California, just like Texas, is kind of its own place. We don’t normally relate the two today, I blame the 60’s, but believe it or not both places have cowboys. Both places have also once been Spanish colonies, then Mexico, then their own country, and then a state. Oh yes, and there were plenty of people living in both places long before Spain showed up (though I wonder why anyone would have ever lived in North Texas or Barstow).
Californians are always trying to be innovators and ahead of the curve, in any way they can, so naturally they tried to imitate Texas.
As the capital of the Spanish state of Alta California, Monterey was the focal point of Anglo American capitalists and settlers. Mexicans kicked out Spain in 1821 and then things got a little silly.
Americans kept immigrating illegally to Mexican California and when they couldn’t get the support from the Mexican government, they decided they would just make the place America.
But first they declared independence. They raised a flag with a California Bear and one lone star… like the one in Texas. These Americans living in Mexico declared they were their own country of California… and then later that same year (1846) America went to war with Mexico and the folks with that bear flag said “just kidding independence. We would rather be America.”
So in Monterey, amid the nice little coffee shops and a remodeled Cannery Row, you can find an Independence Hall just like in Philadelphia. Remarkably like Philadelphia. feather quill pens and everything.
Then Texas struck oil and California struck gold, Hippies moved to San Francisco, and depending on who is president, both states talk about secession. 
Brohammas 