Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Watsonville

(Encyclopedia)Watsonville, city (1990 pop. 31,099), Santa Cruz co., W Calif., on the Pajaro River near Monterey Bay; founded 1852, inc. 1868. It is a trade and processing center for vegetables, fruits, berries, and...

Canary Islands

(Encyclopedia)Canary Islands, Span. Islas Canarias, group of seven islands (2020 est. pop. 2,161,000), 2,875 sq mi (7,445 sq km), autonomous community of Spain, ...

transcontinental railroad

(Encyclopedia)transcontinental railroad, in U.S. history, rail connection with the Pacific coast. In 1845, Asa Whitney presented to Congress a plan for the federal government to subsidize the building of a railroad...

Milpitas

(Encyclopedia)Milpitas mĭlˌpēˈtəs [key], city (1990 pop. 50,686), Santa Clara co., W Calif., a suburb of San Jose, southeast of San Francisco; inc. 1954. Manufactures include computers and paint. Fruits, veget...

Fort Pickens

(Encyclopedia)Fort Pickens, fortification on the western end of Santa Rosa Island at the entrance to Pensacola Bay, NW Fla. When Florida joined the Confederacy in Jan., 1861, Fort Barrancas on the mainland was evac...

Fuga, Ferdinando

(Encyclopedia)Fuga, Ferdinando fārdēnänˈdō fo͞oˈgä [key], 1699–1781, Italian architect. Fuga is best known for his rebuilding of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. He served as papal architect during the ponti...

Raytown

(Encyclopedia)Raytown rāˈtounˌ [key], city (1990 pop. 30,061), Jackson co., W central Mo., a residential suburb of Kansas City; inc. 1950. It was the first stop on the Santa Fe Trail out of Independence, Mo. The...

Cortona, Pietro Berrettini da

(Encyclopedia)Cortona, Pietro Berrettini da pyāˈtrō bār-rĕt-tēˈnē dä kōrtôˈnä [key], 1596–1669, Italian baroque painter and architect, b. Cortona. The Barberini family commissioned him to paint fresc...

Benedetto da Majano

(Encyclopedia)Benedetto da Majano bānādĕtˈtō dä mäyäˈnō [key], 1442–97. Italian sculptor and architect of the Florentine school. His pulpits, altarpieces, and other church furniture are beautifully exec...

Rottweiler

(Encyclopedia)Rottweiler rŏtˈwīlər [key], breed of sturdy working dog developed from a Roman cattle dog introduced into S Germany more than 1,900 years ago. It stands from 213⁄4 to 27 in. (55.3–68.6 cm) hig...