Watch Historic Travel US- California: A Visual Introduction

Blessed with an abundance of natural resources, California first attracted prospectors in hoards when gold was discovered there. When the gold became scarce, many returned to the east, but some remained and tilled the rich, virgin soil, which rewarded them with an abundance of produce. Soon industries sprung up to preserve the excess yield, railroads chugged their way into farming communities to cart the products to lucrative markets in the east and towns sprung up to house the workers. This rare and fascinating set of videos portrays life in Californian towns and cities in the 30s and 50s. Well-preserved clips show how products were promoted in those early days and how cities and towns geared up to face social and other relevant issues.