Category Archives: State Flags

New Hampshire State Flag “Live Free Or Die”

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This Video has a lot of information about the New Hampshire flag and the Live Free or Die motto.

 

NH Live Free Or Die Flag

Live Free Or Die

Although the general design used on New Hampshire’s NH flag had been in use since 1784, , with slight changes made in New Hampshire’s flag in 1931. it became official in 1909 The New Hampshire state seal is the focus of this flag, depicting an optimistic rising sun behind the Raleigh, which was a ship built for use in the Revolutionary War. It is surrounded by a wreath of laurel, an ancient symbol of fame, honor, and victory. The nine stars within the wreath show that New Hampshire was the ninth state to join the Union. The water stands for the harbor of Portsmouth, and in the lower left corner is granite, a strong and sturdy rock, representing the New Hampshire/s rugged landscape and the sturdy character of the people. New Hampshire’s nickname is the Granite State. New Hampshire State Flag Adopted: 1909

In 1996, HB 552 proposed a blue flag with the state seal, but only a half circle of wreathe & stars over the seal, while there would be a banner below the seal with the words “Live Free or Die” on it.
In 2000, SB 423, introduced by Sen. Lou D’Allesandro D-Manchester, sought to replaced the seal with a representation of the Old Man of the Mountain. Above and to the left of the Old Man were the words “New Hampshire,” and a banner below the Old Man read “Live Free or Die
In 2001, SB 94 (also introduced by Sen. D’Allesandro) divided the flag into two halves; one half featured the Old Man, and the other half
showcased the state seal. Below the two symbols was the phrase “Live Free or Die.”

There were two attempts in 2004. HB 1231 would have changed the flag to show “Live Free or Die” and the Old Man of the Mountain, while SB 319 would have removed the state seal and replaced it with the Great Stone Face.
In 2005, HB 123 would have simply added “Live Free or Die” to the current flag.
Back in 1978, the New Hampshire Sunday News and The Union Leader conducted a “just for fun” state flag contest. Several hundred people offered suggestions. The winning entry, submitted by Melvin Whitcomb Jr., of Concord, also had nine stars around the state seal and the “Live Free or Die” motto, but his seal featured the Old Man of the Mountain. Of 195 votes, Whitcomb’s design received 77 out of 195 votes, beating out seven other finalists to earn a $25 prize.  Mitchell’s new designs were unsolicited, and there are no current plans to replace any state flags.

 

 

United States of America National Flag

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The American Flag is Red, White and Blue, or Old Glory Red, white and Old Glory Blue. The blue canton symbolizes the union and the present day 50 stars stand for the 50 states. The 13 stripes, 7 red and 6 white represent the original 13 colonies (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) which formed the independent nation from England known as the United States of America. The color blue symbolizes loyalty, devotion, friendship, justice and truth; the color red stands for courage, zeal and fervency; and the color white represents purity and rectitude of conduct.  The original government proportions of the national flag and the state flags are followed only by the government and the armed forces while the general public use the proportions of 2:3 3:5 and 5:8

Arizona State flag1

Arizona State Flag

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Hi Folks Patrick Page with Flag-Works.com here….Originally part of the United Mexican States, Arizona  became part of the New Mexico Territory after the Mexican War, then became its own territory and finally a separate state.  The idea for a state flag arose because the Arizona rifle team realized it was the only team at national matches without a flag.  Colonel Charles W. Harris, adjutant general and chief administrative officer of Arizona, designed the flag.   He used four colors on the flag-Arizona’s colors, blue and gold; and Spain’s red and yellow, to symbolize the first white men who came to Arizona.  The 13 red and yellow rays of sun stand for the first 13 states, and the copper-colored star represents Arizona’s place as the largest produce of copper in the country.  The blue matches that of the American flag. 
Arizona State Flag Adopted:  1917

Arkansas state flag

Arkansas State Flag Video

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Hi Folks Patrick Page with Flag-Works over America here…In 1912, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) wanted to commemorate a new U.S. battleship, called the Arkansas, by presenting it with three flags – the U.S. flag, a naval battle flag, and the Arkansas state flag.  But Arkansas didn’t have a flag yet.  Through a design competition, Miss Willie Hocker became the Arkansas flag’s creator.  Her original flag design showed only three stars, recalling that Arkansas was one of the three states formed from the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 from France.  The state name, Arkansas, was added later, as was the upper blue star, which represents the Confederacy.  The diamond shape acknowledges that Arkansas is home to the only known diamond mine in the United States.  The 25 stars surrounding it symbolize that Arkansas was the 25th state.  Arkansas State Flag Adopted:  1913

Idaho State Flag Video

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Hi Folks Patrick Page with Flag-Works here….  The Idaho state seal, designed by Miss Emma Edwards, is an integral part of Idaho’s flag.  She honored the women’s suffrage movement on Idaho’s seal with its female figure of Liberty and Justice, which supports one side of the coat of arms.  On the other is a miner.  The shield between them represents the protection they unite in giving the state.  The fir tree and sheaf of grain depict Idaho’s agricultural resources.  An elk’s head, rising above the shield, stresses the protection of the elk and moose in Idaho.  Below the shield, fruits and vegetables fill cornucopias to symbolize abundance.  Idaho State Flag Adopted:  1907

Arizona State flag1

Flags: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

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A little opinion piece about what makes a flag design a good one or a bad one.

Illinois State Flag

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Hi folks Patrick Page here with Flag-Works…Illinois has had two official state flags.  In 1913, a contest was held for the best state flag design offered by one of the Illinois chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  Lucy Derwent’s winning design took elements from the state seal designed by Sharon Tyndale, Illinois’s secretary of state in 1868.  When an American officer in Vietnam complained that the Illinois flag lacked distinction, the wheels were in motion for some changes.  The Illinois state flag was replaced in 1970 by a flag that was revised by Mrs. Sanford Hutchinson.  It contains an exact copy of Tyndale’s state seal, with the word “Illinois” in blue letters below.  Illinois State Flag Adopted:  1970

 

Florida State Flag

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Hi Folks Patrick Page here with Flag-Works….

Florida’s original state flag, in 1845, was only used once because it created a political commotion.  The next Florida state flag, in 1861, was designed because Florida  was preparing to secede from the Union and could no longer use the Union flag.  The Florida state flag had three large stars on it, representing Florida, Mississippi and South Carolina, the three states that had seceded.  Another Florida state flag was adopted soon after secession.  But after the Civil War, a new Florida state flag was designed.  It depicts the Florida state seal in the center of a white field.  On the seal are symbols of Florida – the sun, a palm tree, a steamboat, and a Native American woman scattering flowers.  The red cross of St. Andrew was added in 1900.  Since then, the original cocoa tree became a cabbage palmetto.  And the Native American’s dress was altered to show more accurately that she is of the Seminoles, a Native American tribe that has long lived in Florida.  Florida State Flag Adopted:  1900

 

California State flag

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Who knows whom William Todd is?

Hi Folks, Patrick Page here… The first flag of California was hastily created by a group of American settlers who revolted against Mexican control in California.  After capturing the town of Sonoma, they tore down the Mexican flag and replaced it with one they constructed from odds and ends of cloth and materials.  Legend tells that the white field and red stripe were made from women’s petticoats.  William Todd, cousin of Mary Todd Lincoln, drew a single red star, the words “California Republic” and a sketch of a grizzly bear, that the rebels met as they fought the Mexican army.  It was also a symbol of the settlers determination to gain independence.  That original California state flag was kept in San Francisco until it was  destroyed in an earthquake.  The California design has remained basically the same throughout the years. California State Flag Adopted:  1911

Colorado State Flag

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Hi Folks  The Colorado State Flag was designed by Andrew Carlisle Johnson and adopted by the Colorado General Assembly on June 5, 1911.The field is comprised of three alternate stripes, the two outer stripes colored blue and the middle stripe white. At one fifth the length of the flag from the staff end is the letter “C”. The color of the “C” is red. The diameter of the letter “C” is two thirds the width of the flag, the inner line of the letter being three fourths the width of its body and the outer line double the length of the inner line of the letter. The center of the letter “C” is filled with the color gold. It was also stipulated that the flag should have an attached cord of gold and silver intertwined with gold and silver tassels.

It seems that certain specifications for the flag were not clear and some controversy arose over the precise shades of red and blue to be used in the flag. This issue was resolved by the General Assembly on February 28, 1929 when it stipulated that the red and blue colors in the flag were to be the same as the national flag.Again controversy developed over the specifications for the flag. This time at issue was the size of the letter “C”. The General Assembly addressed this on March 31, 1964, revising the 1911 legislation to stipulate the diameter of the letter “C” and its distance from the staff.

The colors used in the Colorado State Flag represent environmental features of the state. The gold represents the abundant sunshine enjoyed by the state. The blue symbolizes the clear blue skies of Colorado. White represents the snow capped mountains of the state and red represents the color of much of the state’s soil.