Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Stern, Isaac, 1920–2001, American violinist, b. Kremenets, in what is now Ukraine. Brought to the United States as an infant, Stern began piano lessons at the age of six and violin lessons at eight....

(Encyclopedia) Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, 132.4 sq mi (343 sq km), in the San Luis Valley of S Colorado; est. as a national monument 1932, designated a national park 2004. Lying in an area of high ...

(Encyclopedia) Davidson, George, 1825–1911, American geographer and astronomer, b. England. From 1845 to 1895 he was on the staff of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. He charted (1850–60) the U.S. Pacific coas...

(Encyclopedia) Clear Lake, 65 sq mi (168 sq km), W Calif., in wooded hills NW of San Francisco. It is the largest freshwater lake entirely within California and is a fishing resort. Mt. Konochti rises nearly 3,000 f...

(Encyclopedia) Pinole pĭnōlˈ [key], city (1990 pop. 17,460), Contra Costa co., W Calif., on San Pablo Bay; inc. 1903. Primarily residential, it manufactures concrete and chemicals. ...

(Encyclopedia) Arcadia, city (2020 pop. 56,681), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles, at the foot of the San Gabriel Mts.; inc. 1903. Manufactures include electronic equipment,...

(Encyclopedia) Antioch, city (2020 pop. 115,291), Contra Costa co., W Calif., on the San Joaquin River near the mouth of the Sacramento; inc. 1872. It is a processing and shipping center for the agricult...

(Encyclopedia) Pacifica pəsĭfˈĭkə [key], city (1990 pop. 37,670), San Mateo co., W Calif., on the Pacific coast; inc. 1957. A residential city, Pacifica was formed by the consolidation of several communities in...

(Encyclopedia) Wilson, Mount, peak, 5,710 ft (1,740 m) high, S Calif., in the San Gabriel Mts., NE of Pasadena. It is the site of Mt. Wilson Observatory (est. 1904), one of the Hale Observatories. A 100-in. (254-cm)...

(Encyclopedia) El Cerrito ĕl sərēˈtō [key], city (2020 pop. 25,310), Contra Costa co., W Calif., on San ...