More Official Symbols of California State

There’s a lot to love about California. 

Like, a lot!

In addition to these official symbols of California State, here are more animals, objects and ideas that have come to represent the Golden State’s many wonderful sides!

13 symbols of the Golden State

Marine reptile

Pacific leatherback sea turtle

These dark, tough-skinned turtles are known to dive to depths of up to 4,000 feet for nearly an hour and half at a time! If you get a chance to see one of these ancient creatures, count yourself lucky — these 2,000-pound reptiles can get up to 8 feet long and have been endangered for half a century. 

Their scarcity is even more unfortunate considering they have been living off California’s coast for 70 million years until, of course, humans got in the way and threatened their species. 

Mineral

Gold

This shiny mineral drew hundreds of thousands of prospectors to the state in the mid-19th century, resulting in a whopping 28 thousand ounces of gold extracted from the rich soil during the rush. What better way to honor the natural resource, then, than by making it a state symbol?

Motto

Eureka!

Another remnant from the gold rush, this triumphant shout is believed to have been uttered when miners struck gold. 

The word has more ancient roots, though. It’s connected to the Greek mathematician Archimedes who discovered a way to determine the purity of gold while soaking in the bathtub. Upon realizing that a crown made of pure gold would displace less water than a silver-and-gold composite crown, the mathematician leapt up and shouted “eureka!,” meaning “I’ve found it!” in Greek. 

At least, that’s how the legend goes. The real story involves boat-building and the law of buoyancy, but the tale has been altered over time to the legend it is today. 

Centuries later, gold miners uttered the very same phrase in the rugged hills of California. 

Nickname

The Golden State

Yes, you guessed it — this is another homage to the gold rush days of the mid 19th century! It’s also a nod to the fields of golden California poppies that cover the state’s coastal regions.

Nut

Almonds, walnuts, pistachio and pecan

California is the nation’s top producer of almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans, effectively cornering the market on quality nuts and crunchy salad toppings. 

Prehistoric artifact

Chipped stone bear

Found in a San Diego archaeological dig site in 1985, this small, 3-inch piece of volcanic rock dates back to California’s earliest residents around 7,000-8,000 years ago. The small sculpture resembles the image of a bear, with the shape created by chipping away at the rock with a sharper, denser rock. No one is entirely sure what the bear was made for, but anthropologists think it was used for religious purposes. 

Reptile

Desert tortoise

Keep an eye out for this gentle creature in Death Valley and other similar desert regions of the state. It’s because of these tortoises that the California Desert Protection Act of 1994 came to pass, as much of the state’s fragile desert environment was under threat and environmentalists campaigned for a large portion of land to be placed under federal protection. As a result of the act, millions of acres of land were brought into the National Park system!

Rock

Serpentine

California is rich in resources of all kinds — including minerals and rocks!

Thanks to a volcanic history and plenty of geologic forces at work, California’s landscape has produced a stunning variety of beautiful rocks. Serpentine is one of those rocks, with streaks of blues and greens layered beneath a mottled blue and gray exterior. 

Silver rush ghost town

Calico

Though less well known than the gold rush, California’s silver rush blossomed on the heels of the gold rush and lasted well into the early 20th century.

One of the towns that thrived on the search for silver was Calico, located just off Route 66 in Barstow, California.  The town once housed thousands of residents, hundreds of mines and around 20 saloons — however, when the price of silver dropped to nearly half its value in the 1890s, residents abandoned the town for greener pastures and higher profits. Today, the sprawling town is empty and visited only by tourists.

Song

“I Love You, California”

Written by a Los Angeles merchant and put to music by an orchestra conductor, “I Love You, California” is a stirring melody that expresses deep love for the state’s natural beauty. Though the song is over a century old, the words still ring true… and isn’t that what California’s timeless beauty is all about, anyway?

Sport

Surfing

Surfing arrived in Southern California in the late 1950s when surfers from Hawaii showed off their sport on the west coast waves. Since then, the sport exploded and defined the surf culture in the area for generations. 

Theater

Pasadena Playhouse

This 1925 Spanish-style playhouse has hosted an impressive array of actors and actresses from Hollywood’s Golden Age. Though small by today’s standards, this Pasadena treasure still puts on around 320 performances each year and is an important part of Hollywood’s culture. 

Tree

California redwood 

Of course, there’s no way we could mention iconic Californian symbols without talking about the towering California redwoods. 

These ancient giants have lived in California for centuries, with many trees averaging ages of 800-1,500 years! Out of the two species — the coast redwood and the giant sequoia — the coast redwoods grow tallest and can reach heights of nearly 380 feet. 

If you live in or near our Southern California apartments, then be sure to keep an eye out for these next time you’re out and about! Isn’t it great to be a Californian?

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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/12019