1. In 1769, Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolà and his expedition arrived in San Diego, marking the first European land exploration of what is now California.
2. In 1846, the United States flag was raised in Monterey, officially declaring California as a territory of the United States.
3. In 1922, Hollywood's first public outdoor swimming pool, the Pacific Plunge, opened in Long Beach, California.
4. In 1960, the first successful kidney transplant in the western United States was performed at UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco.
5. In 2011, the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center on its final mission, which included a successful visit to the International Space Station. The mission was commanded by California native Chris Ferguson.