Jim, Didn't the balloon land in Oregon and kill one person? or where there two balloons and one lit in California? Susan Boise, Idaho, USA -----Original Message----- From: norcal-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:norcal-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of James R Smith Sent: Friday, January 15, 2010 11:04 AM To: norcal@rootsweb.com; socal@rootsweb.com; SF Genealogy Subject: [NORCAL] Notorious California Events My grandmother grew up in the Tri-county area (Colusa/Sutter/Yuba) and talked about the Joaquin Murrieta gang there and the shooting of sheriff Buchanan at Spanish Camp (Sonora Camp). He & her Uncle Billy were friends. My GG-grandfather logged his arrival in California in 1850 as "arriving in Hangtown, now Placerville,where during the vigilence (sic) days, they saw the celebrated gambler "Dick" hanged." I still haven't found a local record of that event but no matter. I have a recollection of my aunt (by marriage) telling of a Japanese balloon landing on the north coast carrying a bomb during WWII. It didn't go off. What was the most notorious or ill-famed event noted by those in your California family tree (yourself included)? If it was you, have you documented the event? Genealogy includes documenting the times, good & bad. I have an ulterior motive. I'm working on a follow-on to SNATCH & am looking for the state's darker events. I thought about this when I was speaking to a hotel manager at a San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau event last year. He mentioned that Billy Holiday was busted for drugs in his hotel. To him, that had impact. Thanks! Jim