In the 1840's, California was almost uninhabited. There were a few Spanish missions, some ranchers and farmers, and of course, bandits who stole anything they could find.

In 1848, everything changed. Gold was discovered, and people from all over the country rushed to California. They all dreamed of making their fortunes by finding gold. Mining towns were built anywhere gold was found. As a rule, these towns had no more than a saloon, a hotel, a stable, a jail — and a cemetery.

Almost a century later people again rushed to California. This time, they dreamed of making their fortunes not in gold, but in the movies. Los Angeles, a large city that was not even there in 1848, had become the movie capital of the world.

These were the days of the great movie stars — actors and actresses like Cary Grant and Rita Hayworth — heroes and heroines like John Wayne and Susan Hayward. Thousands of would-be stars dreamed of being a Hollywood prince or princess.

Few people look for gold now, and Los Angeles is no longer a movie city. It's a factory town where time is money and TV companies control the time. The California scenery has changed, too. A century or so ago there were unclimbed, snow-topped mountains, uninhabited deserts, and unspoiled beaches with high surf. The scenery is still there, but so are thousands of miles of highways, millions of cars, dozens of suburbs — and smog. Most films are now made inside, and the best place to find gold is in a jewelry store.