January 12 marks an important date in California's history. Here are five interesting facts about this date:

1. On January 12, 1847, Mexican forces attacked American troops in the Battle of Rio San Gabriel, which took place near Los Angeles. This battle was a significant event in the Mexican-American War and resulted in a victory for the American forces.

2. In 1860, the first Pony Express mail service was established in California. The Pony Express was a mail delivery service that operated from April 1860 to October 1861, delivering mail between Missouri and California in record time.

3. January 12, 1895, saw the opening of the first automobile race in the United States, which took place in the streets of Riverside, California. The race was won by J. Frank Duryea, who drove a car he built with his brother.

4. In 2000, Bill Clinton designated 1.7 million acres of land in California as a new national monument: the Giant Sequoia National Monument. The monument protects over half of the sequoia groves in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

5. January 12, 2021, was a historic day in California's political history, as Alex Padilla became the first Latino to represent California in the United States Senate. Padilla was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to fill the seat vacated by Vice President Kamala Harris.