Monterey, San Jose, Vallejo, Benicia, and San Francisco were temporary capitals between 1850 and 1854. The state flag, adopted in 1911, shows a grizzly bear and a single red star. On the state seal, adopted in 1849, a grizzly bear representing California stands next to Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom. A sheaf of wheat and clusters of grapes symbolize agriculture, and a miner laboring with a pick stands for mining.
Ships represent commerce.
The peaks in the background symbolize the Sierra Nevada. U.S. average 69 per sq. Secretary of the Senate, Room 3044, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814. Secretary of the Senate, Room 3044, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814.