California residents fly their U.S. flags today in honor of California’s entering the union this day in 1850.
U.S. Flag Code guidelines list specific days Americans should fly U.S. flags, and generically, urges people in states to fly flags on their state’s day of achieving statehood.
It’s fun to read through the list of statehood dates and ponder just how such a date is calculated (consider the first 13 colonies and their becoming states); but however it was calculated, September 9 is California’s day.
U.S. and California flags flying from the same flagpole.
Fly your flags, California.
3-cent stamp honoring California’s statehood centennial, in 1950. Image from Rockhounds.com
California was the 31st state admitted; 31-star flags were in use until Minnesota’s statehood in 1858. Here’s a unique design on the 31-star motif:
31-star flag with stars arranged in “Great Star” constellation suggested by War of 1812 Navy hero Samuel Reid, a wearer of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Reid urged 13 stripes instead of 15, which Congress accepted; but he also urged the Great Star design, which was not accepted. Placement of stars in the field remained unencumbered by rules until the Eisenhower administration. Photo from Jeff R. Bridgman Antiques.
More:
- “William Tecumsah Sherman marched through California,” Joe Mathews, Sacramento Bee, September 7, 2016
- “General Sherman played role in California Statehood,” Joe Mathews, San Diego Union, September 8, 2016
- 15 great California songs, at Today Past
- California State Librarian Greg Lucas said California’s made great by the state’s diversity, with more than 300 languages spoken by people in the state; see his essay at the Sacramento Bee; Lucas offers links to lists of California’s greatness
- Sac Bee also notes the original 1849 California Constitution will be displayed at the Secretary of State Building in Sacramento, for the 165th anniversary of statehood
- Napa Valley Register chronicles the rise and fall of California Admission Day celebrations; used to be really, really big in Napa (my father and mother lived in Napa for a time after they married; a golden time in a golden place, they said)
- No, don’t mention the California Republic to a native Texan; it would be a cause of great denial
Tony Bennett left his heart in San Francisco, one of the 15 California songs listed at Today Past.
Yes, this is mostly an encore post. Fighting ignorance requires patience, and in the case of history tied to specific dates, repetition.
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 