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The Montana State FlagIn 1898, Montana had no state flag. In 1905, the Ninth Legislative Assembly of Montana voted to adopt a rectangular banner depicting the pictorial content of the The Great Seal of the State of Montana on a blue field as the official state flag. Some states have sponsored contests to determine an appropriate design for an official state flag. Montana's design was born of the initiative of a Colonel Kessler, head of the First Montana Infantry. During the Spring of 1898, the First Montana Infantry, volunteers from several Montana communities, prepared for the war against Spain at Fort William Henry Harrison. Under the guidence of Colonel Kessler, these volunteers where "whipped" into fighting shape. The ladies of Helena provided these men with a 45-star U.S. flag to carry to the conflict as their Regimental Colors. Colonel Kessler felt that his group of fighting volunteers needed a special flag or banner to distinguish his men from other forces and on his own initiative, commissioned a unique flag for the First Montana Infantry. The flag that was constructed displayed an embroidered replica of the Montana state seal on a dark background. This hand-made silk flag displayed "1st Montana Infantry U.S.V." above the state seal. This flag accompanied the First Montana Infantry to war in the fall of 1898 and served the unit well during its tour of duty. When the volunteers of the First Montana Infantry returned to Montana a year later, Colonel Kessler's flag had grown in stature and though not official, it was considered a fitting symbol of the state. In Helena, Colonel Kessler turned the flag over to the Governor and it was offered for display throughout the state.
Montana still had no official state flag and many people thought that the regimental flag of the First Montana Infantry should be honored with official recognition. In 1905, the Ninth Legislative Assembly proclaimed Colonel Kessler's flag to be the official flag of the state of Montana. Of course the words "1st Montana Infantry" were stricken. Since 1905, changes have been made two times to the flag.
The state flag is blue with a gold fringe on the top and bottom edges. The pictorial content of The Great Seal of the State of Montana centered on the blue field depicts some of Montana's beautiful scenery and reflects the pioneering history of the state. A brilliant sun over snowy mountains, forests, cliffs and the Great Falls of the Missouri River serve as the background for a pick, a shovel and a plow. These tools represent Montana's mining and farming past and present. The state motto "ORO Y PLATA" (Spanish for Gold and Silver) is displayed on a ribbon at below the pick, shovel, and plow. Montana Flag LawThe following information was excerpted from the Montana Code Annotated 2005, Title 1, Chapter 1, Part 5. TITLE 1. GENERAL LAWS AND DEFINITIONS.
1-1-502. State flag. There is hereby established a state flag of Montana. The state flag of Montana shall be a flag having a blue field with a representation of the great seal of the state in the center and with golden fringe along the upper and lower borders of the flag; the same being the flag borne by the 1st Montana Infantry, U.S.V., in the Spanish-American War, with the exception of the device, "1st Montana Infantry, U.S.V."; and above the great seal of the state shall be the word "MONTANA" in helvetica bold letters of gold color equal in height to one-tenth of the total vertical measurement of the blue field. History: En. Secs. 1, 2, Ch. 42, L. 1905; re-en. Secs. 432, 433, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Secs. 528, 529, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Secs. 528, 529, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 19-113, 19-114; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 49, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 335, L. 1985. Source: Montana State Legislature, Montana Code Annotated 2005, , August 27, 2007.
Additional InformationMontana (U.S.): FOTW "Flags of the World" Web Site. State Flags: Complete list of state flags with links to large pictures and images suitable for coloring. Flag Terminology: The parts of a flag and terms associated with its design. Visit Our Flag Shop: Purchase all kinds of flags and banners, lapel pins, 50 state flag sets, decals, patches, college banners at the Flag Shop. Flags of the Fifty States and their Incredible Histories: A complete guide to America's most powerful symbols by Randy Howe. How Proudly They Wave: Flags of the Fifty States: This book, by Rita D. Haban, is geared toward younger readers. |
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