1. California became a state on March 11, 1850. After being part of Mexico and then a territory of the United States, California officially became the 31st state of the union.

2. On March 11, 1930, the first flight of a rocket-powered aircraft took place in California. The rocket plane was designed by Robert Goddard and flown by pilot John D. Carmack, reaching a maximum altitude of over 4,000 feet.

3. The devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, one of the largest ever recorded, occurred on March 11, but the effects were also felt in California. The tsunami caused significant damage to boats, docks, and harbors along the California coast.

4. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency on March 11, 2006, in response to heavy rains and mudslides that caused major damage and stranded thousands of people in the state.

5. On March 11, 1965, the Watts Towers in Los Angeles were designated a National Historic Landmark. The towers, constructed by Italian immigrant Simon Rodia over 33 years, are a unique and iconic example of folk art in California.