The official state flag of California, called the Bear Flag, was first used on June 14, 1846, but was not officially adopted until 1911. It was designed by William Todd. The flag pictures a grizzly bear and a star. The first Californian flag was quickly made by a group of American settlers who had just captured the town of Sonoma (from Mexico) and needed a flag to replace the Mexican banner.
Origin of the Name California - The name California comes from a mythical Spanish island ruled by a queen called Califia that was featured in a Spanish romance ("Las Sergas de Esplandian") written by Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo in 1510. The Spanish explorers originally thought that California was an island.
Geography
Land Area: 163,707 Square Miles
Elevation: 0-14,495 Ft.
(Highest point, Mt. Whitney)
Population: 33,871,648
(2003 US Census Bureau)
Motto: Eureka (I have found it)
Nickname: The Golden State
Time Zones: Pacific
State Symbols:
Flower:California Poppy
Bird:California Valley Quail
Government
Capital: Sacramento
Presidential Birthplace : Richard Milhouse Nixon was born in Yorba Linda on January 9, 1913 (he was the 37th US President, serving from 1969 to 1974).
State Tree: The California redwood is the official state tree of California. There are two species of California redwood: the coast redwood and the giant sequoia. The giant sequoia is the most massive tree in the world, with up to 30-foot diameter trunks. They reach ages of over 3,000 years. The coast redwood is the tallest tree in the world, averaging about 300 feet high. The oldest known redwood lived to be 2,200 years old.
Animals
Reptile: Desert Tortoise
Mammal: California Gray Whale
Fish: Volcano Creek Golden Trout
Insect: California Dogface Butterfly
Dinosaur: Sabertooth Tiger
Minerals
Stone: Serpentinite
Gem: Blue Diamond
Plants
Native Grass: Purple Needlegrass
History:
Entered Union:
September 9, 1850
(31st State to Enter The Union)
Entertainment and Music
Folk Dance: West Coast Swing
Dance, Square Dance
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