In the beginning, all this was underwater.

Then, about 100 million years ago, the water receded, and these 56 square miles of desert

land appeared.

Eventually humans appeared, too.

A native American tribe called the Van U, they discovered this part of the Mahavi River

Valley, and they called it home.

Then a period of violence and conflict.

In 1542, a spaniard showed up, claimed authority over the land, and its people.

But as you will soon see, when it comes to this place, things don't often turn out the

way people expect them to.

Other Europeans showed up and told the spaniards that this land was theirs.

They said it was God's will, of course.

Blood was shed, treaties were made and broken, borders were drawn and re-john, more violence.

Eventually, the dust settled, and these 56 square miles were nestled inside a much

bigger piece of land with a new name.

California.

Then in the early 1900s, a new plan.

An American inventor by the name of E.H. Richardson purchased the land with the money he'd made

from one of his inventions.

An electric clothes iron.

He'd come up with a whole bunch of gadgets, he called him the L series.

L was short for electric.

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