The Bear Flag

The flag of California, flying at San Francisco City Hall, California

The flag of the State of California had its 100^th anniversary on Feb. 3^rd, 2011.  How many Californians could describe their flag? Well, let’s see.  The flag has a grizzly bear on a green patch of ground, a red stripe across the bottom and a star in the upper left corner.  Most of us might get that far.  How many would know that across the center of the flag are the words ‘California Republic’ ?  Wha-?  California is a Republic? Huh? Here’s the story.

Bear Flag Revolt Monument, Sonoma Plaza

In June of 1846, the United States was at war with Mexico but this was not yet known in California.  General John Fremont and his army had been in California since the previous fall, officially on a scientific expedition, but in fact to be ready in case war broke out.  His presence raised tensions between Mexicans and American settlers in the area north of San Francisco bay.  For reasons that are not entirely clear, on June 10^th, 1846, a small group of settlers stole some horses from a Mexican officer.  On June 11^th, the group, now numbering about 30 settlers, quietly took control of the small town of Sonoma and declared California to be an independent republic.   Sometime between June 14^th and June 17^th, they created a flag to represent their new republic and hoisted it in the central square of Sonoma.  The ‘Bear Flag’ had a red flannel stripe across the bottom, a star in the corner, a grizzly bear (that looked more like a pig), and the words ‘California Republic’ painted in blackberry juice.  The ‘Bear Flag Revolt’ became California’s first act of insurgency against Mexican rule. 

The Original Bear Flag

News of the war finally arrived in early July and the U.S. Navy raised the American flag over Monterey and Yerba Buena (soon to be San Francisco).  On July 9th, the Bear Flag was lowered in Sonoma and the Stars and Stripes were raised.  The Bear Flag had flown for only 24 to 26 days.  It was given to a 16-year old sailor from the U.S.S. Portsmouth, John E. Montgomery, who wrote his mother describing the flag which he considered ‘quite a prize.’ Montgomery would disappear on a mission to Sutter’s Fort several months later. A copy of the Bear Flag was made on board the Portsmouth.  Both flags would return to the U.S. only to be forgotten in the Boston Navy Yard for a decade.  The Mexican-American War was won, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, and California became a state on Sept. 9th, 1850.  In 1855, the flags resurfaced and were donated to the Society of California Pioneers who proudly displayed them during the fifth California Admission Day anniversary parade.  The Society kept the flags at their offices in San Francisco until they were destroyed in the fire after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.  Fortunately, the original Bear Flag was photographed in 1903.

The Native Sons of the Golden West was formed in 1875 to preserve the history of California and their ‘pallors’ quickly spread throughout the state.  They used the Bear Flag in much of their official material including banners and pins.  In 1909, the Native Sons recommended to the state legislature that the Bear Flag be adopted as the official state flag of California.  Since most of the politicians of California were members of the Native Sons at the time, it is not surprising that California officially adopted the Bear Flag as the State Flag on February 3^rd, 1911. Soon it was flying over the capitol where it still flies today.

Happy 100^th Anniversary, Bear Flag!

Question of the Day: What is the name of the bear who modeled for the current California Flag?