Theodore Henry Hittell's The California Academy of Sciences: A Narrative History, 1853-1906

San Francisco: The Academy, 1997. First printing (stated in colophon). Hardcover. Fine in fine(-) jacket with very minor edge and gentle sunning to spine.. xv, 623 pages: illustrations, b&w photos, notes, index; 24 cm. Stated limitation of 500 copies of which this is exemplar 123. Scarce. / "Hittell (1830-1917) was an American historian renowned for his detailed accounts of the history of California. Born in Pennsylvania, Hittell moved to California during the Gold Rush era, a period of rapid influx of settlers due to the discovery of gold. This transformative epoch in American history, coupled with his legal background-he practiced law after moving to California-gave Hittell a unique perspective on the state's development and the events that shaped it. Hittell is best known for his monumental work, "History of California," a comprehensive four-volume set that remains a critical resource for historians studying the state's early years, including its transition from a Spanish colony to a Mexican province, and finally to its accession as a U.S. state. This work is notable for its meticulous research and detailed narrative, covering various aspects of California's history, from its geographic and natural features to its social, economic, and political development."-Bing.// California, California Academy of Sciences, Sciences History, San Francisco, Natural history Societies, etc.