The name of 16th century conquistador Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo has been attached to quite a number of geographical landmarks and structures, mostly in Southern California. So I was a little confused when I first heard about the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse in Mendocino County, and of course I had to visit the site and see it for myself. On my first […]
Huell Howser visited quite a few historic California lighthouses throughout the years as he filmed one series or another. I’ve previously featured shows in which he explored the Point Sur Lighthouse, the Cape Mendocino Lighthouse, the St. George Reef Lighthouse, and even the tiny Battery Point Lighthouse up in Crescent City. And although he didn’t make it to every one […]
I always especially enjoy those episodes of Huell’s shows where he finds himself exploring historic airplanes, trains, or ships — so of course this visit to the USS Potomac was a must-see. This ship had quite a fascinating history even before, and especially beyond, its glory days as a presidential yacht. After being rescued from a sorrowful fate in the […]
Last Wednesday I took a look at the Central Garden located at the Getty Center in Los Angeles; this week, it’s the beautiful art and architecture of the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades. I feel like this episode really only whets the appetite for everything that is available to view in this amazing art collection — it makes me rather […]
Just about everybody loves old fire engines, but most people aren’t in a position to collect them. In this episode of Visiting, Huell has a real adventure when he meets a dedicated collector living in Shadow Hills (a northeast suburb of Los Angeles) and explores the historic firefighting equipment that would later be put on display in the LA Fire […]
If you enjoy trains or 19th-century machinery, this episode of Visiting is for you! It’s not the first time Huell has featured model train enthusiasts; you may remember my post from October 2020 in which he visited with the Fairplex Garden Train in Pomona. I also couldn’t help feeling like the Walt Disney barn seemed awfully familiar — it appeared […]
I happened to catch this Classic episode of California’s Gold the other day on television. It’s great to be able to hear the memories of people who were on the spot when these structures were first built and used; and that includes Huell, who clearly had his own experience with quonset huts. As for the origin of the word quonset, […]
Ever since I saw an old black-and-white photo on a brochure promoting historic sites around Lake County, I’d been eager to go in search of the lost gem that was the Lucerne Hotel — sometimes referred to as “The Castle.” I’d actually built it up in my mind, certain that it was hidden away at the top of a steep, […]
I’ve been back to visit the Anderson Marsh State Historic Park in Lower Lake a few times now since my first visit in 2019 — probably making up for all the times in earlier years I drove right past and never even knew it was there. In fact, although I know there are loads of other great places to explore […]