The California Bear Flag was born from a short-lived republic and a revolt

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Bear Flag is more than just a symbol of the Golden State; it is a relic of a brief, intense independence movement. Originally flown during the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt, this design carries the DNA of a former republic and a star from an even older rebellion.

The contemporary California flag, often called the Bear Flag, is a composite of historical symbols. Its single red star is a direct nod to the Lone Star Flag used during an 1836 independence movement led by Juan Alvarado. While the flag was officially adopted by the state legislature in 1911, its design was not standardized until 1953, when Governor Earl Warren signed a bill to codify its specific colors and dimensions.

The central figure is a California grizzly bear, a species that is now extinct. Remarkably, a 1911 iteration of the flag reportedly drew inspiration from Monarch, the final California grizzly bear held in captivity. Captured in 1889 by reporter Allan Kelly, Monarch was moved between Woodwards Gardens and the Golden Gate Park zoo before dying in 1911. The bear's image was eventually standardized in 1953 by Donald Graeme Kelley, who based his design on an 1855 watercolor by Charles Christian Nahl.

The flag's colors are highly specific. The bear's base color is Maple Sugar, while the star, the bear's tongue, and the bottom red stripe use Old Glory Red. It is one of only four U.S. state flags that does not include the color blue, alongside Alabama, Maryland, and New Mexico. In terms of popularity, a 2001 survey by the North American Vexillological Association ranked the California flag 13th out of 50 U.S. states, noting it is the best flag that includes the state's name.

The flag's history is marked by both triumph and loss. An original flag, given to the Montgomery family in 1848, was preserved in San Francisco until it was destroyed during the great earthquake and fires of 1906. Today, a replica can be seen at the Sonoma Barracks.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• The twenty-four days when a California republic briefly existed
• Colorado's iconic state flag was born from a misunderstanding about a forgotten predecessor
• The American flag was never designed by one person and evolved through many hands.
• Why do so many American state flags look like a blue bedsheet with a seal?
• Ohio's flag is the only non-rectangular state banner in the United States
• How a worker transport service became Canada's most controversial low-cost airline
• The storied Australian rules football club that survived its own professional death
• A teenage ninja enthusiast discovers his fiery heritage and battles for eternal life
• How a Jersey City deathcore band evolved through seventeen years of relentless creative output
• The reality show that turned nicknames into a social currency
• How a Milwaukee-based financial giant grew into a global payments powerhouse through relentless acquisition
• Is the iconic fleur-de-lis actually a lily, or a swamp-dwelling yellow iris?

More in Cities · More in Countries & Cities · Latest · A–Z · All topics