Flag of the State of Nebraska

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The flag of the state of Nebraska was adopted in 1925 but not made official until July 16, 1963, making Nebraska one of the last states to adopt a state flag. The flag is rectangular with a bright blue background. The Great Seal of the State of Nebraska is featured prominently in gold and silver in the center of the flag.

The Great Seal of the State of Nebraska was adopted in 1867, the same year Nebraska joined the Union as the 37th U.S. state. The seal highlights Nebraska’s agriculture and industry. In the foreground, a blacksmith is pictured, working at his anvil, representing the importance of this industry to the state of Nebraska. Behind the blacksmith, a small log cabin and a few sheaves of harvested wheat are pictured, symbolizing both the importance of agriculture and westward settlers to Nebraska’s state history. A river with a steamboat and a train running along tracks are also pictured in the seal, recognizing the importance of transportation to Nebraska’s industry, culture, and economy. Mountains also appear in the distance behind the train, depicting Nebraska’s skyline.

Two texts appear on the Great Seal of the State of Nebraska. The first text is written on a banner above the train and contains the state motto, “Equality Before the Law,” signifying that all people are equally protected under the same laws. The second text appears around the seal and reads: “Great Seal of the State of Nebraska, March 1, 1867.” This text commemorates the day Nebraska became an official state in the Union.

Flag Gifts for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is just around the corner! Celebrate Mom this year by giving her a Garden Flag from the United States Flag Store. The United States Flag Store has a wonderful selection of beautiful garden flags, and because they manufacture their flags themselves, they cost less than most other flags on the market. The United States Flag Store has every type of flag Mom may want, including American flags, decorate flags, support our troops flags, military, political, and sports flags. Most garden flags are only about $8 at the United States Flag Store website. Read on for some great Mother’s Day gift ideas.

The United States Flag Store’s Monogram Garden Flags feature beautifully designed backgrounds with embroidered prominent letters in the center. Choose from three styles—stately scroll, classical elegance, and grande manor—all for just $6.50.

Welcome Garden Flags also make a perfect Mother’s Day gift. Choose from sixteen styles, including patriotic, garden, butterfly, seaside, and floral designs, all for $10.99 or less!

The United States Flag Store also has a variety of Patriotic Garden Flags that Mom is sure to love! Choose from a traditional U.S. flag design, a Patriotic Beach flag, Patriotic Picnic Flag, God Bless America Flag, and much more. These great flags are available at the United States Flag Store Website for as low as $7.95.

Summer is coming soon, and if Mom loves the hot weather, a Summer Garden Flag is a perfect gift for her. The United States Flag Store has twenty Summer Garden Flags. At the website, you’ll find plenty of beautiful flags with flowers, watermelons, frogs, butterflies, ocean views, and more.

A garden flag gift wouldn’t be complete without a flagpole to display it. Order one today to complete Mom’s gift for as low as $6.50.

Spring Flags

Celebrate the arrival of spring with a banner flag from the United States Flag Store! All banner flags from the United States Flag Store are made from high-quality polyester and have beautifully appliquéd or embroidered images. In stores, you may find these flags for up to $30, but at the United States Flag Store, you can find beautiful flags at low prices.

The Decorative House Banner Flag features a drawing of a white garden gate decorated with flowers. A sign is hung from the gate with the text, “Welcome to my Garden.” This is the perfect flag for anyone looking to add a personal touch to their front yard or backyard garden and also makes a great gift. This flag is only $10 at the United States Flag Store.

The Home Tweet Home Birdhouse Banner Flag is a great way to mark the arrival of spring. The flag features a yellow, green, and purple birdhouse with a blue bird sitting on the ledge. The background of the flag is adorned with springtime flowers and a blue sky. This beautiful flag is available at the United States Flag Store’s website for just $20.99.

The Bee Banner Flag is another festive way to celebrate spring. This flag features a bee’s nest with a few bees buzzing around it and flowers in the background. This flag is also just $20.99 at the United States Flag Store’s website.

Spring wouldn’t be complete without butterflies. Check out the Butterfly Banner Flag, with a bright purple and pink butterfly resting on a big yellow flower. Leaf outlines are cut out of the bottom of the flag, making this a fun flag to display! This flag is available at the United States Flag Store’s website for just $24.00.

These are just a few of the beautiful spring flags available at the United States Flag Store’s website. Visit the online store today for the complete selection!

Flag of South Dakota

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The flag of the state of South Dakota was adopted on November 9, 1992. The flag is rectangular with a bright blue background. The seal of the state of South Dakota appears in the center of the flag surrounded by gold triangles that represent the sun’s rays. The text, “SOUTH DAKOTA” and “THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE” appear around the seal, in all capital letters.

The seal of the state of South Dakota was designed in 1885. The seal features hills, a mine, a river and a boat, a farmer, and cattle, a scene representative of South Dakota’s economy, industry, landscape, and natural resources. Above the scene is that state’s motto: “Under God the People Rule.” The text “STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA” and “GREAT SEAL” appear around the seal. The date “1889” appears at the bottom of the seal, the year South Dakota became an official state in the Union.

The original flag of South Dakota was somewhat different than the state’s current flag. The original flag, which was designed in 1909, featured the same bright blue background but contained different images on the banner’s front and back. The front of the flag featured a large yellow sun with the text “SOUTH DAKOTA” and “THE SUNSHINE STATE.” The back of the flag contained the seal of the state of South Dakota and the same text. Printing a flag with different front and back designs was expensive; however, and the cost of the flag prohibited many homes and businesses from displaying the flag.

In 1963, the South Dakota State Legislature passed a bill to change the state flag to display the state seal on both sides. In 1992, the flag underwent its final modification. Although the state adopted the nickname, “The Sunshine State,” to reflect the many sunny days that occur every year in South Dakota, the state officially adopted “The Mount Rushmore State,” as its official nickname. Subsequently, in the same year, the text on the flag was changed from “THE SUNSHINE STATE” to “THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE.”

Flag of North Dakota

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The flag of the state of North Dakota was adopted on March 3, 1911. The flag is rectangular with a dark blue background. The flag features a bald eagle with a red, white, and blue shield. In its feet, the eagle holds an olive branch and a bundle of arrows. A gold sunburst and thirteen gold stars appear above the eagle. The eagle holds a ribbon in its mouth; on the ribbon is the text, “One nation made up of many states.” A red and gold scroll appears below the eagle with the text “North Dakota.”

Rather than containing images symbolic of state, land, and people of North Dakota, the flag of North Dakota contains images important to the United States as a whole. The image of the bald eagle with the olive branch, bundle of arrows, and shield, for example, closely resembles the United States Coat of Arms, Great Seal of the United States, and the Seal of the President of the United States.

The bald eagle symbolizes freedom and the founding fathers often compared the United States to the characteristics of this powerful bird. The shield lies on the eagle’s breast without any support, representing the thought that the United States must rely on its own virtues. The thirteen stripes on the shield—as well as the thirteen gold stars above the eagle—represent the original thirteen colonies of the United States. The olive branch symbolizes the power of peace, while the arrows symbolize the power of war.

The red, white, and blue colors in the shield contain the same symbolic meanings as the colors of the American flag. The white symbolizes innocence and purity; the red represents valor and strength, and the blue represents justice and perseverance.

The flag of the state of North Dakota is nearly identical to the flag the North Dakota infantry carried during both the Spanish American War and the Phillipine-American War. In 1953, a bill was introduced in the North Carolina Legislative Assembly to change the flag on the basis that it too closely resembles the United States Coat of Arms and other national seals; however the bill was promptly defeated in the same year.

Flag of the State of Maine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The current flag of the state of Maine was adopted on February 23, 1909. The flag is rectangular with a blue background. The state flag of Maine features Maine’s coat of arms in the center, two men on either side of the shield, a star above the shield, and the text “MAINE” below the shield.

The coat of arms of the state of Maine, which appears in the center of the flag, reflects Maine’s beautiful northeastern United States scenery: a large pine tree is featured in the center of the shield with a moose resting below near a river. A farmer holding a sickle and a sailor holding an anchor appear on either side of the shield. These two men represent the importance of the agriculture and sea industries for the state’s economic livelihood.

The star that appears radiantly above the shield is the North Star. The text, “DIRIGO,” appears below the North Star. Dirigo, which is Latin for “I direct,” is the state of Maine’s official motto. The text, “MAINE,” appears below the shield on a light blue banner.

Maine’s current flag is somewhat different from the state’s first flag, which was developed in 1901. The original flag was rectangular with a buff or tan-colored background. The flag featured a block image of a green pine tree in the center. The North Star appeared as a blue star in the top left corner of the flag.

Maine and Massachusetts are the only two states in the Union to fly a separate ensign, or flag at sea. Maine’s official ensign is a rectangular flag with a white background. A block image of a green pine tree appears in the center with a blue anchor behind it. The text, “DIRIGO,” appears in blue capital letters above the tree and anchor; and the text, “MAINE,” appears below the tree and anchor in the same font.

Flag of the State of Delaware

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The flag of the state of Delaware was adopted on July 24, 1913. The flag is rectangular with a colonial blue background. The center of the flag features a buff-colored diamond and the Delaware coat of arms appears inside the diamond. The date December 7, 1787 appears on the bottom of the flag below the coat of arms. This date refers to the day on which the state of Delaware was the first state to ratify the United States constitution. This bold action made Delaware the first official state in the Union, and because of this, Delaware holds first position at national events like presidential inaugurations.

The other elements of Delaware’s state flag have important meaning for the state and recall the Revolutionary era. The blue and buff colors on the state flag of Delaware, for example, symbolize the colors of George Washington’s uniform.

The elements of the coat of arms also represent important people and industries of the state of Delaware during the Revolutionary era. The center of the coat of arms features a shield with horizontal red, blue, and white stripes. An ear of corn and sheaf of wheat appear in the red stripe, symbolizing the importance of agriculture in Delaware’s economy. The blue stripe is plain, representing the Delaware River, and the river’s importance to Delaware’s transportation and economy. An ox appears in the white stripe and reflects the importance of animals in Delaware’s economy. A ship appears above the shield, symbolizing the importance of shipbuilding and trade to Delaware’s economic livelihood.

Two men appear on either side of the coat of arms: a farmer with a hoe and a militiaman with a musket. These two men reinforce the importance of farming in Delaware and also emphasize the importance of the militia—an army made up of civilians—in gaining independence during the Revolution. Under the shield and the men are the words “Liberty and Independence,” Delaware’s state motto.

Flag of the State of Connecticut

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The flag of the state of Connecticut is rectangular with a blue background. A shield appears in the center of the flag and a banner appears below the flag with the state’s motto: Qui Transtulit Sustinet (“He who transplanted still sustains”). The flag was adopted on September 9, 1897.

The shield on Connecticut’s state flag exemplifies the Rococo design with its many curves and fancy ornamentations. The shield has a gold border and five clusters of oak leaves and acorns. Three grapevines appear in the center of the shield. These natural elements contain important symbolic meaning for the state of Connecticut. Grapes are a symbol of good luck, happiness, and peace, and the vines symbolize strong and lasting friendships. The oak leaves and acorns represent antiquity, faith, endurance, and strength.

The flag of Connecticut’s design dates back to the original seal of Saybrook Colony, which was established in 1639 during the American colonial period. The seal contained 15 grapevines and a hand in the top left corner that contained a scroll. Connecticut’s state motto, Qui Transtulit Sustinet, was written on the scroll. The current state flag of Connecticut contains only three grapevines, which represent Connecticut’s oldest towns: Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford. The acorns and white oak leaves were also added to the current state flag, acknowledging that the Charter Oak is Connecticut’s state tree.

Unlike many other states, the Connecticut’s General Assembly adopted the state flag without much controversy or deliberation. When Connecticut had no official state flag in the late 1800s, the Anna Warner Bailey Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution received approval from Governor O. William Coffin to design a state flag. After the Daughters of the American Revolution designed the flag, Governor Coffin proposed the design to the Connecticut General Assembly on May 29, 1895, and the Assembly approved the design the same day. The flag was officially adopted in 1897.

Flag of the State of Kentucky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The flag of the state of Kentucky was officially authorized on March 26, 1918. The 1918 flag act, which was adopted by the Kentucky General Assembly, mandated that the Kentucky state flag have a dark blue background. The flag must include the seal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the center, and the seal must be encircled by the goldenrod, Kentucky’s state flower. The original dimensions of the flag were not specified.

The original Kentucky state flag was not created until 1920, when a ceremony at Camp Zachary required its use. After this ceremony, a committee was formed to improve the design of the flag, but unfortunately, the committee’s work never reached the governor.

In 1927, Jouett Cannon, the Secretary of the Kentucky Historical Society, commissioned a Frankfort art teacher, Jesse Cox, to design an official Kentucky state flag. The flag Cox designed is very similar to the current Kentucky state flag.

The Kentucky state flag’s design was officially codified in 1961–1962, when Kentucky Adjunct General, Major Taylor L. Davidson researched historical designs of previous Kentucky state flags and commissioned artist Harold Collins to produce three designs of the Kentucky state flag. After Kentucky Governor Bert Combs approved one of the designs, the Kentucky Legislature passed a more detailed bill in 1962 to codify the design of the state flag and eliminate uncertainties.

The Kentucky state flag we see today adheres to the original flag act and includes the dark blue background, seal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and goldenrod flowers. The seal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky depicts two friends, a frontiersman and a statesman embracing. According to popular belief, the frontiersman is Daniel Boone, who explored much of Kentucky, and the statesman is Henry Clay, Kentucky’s most famous politician; the official explanation of the seal, however, claims that the figures represent all frontiersmen and statesmen. The words “UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL,” encircle the men in the seal and refer to lyrics from the popular American Revolution tune, “The Liberty Song.” In addition to the goldenrod flowers, the words “COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY” also encircle the seal.

Flag of Florida

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The flag of the state of Florida was adopted by popular referendum on September 24, 1900. The flag is rectangular with a white background and a red diagonal cross. The seal of the state of Florida appears in the center of the flag, at the intersection of the red stripes.

The red diagonal cross is reminiscent of the Cross of Burgundy flag that the Spanish navy used in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, during which the empire colonized Florida. The seal of the state of Florida depicts a Native American Seminole woman spreading hibiscus flowers in the foreground. Florida’s state tree, the Sabal palm, appears behind the woman. A steamboat appears in the background as the suns rays break into the sky. A gold border encloses the seal. The text, “Great Seal of the State of Florida,” and “In God We Trust,” appear in red capital letters insider the border.

During the Civil War, when Florida seceded from the Union, the Florida Legislature passed a law authorizing Florida’s governor to design Florida’s first official state flag. Florida’s first flag was included a blue vertical field on the left side with Florida’s state seal (different from the current state seal) inside the blue field. The other region of the flag included two red horizontal stripes, one on the top of the flag and one on the bottom, with a white stripe in the center.

Between 1868 and 1900, Florida used a flag that featured the state’s seal on a white background. Just before the turn of the century, however, Florida’s Governor Francis P. Fleming suggested adding the red diagonal cross to Florida’s state flag. By adding color to the flag, the banner could not be mistaken as a flag of retreat, and the red stripes added significance as well. This decision was approved by popular referendum in 1900. In 1985, the graphics of the Florida state seal were improved slightly, and the flag changed subsequently as well.