California had a birthday this month; it was admitted to the union on September 9, 1850. California was the first of only three states to have declared a prehistoric artifact as an official state symbol. The chipped stone bear was created about 7- 8,000 years ago out of volcanic rock by one of California's early human inhabitants. #California #prehistory #archaeology

For National Dog Day we are featuring a true American original, the Catahoula Leopard Dog, official State Dog of Louisiana.

From the Louisiana Secretary of State's Website:"...This hound is a cross of a domestic dog the Indians of the Catahoula Lake region raised and a Spanish "war dog" that came through the area in the early 1500's." The largest and most aggressive of the cattle dogs, they can handle wild cattle and hogs in the roughest country. #dogs #Louisiana #NationalDogDay