Felicity, California
Coordinates: 32°45′01″N 114°45′55″W / 32.75028°N 114.76528°W
| Felicity | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
  Felicity Location in California | |
| Coordinates: 32°45′01″N 114°45′55″W / 32.75028°N 114.76528°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Imperial County |
| Elevation[1] | 285 ft (87 m) |
Felicity is an unincorporated community in Imperial County, California,[1] which calls itself "Center of the World".[2] It lies at an elevation of 285 feet (87 m).[1]
Founded on May 11, 1986, the community was named after a town mentioned in Jacques-André Istel's book Coe the Good Dragon and inspired by his wife, Felicia.[2] It is accessible from Interstate 8 in the far southeast of the state, just west of Yuma, Arizona.
Landmarks
The Sundial at Felicity
The gnomon of the 15 ft (4.6 m) Sundial at Felicity is a three-dimensional bronze of Michelangelo's Arm of God painted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. The arm was sculpted and cast in bronze in New England. The rock is local but the installation required the assistance of a mining engineer and a special drill. The bronze Roman numerals give the time. A sundial is precisely accurate once a year and this was set at noon on Christmas Day. The arm points to the Hill of Prayer, site of the Church on the Hill at Felicity. The Hill of Prayer was built in January 2002 by moving 150,000 tons of earth [2] (engineered to earthquake zone 4 specifications). The church will remain the highest point in the town of Felicity now and in the future.
Sculpture at entrance
The 25 ft (7.6 m) high section number 12 of the original stairway of the Eiffel Tower is the entrance sculpture at Felicity.[2] In 1983, the government of France removed approximately 500 ft (150 m) of the original stairway. Built with the technology of the 1860s, the weight of approximately 54,000 lb (24,000 kg) was causing sway at the top of the then 94-year-old tower. Twenty sections were sold at auction on the tower on 1 December 1983. Most are in museums and a few in private hands. Section 12 was bought at auction in June 1989 at the Chateau de Cheverny. The installation of the 6,600 lb (3,000 kg) section required engineering and a building permit. It serves no practical purpose, but is part of the spirit of Felicity.[2]
The Felicity Post Office
The Felicity Post Office was dedicated on 5 December 1987 at a time when thousands of small post offices were being eliminated as an economy measure. The town, whose population numbered two, saw over 2,300 letters mailed that day. The dedication ceremony was highlighted by a speech in Chinese by Consul Zhou of the People’s Republic of China who traveled 600 miles (970 km) for the occasion. It is operated by the town at a cost to the federal government of one dollar per year. Twenty uncashed one dollar checks are on file.
Museum of History in Granite
A unique attraction of the town of Felicity is the Museum of History in Granite. The museum exhibits granite monuments made from Missouri Red Granite. Each is 100' long. Subjects include a Korean War Memorial, Quest for the Sky - The History of French Aviation (Recipient of the Air and Space Medal in Europe in 2003), The History of the French Foreign Legion, The History of Arizona, The Wall for the Ages and the eight monument History of Humanity. The History of the United States of America Dedication is on Washington's Birthday 2014. The History of California is being edited.[3] Smaller monuments include the Felicity Stone (sm), a Rosetta Stone for the future located at the center of the History of Humanity monuments. The Museum of History in Granite is a candidate as a World Heritage Site.[4]
References
- 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Felicity, California
- 1 2 3 4 5 Anton, Mike (2008-04-16). "Desert monument captures history on stone". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2008-04-20. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
- ↑ Board of Trustees, Museum of History in Granite (incomplete reference)
- ↑ Senate of Arizona Proclamation 10 April 2013 (incomplete reference)
