Bear Flag in Sonoma with Cow

Grizzly Statue at UCLA

Bear Flag Charm

Jerry Brown Bear Flag

California Attorney General, candidate for governor, Jerry Brown in front of a California Bear Flag

Differently Shaded Bear Flag image

Fred B. Rogers on the Bear Flag

From William Brown Ide, Bear Flagger:

"Back at Sonoma a flag was needed to replace that of Mexico, usually flown on the staff in front of the barracks.... Certain it is that the completed flag showed on its upper right (observer's left) a single star in red; above the red stripe were the words CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC, out...lined in black; and above that lettering , facing the star and also in red, was a crude representation of a grizzly bear standing on all fours. Todd made, partially erased, and corrected an error in the spelling of REPUBLIC.... Certainly also, Henry L. Ford must be conceded the distinction of having suggested as the central figure of the flag the grizzly bear, highly respected as a fighter by Americans and Californians alike."

Fred B. Rogers who wrote this was one of, if not thee most important historians of the Bear Flag Revolt during the 20th Century.

1954 Inglewood City Hall with Bear Flag

This is a March 26, 1954 photograph of the dedication of the Inglewood City Hall with the Bear Flag flying on a pole above the building.

A Different Bear Flag Sticker

Older Bear Flag Image

August 2007 Bear Flag

This is an August 2007 photograph by solarbreeze69 from Flickr, showing a nice image of the Bear Flag.

Poizner Bear Flag usage

Of the three major party candidates for California Governor, to date only Republican Steve Poizner is using the Bear Flag image as part of his election brand. Use of the Bear Flag image is fairly common, but not so far in this campaign.

This button was recently added to the collection of the Bear Flag Museum. There is also an oval shaped Poizner button, we have seen.

Harvey Porterfield on the Bear Flag

In 1896, R. A. Thompson stated that Harvey Porterfield said the Bear Flag 'was made in a building on the northeast side of the [Sonoma] plaza .... ' He said 'he thinks Todd and Storm and Dewell made it. He remembers distinctly that Todd painted the bear with a brush he made of horsehair tied to a stick. The flag was white with a red strip at the bottom with a star and a bear. The bear and star were painted with a reddish-brown paint which was found among the tools in the building. He remembers that very clearly and that Storm, Todd and Dewell were there. The flag was raised the same day ....' Porterfield was one of the men who raised the flag. 12269

Some interesting details. Made in a building on the northeast corner of Sonoma Plaza. Todd, Storm & Dewell made it. A stick with horsehair tied to it Reddish-brown paint. Raised the same day.

"California Theocracy" Bear Flag

Bear Flag at Booneville, CA

This is a photograph of the Bear Flag flying at the Booneville High School.

Peter Storm with His Bear Flag

A photograph if Peter Storm with his Bear Flag.

What the Bear Flag Would Look Like if the Bear was a Polar Bear.

This is a recent rendition of someone's idea of what the California Flag would look like if instead of a grizzly bear it was a polar bear on the Bear Flag. Just a little fun!

Southwest Airlines Bear Flag Model Airplane

A desktop sized model of Southwest Airlines California Bear Flag style airplane. One of these was recently acquired by the Bear Flag Museum.

Bancroft on the Bear Flag Part 3

"I think there can be no doubt that William L. Todd was the artist who painted it; but respecting the accuracy of many other current details grave doubts arise from conflicting testimony. Who first suggested the component emblems of the banner; who furnished the cotton, and who the flannel; whence came the red paint; was the cloth new or old; had the flannel graced the undergarment of a fair and patriotic lady; or had it filled an humbler station a part of a man's red shirt; who manipulated the needle and thread; who merely 'stood around' in the artist's way; whose knife was borrowed to cut the stuff; and was that knife ever returned to its owner -- these are questions that I cannot answer so definitely a might be desired; but on some of them the reader may find light in the appended note."

H. H. Bancroft History of California Making of the Flag.

1930 Bear Flag P.T.A. Photograph

This is photograph from the "Examiner REFERENCE LIBRARY" received by the library on June 1, 1930. The photograph was published, presumably in the Examiner, with the following caption: "MRS. ROBERT L. CARDIFF, State president of the Congress of Parents and Teachers, with Virginia Myers of Denver, who carried the California bear flag in the processional at the national convention of the P.T.A." This photograph with a copy of the newspaper article and caption on its back were recently acquired by the Bear Flag Museum.

The wording on the flag is in unusually tall font. The bear has more of a stubby tail than common as well as standing flat-footed except for his right rear foot. The bear is standing not on a solid grass plat as in the present flag, but with a rendering of the ground with some grass tufts of irregular design.

Bancroft on the Bear Flag Part 2

"For materials they took what they could find; that is, a piece of common unbleached cotton cloth, the manta of the Mexicans, somewhat less than a yard in width and five feet long, and some strips of red flannel about four inches wide. The flannel, the stripe of the flag, made of the requisite length by piecing, was sewn to the bottom of the cotton. In the upper left-hand corner of the white field was outlined in ink, and filled in with red paint, an irregular five-pointed star, fifteen inches in its greatest diameter. Just to the right of the star, and facing it, was painted in like manner what was intended for a bear, statant, though it has been pronounced more like a hog by experts who cared little for the feelings of the last-named animal. Under the two emblems was rudely lettered in black ink CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC. Such was the famous Bear Flag, which has given a name to the revolution, and which caused the insurgents to be known to the natives as Osos."

H. H. Bancroft History of California, Making of the Flag.

To be continued........

Bancroft on the Bear Flag

"The need of a banner was naturally one of first suggested. The insurgents had no right to unfurl the stars and stripes, as many of them would doubtless have preferred to do; yet any flag devised by Americans must needs have at least a star and a stripe; and the appropriateness of a lone star could not fail to suggest itself to men familiar with the history of Texas, and the similarity of condition between that country and what they hoped to make of California. A simple copy would not, however, suffice, and an additional emblem was required. Somebody proposed the grizzly bear, an animal then common in those regions, and whose reputation for 'strength and unyielding resistance' could be attested by every one of those resolute hunters from personal experience."

H. H. Bancroft History of California "Making of the Flag"

To be continued......

Bear on State Parks Emblem

This is a photo of the California grizzly on the standard design California State Parks emblem. This was taken at Sutter's Fort in 2010.

When did the words get placed on the Bear Flag?

R. A. Thompson noted in 1885, possibly for the first time, that Lt. John Missroon’s June 17, 1846 report, the first written description of the original Bear Flag ('hoisted a flag with a white field, with a border or stripe of red on the lower part, and having a bear and star upon it.'), the 'words ‘California Republic’ were not on it at this time , or of course so important a feature would have been noted by Lieutenant Missroon ....'

This is a very interesting point. It would seem likely that Missroon would have noticed these important words if they had been on the flag on June 17th. Or it is possible that Missroon could not see the words as it flew from the top of a flag pole, as was suggested as a possibilty by Peter Meyerhof. The only thing we know for certain is that the words were on the Bear Flag which was lowered on July 9, 1846. This is the flag which became the model for most later flags, including our State Flag. 12259

1951 Bear Flag Donation

A May 23, 1951 photograph showing a Charles Navarro giving a Bear Flag to Martin Shakley.

California Bear Flag from Beginnings of S.F.

From Zoeth Skinner Eldredge’s The Beginnings of San Francisco (1912):

"After the election of Ide as commander-in-chief ('governor,' he claimed) of the California republic, a flag was constructed of a piece of unbleached cotton cloth to the bottom of which was sewn a strip of red flannel. In the upper left hand corner o...f the white field was drawn a five pointed star, outlined in ink and filled in with red paint. To the right of the star and facing it was drawn in like manner what was intended for a grizzly bear, statant. Under the emblems was the legend, California Republic, in black ink." 12279