURE) is a United States National Monument managed by the National Park Service and named after naturalist John Muir. It is located on Mount Tamalpais near the Pacific coast in southwestern Marin County, California. The Monument is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and is 12 miles (19 km) north of San Francisco. It protects 554 acres (224 ha), of which 240 acres (97 ha) are old growth coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forests, one of a few such stands remaining in the San Francisco Bay Area (read more).

USA - California - Lassen Volcanic National Park

LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK

Sulphur vents, mud pots, and lava rocks remind visitors of Lassen Peak's ruptured past and continued activity, contrasting wildflower meadows, forests, and alpine lakes in this California park.

Sent by Peggy from Monterey Bay, California, USA. 

Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to steaming fumaroles, meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot water continues to shape the land (read further).

USA - California - San Diego

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

Sent by Debbie from San Diego, California, USA.

San Diego (/ˌsæn diˈeɪɡoʊ/  SAN dee-AY-goh, Spanish: [san ˈdjeɣo]) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.3 million, it is the eighth-most populous city in the United States and the second-most populous in the state of California. San Diego is the seat of San Diego County, which has a population of nearly 3.3 million. It is known for its mild year-round Mediterranean climate, extensive beaches and parks, long association with the United States Navy, and recent emergence as a healthcare and biotechnology development center (read further).

USA - California - Yosemite National Park (4)

Greetings From Yosemite National Park.

Sent by Irene from California, USA.

Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra.

First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more (read further).

U.S.A. - California - State Flower (2)

CALIFORNIA STATE FLOWER
THE GOLDEN POPPY
In 1903, the California Poppy (Eschscholiza Californica),became the official flower of the state of California.

Sent by Francis from Portland, USA.  Terima kasih banyak-banyak (thank you very much) for many beautiful stamps.

U.S.A. - California - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park (2)

Sequoia National Park
Land of Giants, Sequoia National Park
The establishment of Sequoia National Park in 1890, even in its much smaller form, was a major first step in securing the giant trees and wondrous landscape for future generations. Several annexes and boundary expansions since that time have succeeded in protecting more of the area, but complete success will depend upon our appreciation and protection of the park into the future.

Sent by Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, California.

U.S.A. - California - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (1)

SEQUOIA AND KINGS NATIONAL PARKS, CALIFORNIA
The twin national parks of Sequoia and Kings Canyon are located on the southern end of California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. Elevations range from 1,700 feet at Ash Mountain to 14,495 feet at Mount Whitney's summit. Within these parks are found the largest groves of giant sequoia trees and also the largest individual sequoias.

Sent by Sequoia & Kings National Parks, Three Rivers, California.

Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. It was established on September 25, 1890. The park spans 404,063 acres (631.35 sq mi; 1,635.18 km²). Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly 13,000 feet (4,000 m), the park contains among its natural resources the highest point in the contiguous 48 United States, Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4,421 m) above sea level. The park is south of and contiguous with Kings Canyon National Park; the two are administered by the National Park Service together.

The park is famous for its giant sequoia trees, including the General Sherman tree, one of the largest trees on Earth. The General Sherman tree grows in the Giant Forest, which contains five out of the ten largest trees in the world. The Giant Forest is connected by the Generals Highway to Kings Canyon National Park's General Grant Grove, home to the General Grant tree among other giant sequoias. The park's giant sequoia forests are part of 202,430 acres (81,921 ha) of old-growth forests shared by Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Indeed, the parks preserve a landscape that still resembles the southern Sierra Nevada before Euro-American settlement. (read further)

U.S.A. - California - Palm Desert

PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA
An early morning view from the one of the most beautiful spots in the desert, Palm Desert, California.

Sent by Susan, a WiP partner from USA.

Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately 14 miles (23 km) east of Palm Springs and 122 miles (196 km) east of Los Angeles. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census, up from 41,155 at the 2000 census. The city was one of the state's fastest growing in the 1980s and 1990s, beginning with 11,801 residents in 1980, doubling to 23,650 in 1990, 35,000 in 1995, and nearly double its 1990 population by 2000.

A major center of growth in the Palm Springs area, Palm Desert is a popular retreat for "snowbirds" from colder climates (the Eastern and Northern United States, and Canada), who swell its population by an estimated 31,000 each winter. In the past couple of years Palm Desert has seen more residents become "full-timers", mainly from the coasts and urban centers of California, who have come for both affordable and high-valued home prices. (read further)

U.S.A. - California - State Capitol Building (2)

STATE CAPITOL AND FOUNTAIN
- SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
Amid botanical specimens brought from all over the world, the fountain forms a scenic setting for California's State Capitol Building.

Sent by Eugene, a postcrosser from California, USA.

U.S.A. - California - Redwood National & State Parks (2)

Redwood National & State Parks
Big Tree
Prairie Creek Redwood State Park, California
Height 304-ft., diameter 21.6-ft., circumference 68-ft., estimated age 1,500-years. It is one of the largest and most easily accessible trees of the Coast Redwoods.

Sent by Francis from Oregon, USA.

U.S.A. - California - Palm Desert

PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA
A daytime view of beautiful Palm Desert. At the center of the Coachella Valley, Palm Desert is a retailmecca and home to the McCallum Theatre, The Living Desert and two college campuses.

Sent by Dan, a postcrosser from Redondo Beach, California, USA.

Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately 14 miles (23 km) east of Palm Springs and 122 miles (196 km) east of Los Angeles. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census, up from 41,155 at the 2000 census. The city was one of the state's fastest growing in the 1980s and 1990s, beginning with 11,801 residents in 1980, doubling to 23,650 in 1990, 35,000 in 1995, and nearly double its 1990 population by 2000.

A major center of growth in the Palm Springs area, Palm Desert is a popular retreat for "snowbirds" from colder climates (the Eastern and Northern United States, and Canada), who swell its population by an estimated 31,000 each winter. In the past couple of years Palm Desert has seen more residents become "full-timers", mainly from the coasts and urban centers of California, who have come for affordable but high-valued home prices. (read further)

U.S.A. - California - Pinnacles National Park

Pinnacles National Park, California
Letterpress Condors and Formations
Artwork by Lantern Press
Image # 44978

Sent by Pinnacles National Park.

Pinnacles National Park is a U.S. National Park protecting a mountainous area located east of the Salinas Valley in Central California, about 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Soledad and 80 miles (130 km) southeast of San Jose. The park's namesakes are the eroded leftovers of the western half of an extinct volcano that has moved 150 miles (240 km) from its original location on the San Andreas Fault, embedded in a portion of the California Pacific Coast Ranges. Pinnacles is managed by the National Park Service and the majority of the park is protected as wilderness.

The national park is divided by the rock formations into East and West Divisions, connected by foot trails; there is no through road that connects the east and west entrances to the park. The east side has shade and water, the west has high walls. The rock formations provide for spectacular pinnacles that attract rock climbers. The park features unusual talus caves that house at least thirteen species of bat. Pinnacles is most often visited in spring or fall because of the intense heat during the summer months. Park lands are prime habitat for prairie falcons, and are a release site for California Condors that have been hatched in captivity.

Pinnacles National Monument was established in 1908 by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Pinnacles National Park was created from the former Pinnacles National Monument by legislation passed by Congress in late 2012 and signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 10, 2013. (read further)

U.S.A - California - Channel Islands National Park

CHANNEL ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK
California
Inspiration Point, Anacapa Island
Revitalizing ocean breezes and breathtaking coreopsis dappled views await the visitor on Anacapa Island. While strolling along the 2-mile nature trail, one is certain to discover the diverse and unique beauty of the island.

Sent by Bill of Channel Islands National Park.

Channel Islands National Park is a United States national park that consists of five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of the U.S. state of California, in the Pacific Ocean. Although the islands are close to the shore of densely populated Southern California, their isolation has left them relatively undeveloped. The park covers 249,561 acres (100,994 ha) of which 79,019 acres (31,978 ha) are owned by the federal government. The Nature Conservancy owns and manages 76% of Santa Cruz Island, the largest island in the park.

Channel Islands National Park is home to a wide variety of significant natural and cultural resources. It was designated a U.S. National Monument on April 26, 1938, and a National Biosphere Reserve in 1976. It was promoted to a National Park on March 5, 1980. (read further)

USA - California - University of California

The University of California at Berkeley
This beautiful campus, nestled in the Berkeley Hills, is famous throughout the world.

Sent by BlueBat, a postcrosser from California, USA.

This is from Wikipedia : The University of California, Berkeley (also referred to as UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California, or simply Cal) is a public research university located in Berkeley, California, United States. The university occupies 1,232 acres (499 ha) on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay with the central campus resting on 178 acres (72 ha). Berkeley offers approximately 350 undergraduate andgraduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. Established in 1868 as the result of merger of the private College of California and the public Agricultural, Mining, and Mechanical Arts College in Oakland, Berkeley is the oldest of the ten major campuses affiliated with the University of California (UC). Berkeley has been charged with providing both "classical" and "practical" education for the state's people and is generally considered to be the flagship institution in the University of California system. Berkeley co-manages three United States Department of Energy National Laboratories, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Berkeley faculty, alumni, and researchers have won 70 Nobel Prizes, 9 Wolf Prizes, 7 Fields Medals, 15 Turing Awards, 45MacArthur Fellowships, 20 Academy Awards, and 11 Pulitzer Prizes. To date, UC Berkeley and its researchers are associated with 6 chemical elements of the periodic table (Californium, Seaborgium, Berkelium, Einsteinium, Fermium, Lawrencium) andBerkeley Lab has discovered 16 chemical elements in total – more than any other university in the world. Berkeley is a founding member of the Association of American Universities and continues to have very high research activity with $652.4 million in research and development expenditures in 2009. Berkeley physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer was the scientific director of the Manhattan Project that developed the first atomic bomb in the world, which he personally headquartered at Los Alamos, New Mexico, duringWorld War II.

Berkeley student-athletes have won over 100 Olympic medals. Known as the California Golden Bears (often abbreviated as "Cal Bears" or just "Cal"), the athletic teams are members of both the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federationin the NCAA. Cal athletes have won national titles in many sports, including football, men's and women's swimming, men's basketball, baseball, men's gymnastics, softball, water polo, rugby, and crew. The official colors of the university and its athletic teams are Yale Blue and California Gold.

USA - California - Highway 49 - The Golden Chain Highway

 

HIGHWAY 49 - THE GOLDEN CHAIN HIGHWAY
CALIFORNIA'S HISTORIC GOLD COUNTRY 
In 1848 only a few hundred settlers lived on the foothills of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Then gold was discovered and within a year 90,000 '49ers had appeared. Highway 49, the Golden Chain Highway, takes you through California's Historic Gold Country as it follows the 300 mile-long area enriched by a giant vein of gold called the Mother Lode.

Sent by Marlene, a postcrosser from California, USA.

This is from Wikipedia : State Route 49 (SR 49) is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California that passes through many historic mining communities of the 1849 California gold rush. Highway 49 is numbered after the "49ers", the waves of immigrants who swept into the area looking for gold, and a portion of it is known as the Gold Country Highway. This roadway begins atOakhurst, Madera County, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where it diverges from State Route 41. It continues in a generally northwest direction, weaving through the communities of Goldside and Ahwahnee, before crossing into Mariposa County. State Route 49 then continues northward through the counties of Tuolumne, Calaveras, Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Nevada,Yuba, Sierra, and Plumas, where it reaches its northern terminus at State Route 70, in Vinton.