What bizarre moment in history involved a bear in California and a famous American businessman?

In 1916, William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper tycoon, decided to gift the San Francisco Zoo a grizzly bear—an act as extravagant as the man himself. The bear, named Monarch, wasn’t just any grizzly; it had been captured in the wild as part of Hearst’s mission to help preserve the symbol of California. Monarch became so famous that it inspired the design of the grizzly bear on California’s state flag.

The odd twist? Monarch wasn’t entirely thrilled about its newfound fame or life in captivity. Though it lived in a specially designed enclosure, the bear’s restless pacing and occasional roars made it clear it wasn’t a fan of city life. Monarch’s legacy endured, however, as it became a beloved local attraction until its death in 1911, after which it was stuffed and displayed in the California Academy of Sciences. Today, it’s a curious reminder of Hearst’s eccentricity and California’s enduring connection to its wild past.