1) In 1853, George H. Derby arrived in San Diego, California to map the region and develop plans to redirect the San Diego River away from the marshy delta and directly into the Pacific Ocean to prevent floods.
2) The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus is a fraternal organization dedicated to preserving Western history, especially of the California Gold Rush. Members wore distinctive red shirts, levis, and black hats.
3) ECV claims many famous historical figures as members such as Ulysses S. Grant and Ronald Reagan, though some claims like Solomon and Julius Caesar are fanciful and show their sense of humor about themselves.
The Worst Maritime Disaster in US HistoryBob Mayer
A month from the end of the Civil War, just days after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, a steamboat on the Mississippi River sank after its boilers exploded. Packed with people, mostly former Union POWs it was an unmitigated disaster. How did it happen? How could it have been prevented?
The Greatest Maritime Disaster in U.S. History!Bob Mayer
Near the end of the Civil War, the Sultana was loaded with former POWs, heading north on the Mississippi. What happened was the deadliest disaster in our history and completely preventable. What happened? How did greed play a role? And Lincoln?
