State Flags
state-flags
Alabama State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1895. Statehood: 1819, the 22nd state. The Alabama State Flag was authorized by the Alabama Legislature on February 16, 1895, by Act number 383. According to the Acts of Alabama, 1895, the state flag was to be a crimson cross of St. Andrew on a field of white. The bars forming the cross were not to be less than six inches broad and were to extend diagonally across the flag from side to side. The act did not designate a square or a rectangular flag. A 1987 opinion by the Office of Attorney General of Alabama established the flag shape as rectangular. (ref. Alabama State Archives) alabama.jpg Alaska State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1927. Statehood in 1959, the 49th state. The flag of the Territory of Alaska is the official flag of the state. The standard proportions and size graphically delineated herein shall be used in the manufacture of the official flag of Alaska. The stars shall be the color of natural yellow gold and the field of blue shall be of the same shade of blue used in the official manufacture of the national emblem of the United States. (ref. Alaska State Legislature, title 44). The design of the official flag is eight gold stars in a field of blue. alaska.jpg Arizona State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1918. Statehood in 1912. Arizona's state flag is divided into two halves. The top half consists of thirteen alternating red and yellow rays which represent America's thirteen original colonies. Because Arizona is a western state, the rays show a setting sun. The colors of the rays refer to red and yellow in the Spanish flags carried by Coronado when he came to Arizona in the sixteenth century. The bottom half of the flag is a solid blue field, the same color as the blue in the United States flag. A large copper colored star is superimposed in the center of the flag. This identifies Arizona as the largest producer of copper in the United States. arizona.jpg Arkansas State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1913. Flag Colors: The area outside of the diamond is red, diamond outline border is blue , the 25 stars in diamond border are white, the four stars in the center are blue , the word Arkansas is blue, the inside of the diamond is white. The state flag, designed by Miss Willie K. Hocker of Wabbaseka, Arkansas, was adopted in 1913. The 25 stars indicate that Arkansas was the 25th state admitted to the United States. The three large stars in the center stand for the three nations that have ruled Arkansas: Spain, France and the United States. Also, Arkansas was the third state formed from the Louisiana Purchase. The large star above ARKANSAS symbolizes the Confederacy which Arkansas was a part of from 1861 - 1865, and the diamond formed by the 25 stars represent Arkansas as the only diamond producing state in the Union. (ref. Arkansas Secretary of State, State Symbols) arkansas.jpg California State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1911. Origin from 1846, statehood in 1850. The Bear Flag is the State Flag of California. As viewed with the hoist end of the flag to the left of the observer there appears in the upper left-hand corner of a white field a five-pointed red star with one point vertically upward and in the middle of the white field a brown grizzly bear walking toward the left with all four paws on a green grass plot, with head and eye turned slightly toward the observer; a red stripe forms the length of the flag at the bottom, and between the grass plot and the red stripe appear the words "CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC". (ref CAL code 420). california.jpg Colorado State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1911. Statehood in 1876. The flag consists of three alternate stripes of equal width and at right angles to the staff, the two outer stripes to be blue of the same color as in the blue field of the national flag and the middle stripe to be white, the proportion of the flag being a width of two thirds of its length. At a distance from the staff end of the flag of one fifth of the total length of the flag there is a circular red C, of the same color as the red in the national flag of the United States. The diameter of the letter is two thirds of the width of the flag. The inner line of the opening of the letter C is three fourths of the width of its body or bar, and the outer line of the opening is double the length of the inner line thereof. colorado.jpg Connecticut State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1897. Statehood in 1788, one the original 13 colonies. Inspired by a memorial from the Anna Warner Bailey Chapter of the daughters of the American Revolution, Governor O. Vincent Coffin, on May 29, 1895, introduced to the General Assembly the first proposal for the adoption of a State Flag. On that same day the Assembly passed a resolution appointing a special committee to prepare a designation of the flag already generally accepted as the official flag of the state. connecticut.jpg Delaware State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1913. Statehood in 1787, "the first state". Colors: colonial blue, buff. Adopted on July 24, 1913, the state flag has a background of colonial blue surrounding a diamond of buff color in which the coat of arms of the state of Delaware is placed. Below the diamond are the words "December 7, 1787", indicating the day on which Delaware was the first state to ratify the federal Constitution. Because of this action, Delaware became the first state in the Union, and is, therefore, accorded the first position in such national events as presidential inaugurations. delaware.jpg Florida State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1900. Statehood in 1845, the 27th state. Florida voters ratified a constitutional amendment based on an 1899 joint resolution of the state legislature to add diagonal red bars, in the form of a St. Andrew's cross, to the flag. Between 1868 and 1900, Florida's state flag consisted of a white field with the state seal in the center. During the late 1890s, Governor Francis P. Fleming suggested that a red cross be added, so that the banner did not appear to be a white flag of truce or surrender when hanging still on a flagpole. florida.jpg Georgia State Flags
(12) Adopted in 2001 (current version). Statehood in 1788, the 4th state. The current Georgia State flag is comprised of thee equal horizontal bands of red, white and red, with a blue canton on the hoist above the lower red band. Within the blue canton is the state emblem and the motto "In God We Trust" beneath in yellow/gold, all surrounded by 13 five-pointed white stars, symbolizing Georgia's place as one of the thirteen original United States. georgia.jpg Hawaii State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1816, revised 1843. Statehood in 1959, the 50th state. Hawaii's flag was first designed in 1816 for King Kamehameha I, with the number of stripes increased to 8 in 1843. The horizontal stripes represent the 8 major Hawaiian Islands. The stripes are alternating colors of white, red, and blue starting with white at the top and ending with red at bottom. The flag incorporates the British Union Jack on the upper hoist side, representing the time when Hawaii was under the protection of Great Britain. The British Union Jack flew unofficially over Hawaii from 1793 until 1816. Captain James Cook, a commander in the British Royal Navy, made possibly the first European visit to the Hawaiian Islands in January 1778. He named the island group the Sandwich Islands in honor of John Montague, the Earl of Sandwich, one of his exploration patrons. Captain Cook was killed by islanders on his third visit to Hawaii 1779. hawaii.jpg Idaho State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1907. Acquired with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, the area had status as The Territory of Idaho from 1863 until July 1890, when it was admitted as the 43rd U.S. State. The Idaho flag contains the Great Seal of Idaho on a blue field, with a scroll underneath of gold block letters two inches high on a red band reading "State of Idaho". The flag was adopted by the 1907 legislature. idaho.jpg Illinois State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1915, revised 1969. White flag with the state flag emblem in the center, the word "ILLINOIS" underneath. Illinois was admitted as the 21st U.S. State in 1819. On a white field the flag displays elements from the state seal-a rock on a stretch of land with water and the rising sun behind it, and a shield bearing the national stars and stripes in the claws of a bald eagle. A ribbon in the beak of the eagle bears the state motto "State sovereignty-national union". The dates 1818 (for statehood) and 1868 (for the first use of the state seal) are shown on the rock beneath the eagle. illinois.jpg Indiana State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1916. The Indiana Territory was established in 1800 from part of the Northwest Territory and admitted to the Union as the 19th state in 1916. The design of the State Flag was adopted by the State General Assembly and was the result of a design competition sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution during the state's 1916 Centennial celebration. The field of the flag shall be blue with nineteen (19) stars and a flaming torch in gold or buff. Thirteen (13) stars shall be arranged in an outer circle, representing the original thirteen (13) states; five (5) stars shall be arranged in a half circle below the torch and inside the outer circle of stars, representing the states admitted prior to Indiana; and the nineteenth star, appreciably larger than the others and representing Indiana shall be placed above the flame of the torch. (ref Indiana State Code) indiana.jpg Iowa State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1921. Iowa was transferred to the United States with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The area had an unorganized territorial history; at various times being part of the Missouri Territory, the Michigan Territory and the Wisconsin Territory. It was admitted to the Union as the 29th state in December 1846. The first official state flag was designed in 1917 by the state's Daughter's of the American Revolution (DAR). The General Assembly officially adopted the design in 1921. The flag consists of three equal vertical stripes of blue, white and red, being derived from the tri-color flag of France. The white center stripe holds an image of an eagle carrying in its beak, blue streamers inscribed with the state motto: "Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain." The word IOWA is in red below the streamers. (ref; iowa.gov, Publications, State Symbols of Iowa) iowa.jpg Kansas State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1927, modified 1961. Admitted to the Union January, 1861 as the 34th state. Kansas was annexed to the U.S. with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, although the southwestern portion was formerly Spanish and Mexican, then Republic of Texas territory annexed after the War with Mexico 1846-1848. The Kansas Territory was organized in 1854 by the U.S. Congress with the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. The Act voided the Missouri Compromise of 1820, resulting in conflicts between free state, or slavery abolitionists and pro-slavery settlers. kansas.jpg Kentucky State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1918, specifications authorized 1962. Part of the Commonwealth of Virginia immediately after the Declaration of Independence, Kentucky became the 15th US State in 1792. The flag of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is a navy blue field with the state seal (adopted 1792) centered. The upper portion of the outer ring of the seal includes the words "Commonwealth of Kentucky" and the inner ring, the state motto "United We Stand, Divided We Fall". The seal also depicts a pioneer and a statesman embracing. A wreath of goldenrod in a half circle appears on the flag beneath the seal. kentucky.jpg Louisiana State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1912, revised in 2006 and 2010. Various other unofficial pelican emblem flags date back to 1804. Official Colors: Blue, White, and Gold. Emblem: A pelican feeding its young against a field of blue. The Louisiana flag contains a crest centered on a blue field. The crest consists of a nest bearing three chicks, a mother pelican vulning herself with her head turned to the viewer's right and displaying three drops of blood on her breast. Beneath the nest a white banner bears the state motto "Union Justice Confidence." (ref; louisiana.gov) Louisiana was governed under numerous colonial era flags, including Spain, France, and Great Britain. Louisiana was annexed to the United States with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and admitted as a state in 1812 as the 18th state. It was readmitted in 1868 after the War Between the States, during which time it flew the Republic of West Florida (lone star Bonnie Blue flag), the Independent Louisiana flag and Confederate States flags. louisianaf.jpg Maine State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1909. State emblem on a blue field; above is a gold five pointed "North star" and a red scroll bearing the state motto "Dirigo" (Latin) meaning "I Lead"; another scroll beneath the emblem is spelled out "MAINE". The colors for the coat of arms / state emblem are not officially prescribed. Maine was a district of Massachusetts until admitted as the 23rd state in 1820. Prior to 1920, the state flag consisted of a New England style green pine tree with a single blue north star on a colonial buff background. maine.jpg Maryland State Flags
(11) Adopted in 1904. Colors: Red and white arms, black and gold arms, displayed in two quarters each. Maryland's flag bears the arms of the Calvert and Crossland families. Calvert was the family name of the Lords Baltimore who founded Maryland, and their colors of gold and black appear in the first and fourth quarters of the flag. Crossland was the family of the mother of George Calvert, first Lord Baltimore. The red and white Crossland colors, with a cross bottony, appear in the second and third quarters. This flag first was flown October 11, 1880, in Baltimore at a parade marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of Baltimore. It also was flown October 25, 1888, at Gettysburg Battlefield for ceremonies dedicating monuments to Maryland regiments of the Army of the Potomac. Officially, it was adopted as the State flag in 1904 (Chapter 48, Acts of 1904, effective March 9, 1904). (ref: Maryland State Archives) maryland.jpg Massachusetts State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1908, revised 1971. The Flag of the Commonwealth is white, bearing on both sides a representation of the coat of arms like the state seal (except that the five-pointed star is white instead of silver). It was approved for the Commonwealth in its final form on July 3, 1971; before that, the obverse side depicted a green pine tree. The coat of arms is taken from the Great Seal, and was initially described in 1885. A white flag with a gold color Indian and a five pointed silver star on a blue shield. Above the shield is the state motto, "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" ("By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty") appears in gold on a blue ribbon beneath the blue shield. The blue and gold state military crest appears above the blue shield. massachusetts.jpg Michigan State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1865, revised 1911, the State Coat of Arms on a blue field. Michigan's state flag is the third since becoming a state in 1837 and features the coat of arms showing an eagle holding an olive branch and arrows. An elk and a moose support a shield displaying a man standing on a grassy peninsula. The following mottos appear on the coat of arms: E Pluribus Unum (From Many, One), Tuebor (I Will Defend) and Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice (If you Seek a Pleasant Peninsula, Look About You). (ref: michigan.gov, Michigan State flag) The first state flag depicted an image of the state's first governor on one side with the state seal on the other side. In 1865, the second state flag replaced the image of the governor with the US Coat of Arms. With State Act 209 of 1911, the flag was revised a third time to carry the coat of arms only. (ref; michigan.gov/sos, Coat of Arms). michigan.jpg Minnesota State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1957. Minnesota was annexed to the United States with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, organized as the Minnesota Territoy in 1849, and admitted as the 23rd state in 1858. Minnesota was also once part of other jurisdictions, including the Territory Northwest of the Ohio, and the Territories of Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, and Wisconsin. minnesota.jpg Mississippi State Flags
(12) Adopted 1894, up for official revision (2020). Three equal horizontal bands of blue, white and red from top to bottom, with a "Union Square", often recognized as a Confederate battle flag in a canton on the hoist above the bottom red band. Earlier flags: The area that is now the State of Mississippi was claimed under the flags of France (Fleur de Lis), Great Britain (Red Ensign and St George Cross flags), and Spain (flag of Castile and Leon, or Castles and Lions) before becoming the Territory of Mississippi in 1798. Some parts of Mississippi were annexed with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. mississippi-1.jpg Missouri State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1913. Three equal horizontal bands of red, white and blue from top to bottom with the state emblem centered. Twenty-four stars surround the coat-of-arms, representative of Missouri's position as the 24th state admitted to the Union. Prior to 1913, no state flag existed for Missouri. A state flag design was considered by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1908. Committee member Mrs. Marie Elizabeth Oliver, wife of Senator Robert Burett Oliver, and a resident of Cape Girardeau, designed the flag herself, and on March 17, 1909, a bill supporting the design was introduced to the Missouri Senate. It took three years and several attempts before the bill for the "Oliver flag" was finally passed. missouri.jpg Montana State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1905, admitted to the Union 1889, as the 41st state. The official flag contains a reproduction of the Great Seal of the State in color on a field of deep blue, with gold fringe along the upper and lower borders. Although the flag was carried in the Philippines by the Montana Volunteers in the Spanish-American War in 1898, official action did not come from Montana Legislators until the session of 1904. The original hand-made banner carried by the First Montana Volunteers in the Spanish-American War is preserved by the Historical Society of Montana. The words "First Montana Infantry, U.S.V." are embroidered in white over the multi-colored Great Seal. montana.jpg Nebraska State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1925. Annexed to the United States with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The Nebraska Territory, which included the Dakotas, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, was formed with the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. Admitted to the Union in 1867 as the 37th state. Nebraska's state flag was designated by legislative action in 1925. It consists of a reproduction of the state seal, charged on the center in gold and silver on a field of national blue. Legislation creating the original state seal was passed in 1867. nebraska.jpg Nevada State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1991. The Territory of Nevada was separated from the Utah Territory and incorporated in 1861. Nevada was admitted to the Union as the 36th state in 1864. In both 1864 and 1867 additional land was transferred to the state from portions of the Utah and Arizona Territories. The first 3 flags of Nevada were adopted in 1905, 1915, and 1929. The 1929 flag background color remained blue, but the flag's design changed dramatically. Two sprays of sagebrush crossed to form a wreath in the upper left portion of the flag. nevada.jpg New Hampshire State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1909. New Hampshire was one of the thirteen original colonies to declare independence in 1776. It included the area that later became the state of Vermont in 1808. It was the first colony to adopt its own constitution, and the ninth state to ratify the National Constitution. Prior to 1909, New Hampshire had no official state flag and used numerous regimental flags to represent the state. The flag has only been changed once, in 1931 when the state's seal was modified. newhampshire.jpg New Jersey State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1896. Official Color: Buff (yellow-tan). New Jersey is one of the thirteen original states and became the third state to ratify the Constitution in 1787. The state flag State flag displays the official State colors. The State seal is presented in Jersey blue on a buff background. The colors were chosen by General George Washington in 1779, after he was headquartered in New Jersey during the Revolutionary war. These were the military colors used by the New Jersey troops. newjersey.jpg New Mexico State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1925. New Mexico became the 47th US state in 1912. The first state flag of New Mexico was a blue field with a miniature United States flag in the upper left corner, the state's great seal in the lower right corner and "New Mexico" embroidered diagonally across the field from the lower left to the upper right corner. In 1920, the New Mexico Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution advocated the adoption of a flag representative of New Mexico's unique character. Three years later, the D.A.R. conducted a design competition, won by the distinguished Santa Fe physician and archeologist, Dr. Harry Mera. The doctor's wife, Reba, made the winning flag design with a symbolic red Zia on a field of yellow. In March of 1925, Governor Arthur T. Hannett signed the legislation, which proclaimed the Mera design as the official state flag. newmexico.jpg New York State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1901. New York State was one of the original 13 states, adopting its own constitution in 1777 and becoming the 11th State after ratifying the US Constitution in 1788. New York City was the first Capital of the United States intermittently between 1785 and 1790. The State Flag depicts the Great Seal of the State of New York (adopted 1778) on a blue background. The banner shows the State motto--Excelsior--which means "Ever Upward. "On a banner below is the State motto, Excelsior, which means "Ever Upward." (ref: nysl.nysed.gov, Great Seal, State Flag). newyork.jpg North Carolina State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1885. North Carolina is one of the 13 original colonies and the 12th state, ratifying the Constitution in 1789. The current and second North Carolina state flag was adopted in 1885, with roots in an earlier version adopted in 1861 when North Carolina declared secession from the Union. The current State flag has a blue union (vertical band) on the hoist side which contains a white star in the center with a gilt N on the left and gilt C on the right, with scrolls above and below also in gold, indicating two separate dates of declarations of independence. The fly side of the flag is split horizontally and equally with a red band on top, and white band beneath. The length of the horizontal bars are equal to the perpendicular length of the blue union. northcarolina.jpg North Dakota State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1911. North Dakota was admitted as the 39th state in 1889. The state flag is similar to the flag used by North Dakota soldiers who fought alongside Theodore Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War in 1898. In 1911, the Legislative Assembly added the words "North Dakota" to this flag and adopted it as the official North Dakota state flag. The flag contains a centered emblem that shows a bald eagle holding an olive branch, which is a symbol of peace, and a bundle of arrows in its claws. In the eagle's beak is a ribbon with the Latin words "E Pluribus Unum" which means "many uniting into one." This refers to the many states uniting into one nation. northdakota.jpg Ohio State Flags
(12) Adopted in 1902. Ohio was once part of the Northwest Territory created by the United States in 1787, after Britian ceded claims to its western territories at the end of the American Revolution. Ohio became the 17th state in 1803. The Ohio burgee, as the swallow-tailed design is properly called, was designed in 1901 by John Eisenmann, architect and designer for Ohio Building at the Pan-American Exposition being held in Buffalo, New York. The Ohio flag has three red and two white horizontal stripes. ohio.jpg Oklahoma State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1925. Oklahoma became the 46th state in 1907. The present Oklahoma State Flag adopted by the State Legislature in 1925, is Oklahoma's 14th flag. The flag shows a sky blue field with a central device: an Indian war shield of tan buckskin showing small crosses on the face -- the Indian design for stars -- and seven eagle feathers pendent for the edge of the shield. An Indian peace pipe (calumet) with a pipestone bowl and a tassel at the end of the pipestem lies on the shield; above the Indian peace pipe is an olive branch, the white man's emblem of peace. Underneath the shield or design in white letters is the word "OKLAHOMA" (ref: state.ok.us, Oklahoma State Icons). oklahoma.jpg Oregon State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1925. The Oregon state flag is navy blue with gold lettering and symbols. Blue and gold are the state colors. On the flag's face the legend "STATE OF OREGON" is written above a shield which is surrounded by 33 stars. Below the shield, which is the obverse portion of the state seal, is written "1859" the year of Oregon's admission to the union as the 33rd state. The flag's reverse side depicts a beaver. Oregon is the only state whose flag has a different pattern on the reverse side. The shield depicts the mountains and forests of Oregon, an elk with branching antlers, a covered wagon and ox team, the Pacific Ocean with a setting sun, a departing British man-of-war ship (a symbol of the departure of British influence in the region) and an arriving American merchant ship (a symbol of the rise of American power). oregon.jpg Pennsylvania State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1799. Pennsylvania shares with Virginia, Kentucky and Massachusetts the designation "Commonwealth." Pennsylvania's flag is composed the state Coat of Arms on a blue field. The first official flag bearing the State Coat of Arms was authorized by the General Assembly in 1799. During the Civil War, many Pennsylvania regiments carried flags modeled after the U.S. Flag, but substituted Pennsylvania's Coat of Arms for the field of stars. An act of the General Assembly of June 13, 1907, standardized the flag and required that the blue field match the blue of Old Glory. (ref; portal.state.pa.us, Symbols of Pennsylvania. pennsylvania.jpg Rhode Island State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1877. Rhode Island was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution.. "The flag of the state shall be white,...bearing on each side in the center a gold anchor, twenty-two inches high, and underneath it a blue ribbon twenty-four inches long and five inches wide, or in these proportions, with the motto "Hope" in golden letters thereon, the whole surrounded by thirteen golden stars in a circle." .....The Rhode Island General Assembly first adopted a Seal for the colony containing an anchor with the word "Hope" above it on May 4, 1664. rhodeisland.jpg South Carolina State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1861. South Carolina is one of the original thirteen colonies. More Revolutionary War battles and skirmishes were fought in South Carolina than any other state. South Carolina ratified the United States Constitution on May 23, 1788, becoming the eighth state to enter the union. (statelibrary.sc.gov, History) The General Assembly adopted the current version of South Carolina's flag on January 28, 1861. This version added the Palmetto tree to the original design by Colonel William Moultrie in 1775 for use by South Carolina troops during the Revolutionary War. Colonel Moultrie chose a blue color which matched the color of their uniforms and a crescent which reproduced the silver emblem worn on the front of their caps. The palmetto tree symbolized Colonel Moultrie's heroic defense of the palmetto-log fort on Sullivan's Island against the attack of the British fleet on June 28, 1776. (ref; scstatehouse.gov, Seals, Flags and Emblems). southcarolina.jpg South Dakota State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1966, revised 1992 (prior existing flags remain official). South Dakota was admitted as the 40th state in 1889. The flag emblem for South Dakota contains the black & white version of the seal, surrounded by the gold serrated sun and lettering as described below. The state flag or banner shall consist of a sky-blue one and two-thirds as long as it is wide. Centered on such field shall be the great seal of South Dakota made in conformity with the terms of the Constitution, which shall be four-ninths the width of the flag in diameter. southdakota.jpg Tennessee State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1905. The flag features an emblem as follows: three white stars on a blue globe representing the grand divisions of the state: East, Middle and West. Tennessee is divided into three regions by the Tennessee River; West Tennessee, Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee. The stars are bound together in indissoluble unity by an unending white band. The flag field is red, and on the fly end is a vertical blue band separated from the red field by a white edging. The width of the white stripe is one-fifth that of the blue bar; and the combined width of stripe and bar is equal to one-eighth the width of the flag. tennessee.jpg Texas State Flags
(29) Adopted in 1839. The Texas state flag is the 1839 national flag of the Republic of Texas. The state flag is a rectangle that has a width to length ratio of two to three. It contains one blue vertical stripe that has a width equal to one-third the length of the flag, and two equal horizontal stripes, with the upper stripe white, the lower stripe red, and each having a length equal to two-thirds the length of the flag. The flag has one white, regular five-pointed star. The five-pointed star is located in the center of the blue stripe, oriented so that one point faces upward, and sized so that the diameter of a circle passing through the five points of the star is equal to three-fourths the width of the blue stripe. The red and blue of the state flag are the same colors used in the United States flag. The red, white, and blue of the state flag represent, respectively, bravery, purity and loyalty. texas.jpg Utah State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1913. The original Utah State Flag consisted of a solid white state seal on a light blue background which was adopted by the State Legislature in 1896 and revised in 1913. The current Utah State Flag was originally designed for the battleship Utah in 1912. It was later made the official flag of Utah in 1913. The Utah State Flag has a blue background with the (ed. inner portion of the) State Seal inscribed in the center within a single gold circle. In 1922, changes were made in the state flag which were not consistent with the 1913 statute. The Utah State Flag Concurrent Resolution (Utah State Legislature, 2011 General Session, H.C.R. 2 Enrolled) reaffirmed the 1913 statute and encouraged that state flags be manufactured according to the law. (ref; pioneer.utah.gov) utah.jpg Vermont State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1923. The flag borne by regiments of the State of Vermont in the Civil War, the Spanish- American War, the Mexican Border service and at the outbreak of World War I, was a flag having the state coat-of-arms on a blue field. A flag of the same design had by custom also been carried as the Governor's flag. Accordingly, No. 3 of the Acts of 1923 approved this design as the official state flag as it is today. (ref; libraries.vermont.gov, sec.state.vt.us). Both New York and New Hampshire claimed Vermont in the late 1700's. In 1775, the Green Mountain Boys formed to defend the New Hampshire land grants against the New Yorkers. vermont.jpg Virginia State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1861. Virginia is one of the original 13 colonies, and is officially known as The Commonwealth of Virginia. It ratified the Constitution in 1788 and became the 10th state in the Union. The flag of the Commonwealth is deep blue with a centered circular coat of arms, the obverse side of the great seal. (prescribed in leg.1.state.va.us, Code of Virginia, § 1-500) The seal features the words "VIRGINIA," above and "SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS" ("thus always to tyrants") below the figure of Virtus, Roman goddess of virtue, holding a sword and a spear. She has defeated a tyrant who is lying on the ground holding a chain and a whip. virginia.jpg Washington State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1923. The flag of Washington State is dark green centered with the state seal. Washington State flags are produced double sided, meaning the seal reads correct on both sides. The state seal was designed in 1889 by Olympia jeweler Charles Talcott and consists of a facial image of George Washington on a blue background and encircled by a gold ring with black lettering reading "The Seal of the State of Washington 1889". (ref; leg.wa.gov, RCW 1.20.010, State Flag) After the Oregon Treaty resolved a border dispute with the British, the Oregon Territory was created by Congress in 1848 and included current day Washington state. In 1853 Oregon and Washington were split into separate territories. In 1889 Washington was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state. washington.jpg West Virginia State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1929. West Virginia adopted its present state flag by Senate Joint Resolution Number 18, approved by the Legislature on March 7, 1929.The proportions of the state flag are the same as those of the United States flag. The background, or field, of the flag is pure white bordered by a strip of blue on all four sides. In the center is the coat-of-arms of the State of West Virginia, including the date of admission to the union and the state motto, Montani Semper Liberi (Mountaineers are always free). Above the coat-of-arms is a ribbon lettered "State of West Virginia." westvirginia.jpg Wisconsin State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1863. modified 1979 with the addition of the word "WISCONSIN" in white letters above the state coat of arms and the date that Wisconsin was admitted to the union, "1848" in white letters below the state coat of arms. State Coat of Arms: Finalized in 1881. The Coat of Arms contains symbols that represent the diversity, wealth and abundance of resources in Wisconsin. The center of the shield contains the United States shield with the motto E Pluribus Unum. Below the shield are a cornucopia (a symbol for the plenty of the state), bars of lead to represent Wisconsin's mineral wealth, and 13 stars which symbolize the thirteen original states. Above the shield is a badger, and a scroll with the word "FORWARD". wisconsin.jpg Wyoming State Flags
(13) Adopted in 1917. Wyoming was admitted to the Union in 1890 as the 44th state. The Wymoning state flag consists of the Great Seal of Wyoming centered on white buffalo silhouette facing the flag hoist, within a blue field surrounded by in inner white border and outer red border. The borders, field and seal are described in Wyoming statute 8.3.102 as follows: the red border width shall be one-twentieth (1/20) of the length of the flag; next to the border shall be a stripe of white on the four sides of the field, which shall be in width one-fortieth (1/40) of the length of the flag. The remainder of the flag shall be a blue field, in the center of which shall be a white silhouetted buffalo, the length of which shall be one-half of the length of the blue field; the other measurements of the buffalo shall be in proportion to its length. wyoming.jpg American Samoa State Flags
(6) Adopted in 1960. The flag of American Samoa is blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the fly side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a war club known as a "Fa'alaufa'i" (upper; left talon), and a coconut fiber fly whisk known as a "Fue" (lower; right talon); the combination of symbols broadly mimics that seen on the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the United States and American Samoa (ref: CIA World Factbook) American Samoa is a group of islands and an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific between the Hawaiian Islands and New Zealand. The U.S. took possession of the territory by treaty in 1900. American Samoa is administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, Department of the Interior. A local government consists of a territorial governor, a bicameral legislative body of 18 Senate seats and 21 Representatives and a territorial judicial branch. americansamoa.jpg Guam State Flags
(8) Adopted in 1948, origins from 1917. The Guam flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, a proa or outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters. The proa is sailing in Agana Bay with the promontory of Punta Dos Amantes, near the capital, in the background. Blue represents the sea and red the blood shed in the struggle against oppression. guam.jpg Puerto Rico State Flags
(12) Adopted in 1952. The flag was originally created in 1895 during a time of advocacy for Puerto Rican and Cuban independence from Spain. The flag of Puerto Rico has five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white. A blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center. The white star symbolizes Puerto Rico; the three sides of the triangle signify the executive, legislative and judicial parts of the government. Blue stands for the sky and the coastal waters. Red symbolizes the blood shed by warriors, while white represents liberty, victory, and peace. (ref: CIA World Factbook) The government of Puerto Rico specifies the flag colors to be used but, does not specify official tones or shades, hence various shades of blue are produced. puertorico.jpg United States (U.S.) Virgin Islands State Flags
(8) Adopted in 1921. The U.S. Virgin Islands flag consists of a white field with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I. The coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in its right talon and three arrows in the left with a superimposed shield of seven red and six white vertical stripes below a blue panel; white is a symbol of purity, the letters stand for the Virgin Islands. The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) are a group of islands in the Caribbean purchased from Denmark and organized as an unincorporated territory in 1917. Denmark had controlled the portions of the island group since 1672. The Territory was reorganized under 1936 and 1945 acts of Congress and is under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior. It has had an elected territorial governor since 1970. virginislands.jpg Northern Marianas State Flags
(3) Adopted in 1976. The flag of Northern Marianas is blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on a gray latte stone (the traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath. Blue symbolizes the Pacific Ocean, the star represents the Commonwealth. The latte stone and the floral head wreath display elements of the native Chamorro culture. The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas consists of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines. The islands include including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian. nothernmarianas.jpg 