House of USA Cottage
On Sundays during the open hours of 12 noon to 4:00 pm the cottage offers piano playing and a sing-along to music lovers. The cottage has a rich display of historical facts and pictures of the History of America, plus an American Indian display.

Cooking Class
The Saturday before a fundraiser program (Lawn Program, Ethnic Food Fair and December Nights) a pie baking class is held in the kitchen of the Hall of Nations.  Starting time is 10:00 am until approximately 3:00 pm, until all pies are baked.

Pot-Luck
There is a bi-monthly pot-luck on every 2nd Sunday of even numbered months, except in December.  It starts before the 4:30 pm membership meeting in the House of the USA.

Lawn Program
The yearly lawn program is always held on the Independence Day, July 4th, or the next closest date to that Holiday.

The entertainment for this event is a Banjo Band and a Memory Lane Combo Band.  The members join in for some country line dancing, singing of patriotic songs and reading of poetry.

A costumed Uncle Sam amuses the audience.

Foods served
For the Lawn Program, the Ethnic Food Fair, and the December Nights the menu is hot dogs and baked beans, potato salad, apple pies and chocolate cakes as well as other pasties.  A hot pot of coffee is always brewing.

Social Events
Every year in December the members and their friends celebrate Christmas in one of the local Hotels.  Eight carolers entertain them during dinner. They are from the California Youth Theater, and are adding an old fashioned touch by wearing the old traditional Christmas costumes.

In December a Christmas Tree Decorating Party is held, with a Pot-Luck and music.

Several times during the year the House of USA is organizing Bus trips to interesting destinations in Southern California.

Every year there is a big event taking place in downtown San Diego, the famous “ Balloon Parade”.  The children of the House of USA are taking part in this fun event.  Dates and time vary each year.

Pumpkin Carving
On the Sunday before Halloween the House of USA is holding a pumpkin-carving contest, between noon and 5:00 pm.  This is an open house affair, and members as well as anyone who can carve an especially beautiful pumpkin is invited.

Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.
- The World Factbook

Land Area: 9,826,630 sq km                               
Population:  301,139,947 (July 2007 est.)
Capital City:Washington, DC                                        
Language:  English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)
note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii
Religion:  Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)
Form of Government: Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition
Economy:The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $43,500. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets.
Export: agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0% (2003)

Click map for larger view

Source: The World Factbook - United States of America