How Well Do You Know Your State Flag?

The Flag Day  Parade was celebrated in June, but how well did you know the history of our California flag?

On June 14, 1846, a flag bearing the image of a grizzly bear was flown over the Sonoma garrison of Colonel Vallejo after a rebellion. That first flag was made of white cotton, one star was placed on it (after the Texas fashioned flag) and William Todd, the nephew of First Lady, Mary Todd Lincoln, drew a bear in the upper blank area.  

The flag flew for one day and Captain Fremont hired the artist and map designer, Edward Kern, to redesign the flag. Young Todd was not an artist but his idea was appealing. Later, artist Charles Nahn painted the final grizzly bear image after one of the Grizzly Adams famous bears. This is the same image on our State flag today.

The Grizzly bear, or Brown bear (Ursus artos) was common in California before the last one was shot in August, 1922, in Tulare County. So common, that the following extinct species existed;  Henshaw grizzly, Klamath grizzly, Mendocino grizzly,  Sacramento Valley grizzly and Tejon grizzly.

Common names for the Brown bear have been; Grizzly, Old Ephraim, broadfoot, brownie, Kodiak, great bear, big brown bear and about 50 more names.

The bear has a distinctive hump across the shoulders, is brown in color and can weigh up to 1,700 lbs. Four inch claws are for ripping or gently moving berries. Their diet includes; fish, insects, plants, berries, small and large game. Unfinished food is covered with branches, leaves and dirt so they can return for another meal.

They live alone and are aggressive. It is not the bear used for circus or entertaining.

Our flag was graced with a powerful, intelligent, non social and respected animal. Another State depicts bears. The Missouri flag has two grizzlies standing upright holding onto an emblem  dipicting power and courage.

The grizzly can still be found in Alaska, Idaho, Washington, Wyoming, Montana and Canada.