Flag of Oregon
Encyclopedia
The flag of the state of Oregon is a two-sided flag
in navy blue
and gold
with an optional gold fringe. On the front is the escutcheon from the state seal
and on the reverse is a gold figure of a beaver
, the state animal. Oregon
is the only U.S. state to have a two-sided flag.
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The current flag design became official on February 26, 1925. What is believed to be the first flag of Oregon produced was made that year by Meier & Frank
, sewn by Marjorie Kennedy and Blanche Cox, employees of the department store. That flag was donated to Eastern Oregon University
in 1954 by the grandson of former governor Walter M. Pierce
.
Oregon’s flag is the last remaining state flag in the U.S. in which the obverse and reverse sides have different designs. Paraguay
and Moldova
are the only countries that still have a two-sided flag. Two-sided flags were previously more common, but have been reduced due to increased costs of manufacturing a flag with two different designs. In 2010, the original flag was restored.
The flag field is navy blue with all lettering and symbols in gold, representing the state colors of Oregon. On the obverse, the legend STATE OF OREGON is written above an escutcheon, which also appears in the Oregon state seal
. The shield is surrounded by 33 stars, representing Oregon's admission to the Union as the 33rd state. Below the shield is written 1859, the year in which Oregon became a state.
On the reverse of the flag is a depiction, also in gold, of a beaver
, the state animal of Oregon. Oregon has the only U.S. state flag
with differing symbolism on two sides.
For dress or parade usage, the flag may feature a gold fringe. For standard usage, no fringe is required. The ratio of the flag's width to length is 3:5.
as 62nd out of the 72 U.S. state
, U.S. territorial and Canadian provincial flags.
For the 150 year anniversity of Oregon's admittance to the United States
, the newspaper The Oregonian
created a state-wide contest to redesign the state flag.
The newspaper collected and published the entries with the public voting on the winning design. The winning design was created Randall Gray, a map maker for Clackamas County
. In his design, Gray emphasized the beaver found on the current flag's reverse. The star represents Oregon's place in the Union while the green represents the natural wilderness and forests of Oregon.
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
in navy blue
Navy blue
Navy blue is a very dark shade of the color blue which almost appears as black. Navy blue got its name from the dark blue worn by officers in the British Royal Navy since 1748 and subsequently adopted by other navies around the world....
and gold
Gold (color)
Gold, also called golden, is one of a variety of orange-yellow color blends used to give the impression of the color of the element gold....
with an optional gold fringe. On the front is the escutcheon from the state seal
Seal of Oregon
The Seal of the State of Oregon is the official seal of the U.S. state of Oregon. It was designed by Harvey Gordon in 1857, two years before Oregon was admitted to the Union. The seal was preceded by the Salmon Seal of the Provisional Government and the Seal of the Oregon Territory...
and on the reverse is a gold figure of a beaver
American Beaver
The North American Beaver is the only species of beaver in the Americas, native to North America and introduced to South America. In the United States and Canada, where no other species of beaver occurs, it is usually simply referred to as "beaver"...
, the state animal. Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
is the only U.S. state to have a two-sided flag.
History
Meier & Frank
Meier & Frank was a chain of department stores founded in Portland, Oregon, and later bought out by the May Department Stores Company. Meier & Frank operated in the Pacific Northwest from 1857 to 2006.-History:Summary...
, sewn by Marjorie Kennedy and Blanche Cox, employees of the department store. That flag was donated to Eastern Oregon University
Eastern Oregon University
Eastern Oregon University is one of seven state-funded, four-year universities of higher education in the State of Oregon and belongs to the Oregon University System...
in 1954 by the grandson of former governor Walter M. Pierce
Walter M. Pierce
Walter Marcus Pierce was an American politician, a Democrat, who served as the 17th Governor of Oregon and a member of the United States House of Representatives from . A native of Illinois, he served in the Oregon State Senate before the governorship, and again after leaving the U.S. House...
.
Oregon’s flag is the last remaining state flag in the U.S. in which the obverse and reverse sides have different designs. Paraguay
Flag of Paraguay
The flag of Paraguay was adopted in 1842. It is the only national flag with different emblems on its obverse and reverse sides.-Description:...
and Moldova
Flag of Moldova
The state flag of Moldova is a vertical tricolor of blue, yellow, and red, charged with the coat of arms of Moldova on the center bar. The obverse is mirrored. The flag ratio is 1:2...
are the only countries that still have a two-sided flag. Two-sided flags were previously more common, but have been reduced due to increased costs of manufacturing a flag with two different designs. In 2010, the original flag was restored.
Description
Seal of Oregon
The Seal of the State of Oregon is the official seal of the U.S. state of Oregon. It was designed by Harvey Gordon in 1857, two years before Oregon was admitted to the Union. The seal was preceded by the Salmon Seal of the Provisional Government and the Seal of the Oregon Territory...
. The shield is surrounded by 33 stars, representing Oregon's admission to the Union as the 33rd state. Below the shield is written 1859, the year in which Oregon became a state.
On the reverse of the flag is a depiction, also in gold, of a beaver
American Beaver
The North American Beaver is the only species of beaver in the Americas, native to North America and introduced to South America. In the United States and Canada, where no other species of beaver occurs, it is usually simply referred to as "beaver"...
, the state animal of Oregon. Oregon has the only U.S. state flag
Flags of the U.S. states
The flags of the U.S. states exhibit a wide variety of regional influences and local histories, as well as widely different styles and design principles. Modern state flags date from the 1890s when states wanted to have distinctive symbols at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago...
with differing symbolism on two sides.
For dress or parade usage, the flag may feature a gold fringe. For standard usage, no fringe is required. The ratio of the flag's width to length is 3:5.
New Flag Contest
The current flag for the state of Oregon was rated in a survey by the North American Vexillological AssociationNorth American Vexillological Association
The North American Vexillological Association is a membership organization devoted to "vexillology as the scientific study of flags." Flag researchers, designers, collectors, activists, merchants, and other enthusiasts from the United States and Canada meet annually at NAVA meetings in order to...
as 62nd out of the 72 U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
, U.S. territorial and Canadian provincial flags.
For the 150 year anniversity of Oregon's admittance to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the newspaper The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
created a state-wide contest to redesign the state flag.
The newspaper collected and published the entries with the public voting on the winning design. The winning design was created Randall Gray, a map maker for Clackamas County
Clackamas County, Oregon
Clackamas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county was named after the Native Americans living in the area, the Clackamas Indians, who were part of the Chinookan people. As of 2010, the population was 375,992...
. In his design, Gray emphasized the beaver found on the current flag's reverse. The star represents Oregon's place in the Union while the green represents the natural wilderness and forests of Oregon.
See also
- State of Oregon
- Symbols of the state of Oregon
- Seal of the state of Oregon
- Flags whose reverse differs from the obverseFlags whose reverse differs from the obverseThis article concerns national, sub-national and historical flags whose reverse is, or was, at some point of their history, different from the obverse.-Soviet Union:...
External links
- Chapter 186 — State Emblems; State Boundary 2005 Oregon Revised StatutesOregon Revised StatutesThe Oregon Revised Statutes is the codified body of statutory law governing the U.S. state of Oregon, as enacted by the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and occasionally by citizen initiative...