One of the first "attractions" that I visited when I moved to California was the Pulgas Water Temple, because it is not far from my apartment and a friend recommended it. It took several tries to finally be able to visit (the gates are only open 9-4 on weekdays). Once we figured out that we could park nearby and walk, I was glad to have visited.
The water temple was built in 1934 to commemorate the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, which pumps water from Yosemite to San Francisco. It consists of fluted Corinthian columns arranged in a circle, with the engraving, "I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people " [from Isaiah 43:20]. Water no longer actually flows through the temple - since 2004, water is pumped nearby and purified.
The field isn't very large, but there are some interesting signs about the history of water transportation and it is a nice place to visit for an afternoon. The space is available for rentals for weddings and special events as well.
One note: the only road to access the temple is Cañada Road, which is closed to cars on Sundays.
