West Virginia State Flag

West Virginia State Flag Adopted: March 7, 1929

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West Virginia state flag

West Virginia Law

The West Virginia State flag is not described in the West Virginia Code. The West Virginia Legislature approved Senate Joint Resolution No. 18 on March 7, 1929. Resolution No. 18 described the West Virginia State flag the flies over the Capitol today.

Senate Joint Resolution No. 18

WHEREAS, The legislature of West Virginia, by joint resolution passed on the twenty-fourth day of February, one thousand nine hundred and five, adopted a state flag, prescribing the design thereof; and

WHEREAS, The design so adopted is impractical of manufacture, making the cost of purchase thereof prohibitive to the schools of the state and others desiring to purchase said flag; and

WHEREAS, There has been worked out a design embodying all of the features of the first West Virginia state flag so adopted, but so designed as to be practical of manufacture at a reasonable cost to those desiring to purchase the same; and

WHEREAS, It seems desirable to change the design of the West Virginia state flag; therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THTE LEGISLATURE OF WEST VIRGINIA:

That the Legislature of West Virginia hereby adopts a State Flag of the following design and proportions, to-wit:

The proportions of the flag of the State of West Virginia shall be the same as those of the United States ensign; the field shall be pure white, upon the center of which shall be emblazoned in proper colors, the coat-of arms of the State of West Virginia upon which appears the date of the admission of the State into the Union, also with the motto, 'Montani Semper Liberi' (Mountaineers Are Always Free). Above the coat-of-arms of the State of West Virginia there shall be a ribbon lettered, 'State of West Virginia,' and arranged appropriately around the lower part of the coat-of-arms of the State of West Virginia a wreath of Rhododendron maximum in proper colors. The field of pure white shall be bordered by a strip of blue on four sides. The flag of the State of West Virginia when used for parade purposes shall be trimmed with gold colored fringe on three sides and when used on ceremonial occasions with the United States ensign, shall be trimmed and mounted in similar fashion to the United States flag as regards fringe, cord, tassels, and mounting."

Sources...

Source: "West Virginia State Flag." West Virginia Secretary of State. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 13 Mar. 2013 <http://www.sos.wv.gov/public-services/execrecords/pages/westvirginiastateflag.aspx>.

Additional Information

Adoption of West Virginia's State Flag from NETSTATE.

West Virginia State Flag: Office of the West Virginia Secretary of State.

West Virginia (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.