The Pacific Coast States (1983)

[Music] During the night, the thought burst upon my mind that a curse might rest upon this discovery. [Applause] I knew what the outcome would be and it was a very melancholy ride to the sawmill on which I started the next morning. John Sutter forsaw the waves of pioneers who in their search for gold would brave the perils of a difficult journey west. They came to a largely untamed wilderness on the edge of a continent at the crossroads of dramatic change, [Music] spanning the full width of North America from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, stretching from Canada to Mexico and including Alaska and Hawaii. The United States is the fourth largest country in the world. The Pacific coast states are Washington, Oregon, and California. The 1848 discovery of gold in California brought great waves of pioneers to the region. Some gold seekers brave scorching deserts like Death Valley and snowy mountain passes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Many would eventually settle on the coast, developing cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Pioneers journeying north to the Oregon Territory encountered the Cascade Range and a fiery volcano called Mount St. Helens. Many followed the Columbia River to the fertile Wamut River Valley, building the city of Portland. Still others farther north on the shores of Puet Sound established Seattle. [Music] This long, arduous journey began in earnest with news of a fateful morning at Sutter's Mill. The 49ers built cities and towns. But when the easy gold ran out, they moved on, destined to find riches of other sorts. Today, California's ghost towns remind new arrivals of the early gold seekers and the dream they share. A dream that was and is distinctly California. Heat. Heat. [Music] Los Angeles is the largest city in California and the heart of the entertainment industry. It presents images of American life known all over the world. [Music] [Music] In the magic kingdom of Disneyland, everyone is a child. [Music] >> At a Hollywood movie studio, visitors discover the tricks of the trade. [Applause] California has grown since the thrilling days of yester year. It's now America's most populous state. Yet less than 150 years ago, California was a Mexican province dotted by Spanish missions like this one at Santa Barbara. Franciscan missionaries brought Christianity to Native Americans. Little by little, the city of the angels was born. Today, on a narrow street named Alva, Los Angeles proudly proclaims its strong Mexican heritage. California shares an international border with Mexico. Because the countries enjoy friendly relations, many people travel across the border daily. However, customs inspectors do spot check vehicles for goods and people entering the United States illegally. Just north of the border is San Diego with a natural harbor vital to the defense of the United States. One of San Diego's chief attractions is its magnificent zoo where visitors and animals enjoy watching each other. >> Oh man. North along the coast, graced by the Golden Gate Bridge, lies the city of San Francisco, the cultural and financial center of the Pacific Coast states. [Music] San Francisco's Victorian charm and century old cable cars have survived amidst towering skyscrapers and modern technology. [Music] In Chinatown and nearby, the large Asian population maintains the ways of its heritage, contributing to the ethnic diversity of the city. In 1906, a great earthquake and subsequent fire destroyed much of this romantic city. The earthquake hazard remains a real threat to Californians. Much of the state is located on the juncture of two gigantic plates of the Earth's crust. These plates move past each other along a series of fractures called the San Andreas fault. These movements cause earthquakes. Such seismic activity is monitored closely by scientists at the state's colleges and universities. While Californians have responded to the threat by trying to earthquake proof important buildings such as the capital in Sacramento, most residents seem to accept the risk as a part of daily life. California is the country's leading agricultural state. Its famous oranges are grown and harvested year round. [Music] [Music] almost anything can be grown in California. tomatoes, lettuce, scallions, cucumbers, spinach, cauliflower, avocados, squash, carrots, peppers, corn, broccoli. Yet little of this would be possible without irrigation. [Music] Water from melting snows in the Sierra Nevada mountains is the lifeblood for much of California's agricultural industry. [Music] Vast irrigation networks carry the water to the valley floors, changing former deserts into productive farmland. Northern California's Napa and Soma valleys produce many of the grapes used in the state's important wine industry. The centuries old art of wine- making coexists with Northern California's high technology industries. Tiny silicon chips manufactured here are the basic building blocks of hundreds of common electronic items such as computers, video games, and cash registers. California, a state where high technology thrives next to a world of awesome primeval beauty, preserved in national parks like Euseite for millions to enjoy. California, a state where lofty mountain peaks are graced with eternal snow. While the relentless sun bakes Death Valley, where years may pass with little more than a trace of rain. [Music] At Big Su, endless waves sculpt the rugged coast. To the north, the ancient redwoods and sequoas stand, silently, bearing witness to California as it changes and grows. [Music] Great joy in camp. We are in view of the ocean, the grandest and most pleasing prospects which my eyes ever surveyed. These words describing the Oregon coast were from the journal of William Clark, who with Merryweather Lewis set out in 1804 to explore the western lands of the Louisiana Purchase onto the Pacific Ocean. They established Fort Klatsup where they spent several months making observations of plants and animals and preparing for the long journey home. Today, members of the park staff faithfully recreate the work of Louiswis and Clark in a living history program commemorating the explorer's remarkable achievements. Oregon's coast remains as picturesque today as it was in the days of the early explorers. Much of the coast is public parkland, interrupted only by occasional towns and fishing villages. Sea lions find welcome havens in the shadowy caves along the coast. [Applause] Many people earn their living from Oregon's vast forests where timber is grown and harvested for use in the construction and paper industries. [Music] [Applause] Heat. [Applause] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] The goal of many early pioneers to the Pacific Northwest was the fertile Wamtt River Valley, which today is a center of agriculture and commerce. Near the northern entrance to the Wamut Valley lies Oregon's largest city, Portland. Portlanders have adapted well to the rainy climate typical of western Oregon. Portland is located near the Columbia River, which marks part of the boundary between Oregon and Washington. Where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, one of the world's most dangerous stretches of water can be found. [Applause] Hundreds of lives have been lost here in the treacherous surf. [Music] At day's first light, seasoned fishermen, well aware of the dangers, depart in search of prized catches of salmon and other fish in these rich fishing grounds. [Music] [Music] Salmon not caught by fishermen make their way hundreds of kilometers up river to spawning streams. Migrating fish face numerous obstacles such as the river's many dams, including the Grand Kulie. Water stored by the dam irrigates much of the dry but fertile soil of central and eastern Washington. The Grand Kulie Dam is also capable of producing millions of kilowatts of hydroelect electric power for distribution to towns and industries throughout the Pacific Northwest. Eastern Washington and Oregon make up a region of vast farms and cattle ranches where an American folk hero is at home. The cowboy, the skill and sheer determination of the cowboy are celebrated at the annual Pendleton Roundup. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] The cowboy was not the first American to ride the range. Tribal dancing at the Roundup displays the heritage of the Native Americans who people this region long before white men arrived. >> The Cascade Range separates dry eastern Oregon and Washington from the lush green western forests. Abundant rain falls each year in the rainforests of Olympic National Park on Washington's Northwest Peninsula. The snowcap peaks of the Olympics and the Cascades frame the Puet Sound region where most Washingtonians live in fishing villages, towns, and cities, including the state capital at Olympia. An unusual school in Port Townsen teaches the traditional craft of wooden boat building. On a much different scale, modern aircraft are built and assembled by an industry vital to the economy of the region. Seattle is the largest city in Washington and the jewel of the Pacific Northwest. [Applause] Like any city, Seattle has its share of attractions, especially its connection to the great outdoors. Dominating the city skyline is a dormant volcano and popular vacation spot, Mount Reneer. But in the spring of 1980, the eyes of the world were on a lesserk known peak in southwest Washington, Mount St. Helens. In the shadow of the sleeping volcano, campers had enjoyed the beauty of the peak and the crystalclear water of Spirit Lake. But beginning in March 1980, earthquakes and minor eruptions warned scientists that major changes were taking place deep within the mountain. On the 18th of May, at 8:32 in the morning, the volcano awoke with the force of some 500 atomic bombs. [Music] Tons of ash, stone, and ice were rocketed 20 kilometers into the sky. At noon, it looked like midnight in much of eastern Washington. Ice and snow melted by the intense heat of the erupting volcano, mixed with ash, and rushed down the sides of the mountain. When the skies finally cleared, vast areas of prime timberland lay destroyed. Spirit Lake, where sailboats once sailed, was choked with debris. At least 60 people were dead or missing, and more than 400 m were gone off the top. Geologists keep a watchful eye on the steaming crater while monitoring the mountains changing moods. While much of the salvageable timber has been pulled from the blast zone, a portion of the area will be preserved as a national monument to the remarkable events that took place here. Mount St. Helens may erupt again, but in the meantime, the healing process has begun. [Music] From the first glimmers of gold in the eyes of the 49ers to the scientists belief in a tiny silicon chip, the American West has fulfilled the hopes of some dreamers and dashed the hopes of others. [Music] All these dreamers have in turn left their mark upon the land, shaping it to reflect their ideals. There remain forces that forever dwarf human purpose and achievement. Forces that defy all attempts to tame the wild west. Heat. Heat. Heat.