Seal of California
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The Seal of California was adopted at the California state Constitutional Convention of 1849 and redesigned in 1937. The seal features Minerva, the goddess of wisdom; a California golden bear feeding on grape vines, representing California wine production; a sheaf of grain, representing agriculture; a miner, representing the California Gold Rush and the mining industry; sailing ships, representing the state's economic power; and San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate and a distant Pacific Ocean. The phrase "Eureka," meaning "We have found it!" is the California state motto.
The geographic view shown only approximates what would be seen from the hills above what are now the cities of North Oakland and Berkeley. Several features may be recognized while others are omitted to simplify the composition. Alcatraz Island in particular is not seen, while Angel Island, called the "Ellis Island of the West, is to the left of Minerva's elbow. The mountain behind Minerva's face represents Mount Tamalpais. Land's End extends to the distance. The urban buildings of the city of San Francisco are only suggested by a white or glass building at the left shore's edge, and the mountain to the left is to balance the composition, not existing in reality. The outcropping of rock in the left foreground could represent Indian Rock, a small overlook in the region of the most likely viewpoint. Other elements such as the miner are more representative of the economic foundations of the state as a whole.