Flag of Indiana

Last updated
Indiana
Flag of Indiana.svg
Indiana
Use Civil and state flag FIAV 110000.svg FIAV normal.svg IFIS Mirror.svg
Proportion2:3 or 3:5
AdoptedMay 31, 1917 (standardized in 1955)
DesignA gold torch surrounded by an outer circle of thirteen stars, an inner semi circle of five stars, and a 19th, larger, star at the top of the torch, crowned by the word 'Indiana' in gold, representing Indiana's admission to the Union as the 19th state.
Designed byPaul Hadley

The current flag of Indiana was designed by Paul Hadley and officially adopted by the State of Indiana in May 1917.

Contents

It is the state's third official flag and has remained unchanged since then except for the creation of a statute to standardize the production of the flag in 1955.

History

A state flag for Indiana was in use as early as the late 1880s, depicting the seal of Indiana wrapped in an oak leaf wreath, a star-spangled shield with 13 stars and stripes below the seal, and a red scroll above the seal that bears the name Indiana. [1]

On February 21, 1885, Eliza Callis, the State Librarian for the Indiana State Library, was directed to produce the first Indiana state flag. As written by the Indiana government, Concurrent Resoluton No, 6, which had ordered the creation of the flag, read as follows:

WHEREAS, it appears that the State of Indiana is now without a State flag, banner or ensign, and

WHEREAS, There has been a request made by the Committee on Arrangements on the dedication of the Washington Monument, on 21st of February, 1885, of the State Librarian to furnish one, therefore

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring. That the State Librarian be, and is hereby authorized to purchase a suitable, flag or ensign, and have the Coat of Arms of the State appropriately inscribed thereon.

In 1901, Senate Bill 239 of Chapter 150 in Laws of the State of Indiana sought to make the flag of the United States the official state flag of Indiana. This Act passed at the Sixty-Second Regular Session of the General Assembly, and was put into effect on March 9, 1901 when Governor Winfield Durbin signed the bill into law. This Act lasted until 1955 when the Indiana General Assembly amended the Act, officially making Paul Hadley's flag design the state flag. [2]

The bill reads as follows:

WHEREAS, The Sate of Indiana has no flag; and

WHEREAS, The flag of the United States is recognized as the flag of every State and Territory composing the United States; therefore

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That said flag of the United States, representing each State with a star in a blue field, be and is hereby adopted as the flag of the State of Indiana.

To commemorate the state's 1916 centennial anniversary, the Indiana General Assembly issued a resolution to adopt a new state flag. At the request of the General Assembly, a contest was sponsored by the Indiana Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution to design a flag to serve as the official state banner. As an incentive to increase the number of submissions, the contest offered the winner a one hundred dollar cash prize. More than two hundred submissions were received and examined by the Society before a winner was selected. The entry created by Paul Hadley of Mooresville, Indiana, was ultimately chosen as the winner of the contest and the cash prize. [3]

On May 31st, 1917, the flag was chosen as the state's official banner. The General Assembly made only one change to Hadley's original design: they added the word Indiana, in a crescent shape, over the top of the torch. The state banner was later renamed the state's flag in a new statute passed in 1955 that also standardized the dimensions of the flag, [3] namely mandating a more rectangular aspect ratio as most Indiana state flags made until then were of a more squared shape. [4]

George Rogers Clark Flag.svg
FIAV historical.svg The George Rogers Clark Flag was created in Indiana and was flown in Vincennes, Indiana in 1778. This flag is the only historically documented non-national flag used to represent the Territory of Indiana.
Winchester Battle Flag.jpg
FIAV historical.svg Indiana battle flag used during the American Civil War utilizing the state seal. One of a few Indiana battle flags used during the war. Uses symbols that were later used on the first Indiana state flag.
Flag of Indiana (1899-1917).png
FIAV historical.svg The old Indiana state flag designed by Eliza Callis, (1885–1917), utilizing the seal of Indiana. Observed in the "Legislative and State Manual of Indiana 1899."
Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg
FIAV historical.svg An Act adopted in 1901 that made the U.S. flag the official state flag of Indiana. Lasted until 1955.
Flag of Indiana (1917).png
FIAV historical.svg The Indiana state flag as designed by Paul Hadley. Used from May 11 to May 31, 1917, with the state name omitted.
Flag of Indiana (1917-1955).png
FIAV historical.svg Pre-1955 Indiana state flag, utilizing a more squared aspect ratio.

The symbols of the Indiana state flag such as the torch in a circle of stars were used in the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay in 2016. The torch on the Indiana state flag was created into a physical torch that was used for the event.

Iconography

The flag consists of a gold torch that represents liberty & enlightenment; the rays around the torch represent their far-reaching influence. The nineteen stars represent Indiana's place as the nineteenth state to join the United States. The thirteen stars in the outer loop symbolize the original Thirteen Colonies, the five inner stars represent the next five states added to the Union, and the one large star above the torch represents Indiana. [3] [6]

Statute

Indiana State Flag flying at the Indiana World War Memorial. IndianaWorldWarMemorial 04.JPG
Indiana State Flag flying at the Indiana World War Memorial.

The current statute that governs the design of the state flag states:

The flag's dimensions shall be three feet fly by two feet hoist; or five feet fly by three feet hoist; or any size proportionate to either of those dimensions. The field of the flag shall be blue with nineteen stars and a flaming torch in gold or buff. Thirteen stars shall be arranged in an outer circle, representing the original thirteen states; five 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. The outer circle of stars shall be so arranged that one star shall appear directly in the middle at the top of the circle, and the word "Indiana" shall be placed in a half circle over and above the star representing Indiana and midway between it and the star in the center above it. Rays shall be shown radiating from the torch to the three stars on each side of the star in the upper center of the circle. [6]

In 2001, a survey conducted by the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) placed Indiana's flag 32nd in design quality out of the 72 Canadian provincial, U.S. state and U.S. territorial flags ranked. [7]

Usage

The Indiana state flag as depicted in the 1976 bicentennial postage stamp series. Indiana Bicentennial 13c 1976 issue.jpg
The Indiana state flag as depicted in the 1976 bicentennial postage stamp series.
The Indiana state flag shown in a 1980 Indianapolis post card. Indian Post Card 1980.png
The Indiana state flag shown in a 1980 Indianapolis post card.

Several other laws govern the use of the state flag. The flag is required to be flown by all state militias and the Indiana National Guard. [8] It is to be on display at the Indiana Statehouse at all times. [9] The flag must also be displayed at any agency that is funded in part or in full by the state government, including public schools, state universities, and state parks. [10] In all other respects the flag should be treated with the same care and respect as the flag of the United States.

Most prominently, the team colors for the NBA's Indiana Pacers were taken from the gold and blue of the flag.

In late 2008, Bloomington-licensed CW affiliate WTTV used the flag's torch and stars element in their station logo until 2015 when they became a CBS affiliate, though the logo remains in use for their second digital subchannel.

A variation of the Indiana state flag was used as the Gotham flag in the 1989 movie Batman . The flag can be seen in the mayor's office.

The logo of the BP-acquired Amoco Corporation (formerly Standard Oil of Indiana) prominently features a torch to commemorate the company's Hoosier origins; it remains in use at the few BP stations using Amoco and Standard trade dress to maintain trademark protection.

Apollo 17 display case with the state flag and a 2957 gram Moon basalt rock. Apollo 17 display 71.2003.061.jpg
Apollo 17 display case with the state flag and a 2957 gram Moon basalt rock.

After the Apollo 11 moon landing, a display case containing the state flag and 0.05 grams of Apollo 11 moon dust was created by NASA and presented to Governor Edgar D. Whitcomb. The display case remains on display at the Indiana State Museum. [11]

In 1973, a piece of lunar basalt 70017 was given to the state of Indiana by President Richard Nixon. A display case was created containing the 2957 gram piece of lunar basalt. Below the rock is displayed the state flag that had been carried to the Moon aboard Spacecraft America during the Apollo 17 mission.

Flag proposals

The idea of a flag contest was first raised at the annual state DAR conference in 1915. [12] To commemorate the state's 1916 centennial anniversary, the Indiana General Assembly issued a resolution to adopt a new state flag. At the request of the General Assembly, a contest was sponsored by the Indiana Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution to design a flag to serve as the official state banner. This contest had received between 100 to 200 flag submissions, including several flags designed by Paul Hadley. Of the flag submissions, only a few of them are known to have been documented. [13]

See also

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References

  1. Burford, W.B. (1899). Legislative and State Manual of Indiana. Indianapolis: State of Indiana. p. 20. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  2. Indiana Historical Bureau, Indiana State Flag, IN.gov, retrieved 2024-05-19
  3. 1 2 3 Indiana Historical Bureau. "Indiana's State Banner". IN.gov. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
  4. https://jeffbridgman.com/inventory/index.php?page=out&id=4235
  5. "BICENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE FLAG". IN Gov.
  6. 1 2 Indiana Code, Title 1, Article 2, IC 1-2-2-1, added 1955
  7. "2001 State/Provincial Flag Survey - NAVA.org" (PDF). nava.org.
  8. Indiana Code, Title 1, Article 2, IC 1-2-2-2
  9. Indiana Code, Title 1, Article 2, IC 1-2-3-1
  10. Indiana Code, Title 1, Article 2, IC 1-2-3-5
  11. "TO THE MOON: CELEBRATING "ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND" DURING APOLLO 11'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY". indianamuseum.org/.
  12. Reddick, David (21 August 2023). The Indiana Flag: Who Really Designed It?. Fideli Publishing. p. 12. ISBN   978-1-955622-03-5.
  13. "Indiana is Hunting for... Official State Flag". The Indianapolis News.