DAILY ALTA CALIFORNIA, San Francisco, Feb. 14, 1853  The very first title in the Golden State was the "Californian" begun in 1846, followed the next year by the "California Star". These two titles merged and in 1849 the combined enterprise was called the "Alta California", becoming a daily in July.
This is from less than two years after statehood. It also became the first successful newspaper in California, lasting until 1891.
There is a wealth of illustrated ship ads, reflecting the tremendous growth from the Gold Rush boom.
Four pages, never bound nor trimmed, wide margins. Above the masthead is a deaccession stamp from the "Harvard College Library" dated 1917. Folder size noted is for the issue folded in half.