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State Symbols

The official state symbols represent the cultural heritage and natural treasures of each state or the entire United States

California Symbols

California State Historical Society

California Historical Society

Adopted in 1979

Established in 1871, the California Historical Society was designated the official California State Historical society in 1979. Headquartered in San Francisco with a library and museum, the Society collects, preserves and exhibits materials about the history of California and the West.

The North Baker Research Library houses a large collection of manuscripts, maps, posters, printed ephemera, books, and pamphlets. The collection of photographs numbers over 500,000 and includes works by noted California photographers such as Carleton E. Watkins, Eadweard Muybridge and Ansel Adams. The Society also has a large collection of art that depicts the history of California. In addition to its library and museum function, it also offers lectures, family and school programs and other activities on a scheduled basis.

State Symbols

State symbols represent things that are special to a particular state.

symbol \ˈsim-bəl\
noun

Etymology:
in sense 1, from Late Latin symbolum, from Late Greek symbolon, from Greek, token, sign; in other senses from Latin symbolum token, sign, symbol, from Greek symbolon, literally, token of identity verified by comparing its other half, from symballein to throw together, compare, from syn- + ballein to throw — more at devil
Date: 15th century

1: Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible.