Progressive Era: 1890–1920s: Progressive Political Reform
Click image to zoom in.Or view larger version. Return from the Bear Hunt. 1882. William Hahn. Oil paint on canvas. Collection of Oakland Museum of California. Kahn Collection.
This painting depicts a hunting party returning from a bear hunt. In the 1880s the killing of grizzly bears was a utilitarian endeavor and considered to be a dangerous but exciting necessity. Conversely, preservationists, such as John Muir, referred to hunting as the murder business. The last killing of a California grizzly bear took place in 1922. two years later the last grizzly bear ever to been seen in California was spotted in Sequoia National Park.