Year Adopted: 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.

Nevada has had four flags in its history. The Legislature adopted the design of the first flag in 1905, more than 40 years after Nevada entered the Union. Governor John Sparks and Colonel Henry Day of Carson City, a member of the Governor's staff, designed this flag. It had a blue background with the words "Nevada" in the center, "silver" at the top, and "gold" at the bottom. Thirty-six silver and gold stars represented that Nevada was the 36th state admitted to the Union.

In 1915, the State Legislature repealed the 1905 Flag Act and created a new official flag, which was much different from the original. Clara Crisler of Carson City designed the new flag. It had a blue background with the State seal in the center. The design featured 18 gold stars arranged around the word "Nevada," and 18 silver stars below the words "All for Our Country." Again, the 36 stars indicated that Nevada was the 36th state admitted to the Union. When Miss Crisler added an extra star for a total of 37, the meaning of the stars was lost. This flag now hangs in the Nevada State Museum located in Carson City.

The Legislature adopted the design of Don Louis Shellback III for the third flag in 1929. The background color of the flag 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. A five-pointed star appeared at the center of the wreath with "Nevada" spelled out between the points of the star. A scroll with the motto "Battle Born" signified that Nevada entered the Union during the Civil War.

The 1991 Legislature approved a bill, sponsored by Senator William J. Raggio, to alter the way that "Nevada" is depicted on the State flag. Since October 1, 1991, the name "Nevada" has been positioned underneath instead of interspersed between the points of the star. Verne R. Horton created the current design of the flag.