California's Gold
Season 19
TV-G
Huell Howser travels around California looking for interesting stories about the state's rich history, cultural diversity, landmarks, natural wonders, amazing people and points of interest, especially lesser known and out-of-the-way places.
Where to Watch California's Gold • Season 19
19 Episodes
- Places I've Wanted to GoE2
Places I've Wanted to GoJoin Huell on an adventure to two places he's been wanting to visit for years! First up is a stop along Highway 395 in the town to Lee Vining to see the Upside Down House. Built by Nellie Bly O’Bryan and inspired by children's books, it is considered Mono County's first man-made tourist attraction. Huell gets a tour from some of the locals who lovingly restored it after many years of decay. Next is a stop at the Livermore Fire Department to see the 107 (and counting) year old lightbulb. Learn how and why this bulb has been burning nonstop for over 100 years. You can even see it yourself on the webcam. - HmongE3
HmongThere are roughly 250,000 Hmong people living in the United States. The Hmong are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of Southeast Asia. Many ended up in the fertile areas in and around Fresno County, where their love of farming and vast knowledge has served them well. Huell visits two farms that are growing some of the most interesting and unusual produce in California. From a small family farm to the largest Hmong farm in the county, it’s a wonderful day. - Coachella Music FestivalE6
Coachella Music FestivalThis one-hour California's Gold Special is all about the world-renowned Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio. Each spring, this annual three-day event attracts over 160,000 music lovers from literally all over the world and we were invited to attend last year's (2008) festivities for a behind the scenes look at how it all fits together. Boy did we have fun! Not only did we hear some amazing music and see some amazing artists creations we also experienced firsthand the positive energy of this festival. This is a first-class event in every way. It's well organized, well run and the people are all first rate. It's definitely a fine example of California's Gold. - Water CarE7
Water CarImagine sitting by the lake on a hot day and watching as a car drives into the water and motors away. Well that's just what piqued Huell's interest. Terry Tates parents bought their Amphibious Car in the early 60s and have passed it on to Terry. Huell goes to Lake Castaic and gets the ride of his life. - Pt. Fermin Lighthouse LensE8
Pt. Fermin Lighthouse LensThere is a reason that those old lighthouses could send a beam of light for many miles out to see. Most lighthouses used a Fresnel lens, which looks like a beehive made of glass. These lenses are works of art and the one that graced the tower at Point Fermin Lighthouse is no exception. In this adventure, Huell learns the history of the lens, which was removed from Point Fermin and changed hands many times. This story has a happy ending, as the lens comes home to Point Fermin once and for all. - Capitol StepsE11
Capitol StepsHuell goes straight to the TOP! Finished in 1874, California’s Capitol Building is a stunning neoclassical gem. With all great buildings of this size, there are lots of steps. Some steps are very obvious, like the set that leads up to the front entrance, but this building has lots of “step” stories and even a few that are very scary to climb. - Farallon IslandsE14
Farallon IslandsHuell spends the day with the biologists who live on the Farallon Islands and learns about this wild and beautiful place which is just a group of islands and rocks found 27 miles off the coast of San Francisco, known as California's Galapagos, they make up the The Farallon National Wildlife Refuge. These wild and remote islands are rich with not only flora and fauna, but human history as well. - Chiriaco SummitE15
Chiriaco SummitSituated 30 miles east of Indio, this popular stop for travelers and truckers who want to gas up, get a home cooked meal or browse for nic nacs is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Huell spends the day with the people who live and work in this desert outpost as they enjoy this milestone. - Neptune PoolE16
Neptune PoolHuell gets a behind the scenes tour and takes the “swim of a lifetime” in the Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle which is arguably one of the most spectacular pools in the world and the highlight of any tour. It is fed by mountain water and is surrounded by ancient Roman style columns and statues. Designed by architect Julia Morgan, the Neptune Pool was started in 1924 and was finally completed after several redesigns and re-buildings in 1936. - Big CreekE19
Big CreekHuell travels to the mountains above Fresno to tour “Big Creek”’ which was America's first large-scale integrated hydroelectric project, begun in 1911. This massive engineering marvel consists of 23 generating units in nine powerhouses with a generating capacity of approximately 1,000 megawatts, and six major reservoirs with a storage capacity of more than 560,000 acre-feet. Not only do we get a behind the scenes tour, we’ll also meet and hear some great stories from a one of the first families that worked at this remote Edison outpost.