First Honeybees in California
First Honeybees in California
Here, on the 1,939-acre Rancho Potrero de Santa
Clara, Christopher A. Shelton in early March 1853 in-
troduced the honeybee to California. In Aspinwall,
Panama, Shelton purchased 12 beehives from a New
Yorker and transported them by rail, "Bongo,"
pack mule, and steamship to San Francisco. Only e-
nough bees survived to fill one hive, but these
quickly propagated, laying the foundation for
California's modern bee-keeping industry.
California Registered Historical Landmark No. 945
Plaque placed by the state department of Parks
and Recreation in cooperation with E Clampus
Vitus, Mountain Charlie chapter No. 1850 and in
honor of San Jose City historian, Clyde Arbuckle.
March 6, 1982
Photo by Jason Riedy, and is licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/