Thank you for mentioning we were our own nation once, hell most Californians didn't even know despite having the word "republic" literally written on our flag
The oldest tree on earth is the “Great Basin bristlecone pine” about 50 miles from where I live, located in the White Mountains of California and is estimated to be 5,066 years old. The second oldest tree on earth is the “Methuselah,” another Great Basin bristlecone pine which is 4,848 years old which also grows on the slopes of the White Mountains in California. Three of the oldest trees in the world are all Great Basin bristlecone pines which are native to the western United States where it is found in the states of Nevada, Utah, and California.