Portal:San Francisco Bay Area/Did you know/19


 * ... that the Galilee (pictured), a brigantine built by Matthew Turner in 1891, spent three years on charter to the Carnegie Institute of Washington as a magnetic observatory?
 * ... that Sonoma wine producer Hanzell Vineyards was one of the first California wineries to produce barrel-aged Chardonnay?
 * ... that California attorney Charles Stetson Wheeler built a temple to fishing at his hunting lodge on McCloud River?
 * ... that Ralph Stackpole's 81 ft statue Pacifica was at one time planned for permanent construction on an island in San Francisco Bay?
 * ... that San Francisco fireboat Phoenix (pictured) pumped some 5.5 million gallons (20.8 ML) of seawater to help fight fires after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake?
 * ... that former California State Assemblyman George W. Milias, a graduate of both San Jose State and Stanford, was President of the California Republican Assembly and state Republican Party Chairman?
 * ... that saxophonist King Curtis was stabbed to death a week after releasing his album Live at Fillmore West?

March/April 2011