Twelve Flags over California, Santa Barbara, CA - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

At this location, you will find 12 flagpoles, used to fly representations/replicas of the twelve flags that have flown over California, as well as plaques/signs that discribe the flags and provide the history of each.

Below is a portion of the text from the many signs/plaques for the 12 flags:

"Twelve Flags over California

The Cedric Boeseke Memorial
California celebrates its cultural diversity. In its five centuries of recorded history, the flags of conquerors and settlers, royalties and rebellions have flown over this land. Few of these flags exist today and some flags show here are informed deductions of the originals. These replicas were raised to commemorate the joyous life of Cedric Boeseke (1907-1994), an officer of the Santa Barbara Flag Project, and a man who added so much to the lives of those on the South Coast who cared about education, business and civic beautification."



"Sign 1: Flag of the Spanish Empire
In 1542, fifty years after Columbus sailed west for Asia, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo led the first Spanish expedition up the California coast. Stopping near Point Magu (45 miles to the south) he unfurled the flag of the Spanish Empire and claimed California for Spain.

Flag 1) A Spanish Standard
In 1542, the first Spanish explorers came along California's coast, captained by Juan Cabrillo. At Point Mugu, he planted a flag of the Spanish Empire, logically a royal standard of Spain's Hapsburg ruler, Charles V, grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella.

Sign 2) The Cross of Burgandy
Spain was formed in 1516 under Philip I, Duke of Burgundy. The Cross of Burgundy was adopted as its national flag in 1520 under Charles V, heir to the Duke. This standard also flew over Spain's colonial empire in the New World, on merchant ships, and on expeditions until 1785.

Flag 2) The Crest of Burgandy

Flag 3) Flag of Sir Francis Drake
The English privateer was licensed by Queen Elizabeth I to "Annoy the King of Spain in his Indies." This included acts of piracy on ships and ports in the New World. During his famous voyage to first circumnavigate the earth, Drake anchored the GOLDEN HIND just north of San Francisco in what is now Drake's Bay in 1579.

Flag 4 18th Century Spanish Flag
Alta California was ignored from 160 years when Charles III, sensing threats from England and Russia, acted to colonize the territory. Starting in 1769, Army Commander Gaspar de Portola and Padre Junipero Serra built a chain of presidios and missions along the California coast. The presidio in Santa Barbara was built in 1782; the mission in 1786. Spain ruled California through the mission system until Mexico's independence was won in 1821.

Flag 5 Russian-American Company
As Spanish missionaries moved north, the Russian-American Company moved south through Alaska. They established Fort ross north of San Francisco in 1812 and hunted sea otters along the coast. Though respected by californios, the company's move covered a Russian attempt to establish sovereignty in California. Russia retreated under U.S. and British pressure in 1826, sold its good to Fort Sutter and left in 1841. Today, Fort Ross is an active State Park.

Flag 6 Flag of Argentine Privateer
In 1818, the peaceful life of local ranchos was upset by the arrival of 3 French ships led by Hyppolite de Bouchard, an Argentine privateer. Authorized to attack Spanish-held lands, he raided Montery and raised his flag over their Customs House. He plundered Refugio Ranch (20 miles to the north) and landed in Santa Barbara to exchange prisoners of war, but did not attach the panic-stricken town. After a quick hit on San Juan Capistrano he sailed off.

Flag 7 Flag of the Mexican Empire
As Napoleon's conquest of Spain weakened its power in the New World, the American and French revolutions inspired native Mexicans to revolt. In 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo, a parish priest, rallied the people with his Gritos de Delores; a "cry" for land and freedom. After Hildalgo's execution, Father Morelos y Pavon carried on as colonial militias joined the ranks. After 11 years of war, Agustin de Iturbide was named Emperor of Mexico from 1821-1823.

Flag 8 Flag of the Mexican Republic
The Mexican Empire ended after two years and Mexico adopted a republican form of government modeled after the United States. For a short time California governed itself. This flag flew over California from 1823 until the U.S. took over the territory in 1846.

Flag 9 California Battalion's Banner
Captain John Fremont, THE PATHFINDER, led surveys of California's territories from 1844-1846. He was also Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Mounted Rifles at the start of the Mexican-American War in 1846. His California Battlion of 300 troops traveled a stormy San Marcos Pass on Christmas day to capture Santa Barbara. At war's end, the southwest territories were annexed to the United States and the dream of "Manifest Destiny", a nation stretching "from sea to shining sea" became reality.

Flag 10 Sonoma's Rebel Flag
American settlers in Sonoma, on the northern edge of the San Francisco Bay, grew resentful of their treatment by Spanish-Californian authorities. In June 1846, in the rebellious spirit of the time, they captured the Sonoma garrison and declared themselves an independent "California Republic". Th flag flew for a month over the plaza. After the U.S. capture of California's capital at Montery, Captain John Fremont had the Sonoma flag replaced with the flag of the United States.

Flag 11 California's First U.S. Flag
The American
Flag was raised over Montery in 1846, declaring California a territory of the United States. Gold was discovered in 1848 and brought a rush of miners- and settlers who built towns and businesses. California joined the Union as a free state through the Compromise of 1850; laws dealing with slavery and fugitives. California had no battlefield in the brewing Civil War, but nearly 17,000 troops volunteered to fight and shipments of Califnornia's gold kept the Union solvent.

Flag 12 California's First State Flag
In 1911, fifty years after achieving statehood, the legislature met to consider a State flag. Moved by the spirit of the Sonoma rebels, the lawmakers adopted a revised version of the original, hastily made Bear Flag. Sonoma's brief weeks as an independent "California Republic" were to be immortalized. The now-extinct California grizzly bear replaced the crudely-drawn brown bear of the original flag. The Sonoma rebels had joked that the original bear resembled a hog."

Group that erected the marker: Santa Barbara Flag Project URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Stearns Wharf Santa Barbara, CA USA 93101

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