WALLY HERGER: “150 years ago this past Saturday the state of California entered into the Union. I rise today to commemorate this…”

“150 years ago this past Saturday the state of California entered into the Union. I rise today to commemorate this anniversary, and to celebrate the resources and treasures of the 2nd congressional district. Historically, the great state of California is most often associated with the Gold Rush. Northern California was the main destination of those in search of quick wealth. The banks of the Feather River yielded great riches to those who were in the right place at the right time, but the precious metal that caused a rush to the West was not the only treasure that California possessed. Young settlers whose dreams had not materialized in the gold fields soon turned to the fertile Central Valley and envisioned golden acres of grain. Today those acres are covered with fruit trees, rice fields, and almond and walnut orchards, as the valley continues to yield its agricultural treasure, making California the leading agricultural economy in the world.”