CALIFORNIA BRIEF HISTORY 

California Economic Development, 1850-1900

Other Economic Activities in the 1800's

Mining, primarily for gold, was the main nonagricultural economic activity in California after 1850; but, beginning in the 1870s, manufacturing increased considerably. In 1900 manufacturing had become the most important state economic activity, although meat packing as well as fruit and vegetable canning were based on California's growing agricultural production. Other important activities included lumber milling, brick manufacturing, fish processing, and the production of farm machinery. Oil production also began in southern California during the last two decades of the century.