Grace Napolitano: “on this Sesquicentennial Anniversary of California's admission to the Union, I am filled with tremendous pride and a…”

“on this Sesquicentennial Anniversary of California's admission to the Union, I am filled with tremendous pride and a deep sense of honor to represent the people of my Thirty-fourth Congressional District, composed of the cities and communities in the Southeast and San Gabriel Valley areas of Los Angeles County including the City of Industry, East Los Angeles, Hacienda Heights, La Puente, Montebello, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, and Whittier. Our district is a part of Southern California that is rich in diversity and historical significance from the earliest days through the modern era. In the heart of the 34th district, is the home of Pio Pico, the last governor of Mexican California before the American takeover in 1846. One of California's most remarkable historical figures, he witnessed and helped shape nearly a century of California history. Governor Pico's ancestry includes a mixture of ethnicities, including Mexican, African, Indian and Italian. He built a mansion on what is now a three-acre state park located in Whittier, that was once the headquarters of his sprawling 8,891-acre ranch. Twice the governor of the Mexican State, his life spanned a remarkable era that saw the Spanish, Mexican and American flags fly over his native Alta California. Early in the American era, Whittier also became the home to a vibrant community of Quakers.…”