Which State Has The Best Flag

[THUNDER HANDS]

Arizona:

California:

Hawaii:

Indiana:

Maryland:

New Mexico:

South Carolina:

Texas:

Wyoming:

Other: go to this site to see... www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/usflags

[DarkPhenyx]

1. Ohio

They decided to be unique and not follow the pack.

[sasquatch]

22. Damn straight!

:toast: to the Ohio Flag

[johnnie]

26. Ohio also..

Not only because I live here, I like that they went with a pennant and it makes it unique..here's a bit about it:

"The official state flag of Ohio, called the Ohio burgee, was adopted in 1902. John Eisemann designed this flag; it was based upon the pennant used by the Ohio cavalry between 1862 and 1865. This is the only American state flag that is not a rectangle. The 13 stars near the circle represent the original 13 states in the USA; the 4 extra stars near the peak of the triangle symbolize the fact that Ohio was the 17th state admitted to the union. The blue triangle represents Ohio's hill country. "

[SadEagle]

2. Alaska

Simple and good looking, w/o overload of colors, with S.C. coming in close second for much the same reasons

[JailBush]

3. If you compare U.S. state flags to national flags, you will see why

vexillologists (flag students) say state flags suck. Most look like they were designed by amateurs because they WERE designed by amateurs. Ironically, two of the best state flags - Alaska and Wyoming - were designed by children.

The flags of Maryland, Arizona and New Mexico are commonly touted as the best. The other flags you cited also rank near the top. Alaska is another class act and my personal favorite.

However, the symbolism on Hawaii's flag is bizarre. What do the Hawaiian islands have to do with Great Britain, other than the fact that Captain Cook discovered them - long after Polynesians discovered them?

Washington's green state flag is one of the most unique, ugliest and symbolically appropriate state flags. It resembles a one-dollar bill, a reminder that the state is run by Microshaft and other corporations. You can see the flag I designed to replace it in the top left corner of http://northamerica.geoworld.org/us/wa/ (However, this site is far from finished.)

A new Minnesota state flag is being promoted. I'm also promoting a new national flag, one with a single white star that commemorates the motto E pluribus unum - one out of many.

[hlthe2b]

6. not meaning to offend Marylanders.... but

doesn't that flag look like it ought to be flying at NASCAR races?

On the other hand, the GIF image is very tiny, so I'm sure it looks better inreal size....

I like New Mexico for its simplicity...

[hlthe2b]

9. New Mexico...nice symbolism, I think

The yellow field and red symbol colors are the colors of Spain. First brought to New Mexico by Spanish explorers in 1540. On New Mexico's flag we see a red sun with rays streching out from it. There are four groups of rays with four rays in each group. This is an ancient sun symbol of a Native American people called the Zia. The Zia believed that the giver of all good gave them gifts in groups of four. These gifts are:
The four directions - north, east, south and west.
The four seasons - spring, summer, fall and winter.
The day - sunrise, noon, evening and night.
Life itself - childhood, youth, middle years and old age.
All of these are bound by a circle of life and love, without a beginning or end.


BTW, I'm from Colorado, so my NM choice is truly unbiased.

[JailBush]

11. Vexillologists rave about Maryland's state flag. To me, it looks

like a foreign import - probably because that's pretty much what it is; it's based on a European motif. Still, it is a very unique and striking flag, and the symbology is awesome - it touches on the Civil War divisions that tore the state in tow.

I've long considered Alaka's my favorite flag, New Mexico's my second favorite - and it is indeed #1 in simplicity. Many of the flags represnting Japan's prefectures boast a similar design - a unicolor background with a symbol in the center.

The only sour note is that some Native Americans allegedly resent the use of one of their religious symbols on a state flag.

[ronzo]

4. Today? Louisiana.

Given the choices, I'll go w/ South Carolina. :thumbsup:

[glarius]

5. It surprises me to see the British flag as a part of Hawaii's flag???

I'm Canadian and don't know anything about your state flags, but I was wondering what the connection with Britain is in Hawaii?
edit--I just read post #3 and I guess that answers my question...Captain Cook....

[hlthe2b]

8. well, I had to look it up... but

Hawaii:
Flag:
Hawaii was once an independent kingdom. (1810 - 1893) The flag was designed at the request of King Kamehameha I. It has eight stripes of white, red and blue that represent the eight main islands. The flag of Great Britain is emblazoned in the upper left corner to honor Hawaii's friendship with the British. The combination of the stripes of the United States flag and the Union Jack of Great Britain is said to have pleased the merchant shippers of both nations. Flag adopted for official state use in 1959.

[JailBush]

12. Canada's flags are as striking as they are unique.

Most are based on their provincial coat of arms and are very beautiful.

The 50 states adopted state seals in lieu of coat of arms, and seals clearly weren't meant to be placed on flags - so that's exactly what many states did.

[glarius]

24. I have to admit I wouldn't recognize any but the Ontario & Newfoundland

provincial flags....Shame on me..:)

[HEyHEY]

15. YEah I agree that was a shocker to me as well

[LoZoccolo]

7. Maryland.

It looks like one of the flags from the Lego castle.

[Monte Carlo]

25. It's very recognizable.

I've only passed through Maryland a few times, but I notice it's flag a lot on the highways. It's easy to spot.

[VTMechEngr]

10. hmm, they all kinda suck

New mexico does have that nice simplicity.

I do like Virginia's. Love the theme, crushing tyranny.

[JailBush]

13. Civil War Flags

Ironically, some of the most attractive and best designed state flags represent the South. They are modeled after the Confederate battle flag. (Arkansas' state flag is merely a clever rearrangement of the "bars.")

Many northern states quickly created flags they could use on the battlefield - and most seemed to follow the same script: They just took a dark blue banner and sewed the state seal in the center. That's why so many state flags look alike and are so poorly designed.

Indiana's current state flag deviates from this pattern because it was designed very recently.

[Jackhammer Jesus]

14. "Other."

But I might be biased, just a little bit. :eyes:

[JailBush]

16. Yes, Rhode Island boasts another fabulous flag.

As you can see, I'm thinking of incorporating it into the degsign for the home page of a political website at http://www.rep5.org/ (What you see is just a rough sketch.)

Rhode Island and Washington boast the shortest state mottoes - just four letters each.

[VermontDem2004]

17. ARIZONA!!!!!!!!!!!

[WindRavenX]

18. No New Jersey flag??

What is this??? :P

[ronnykmarshall]

19. I voted for Arizona.

Even though I'm a loyal native born Californian, I just LOVE Arizona's flag.

[johnnie]

28. Arizona..

Thier flag always reminds me of the Tibetian national flag...pretty cool

[mdmc]

20. Live Free or Die NH

:dem:
I also like the view of the sun rising over Mt. Beacon and the Hudson River on NYS flag.
:dem:

[annak110]

21. Oklahoma has a beautiful flag...in fact, to me, it is and always

will be the most beautiful flag. Of course it also has the best football team!

[cyclezealot]

23. The choice is pretty small.

I have always liked California's with the promiment bear.
Other runner up states...Illinois, Massachusetts...
Michigan is my native state...Always liked it for the deer and moose.
Several states are sort of busy including Michigan's and not well defined. But I like the deer and moose surrounding an early settler.
Colorado is colorful, but could be used for a college flag insead of a state....

[alphafemale]

27. I'm quite fond of Georgia's right now. We've been through a lot recently.

Scroll to bottom.

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/museum/html/georgia_flag_history.html

[hlthe2b]

29. definitely an improvement over 2000-2003

eom

[cosmicdot]

30. I've lived in 3 of the states listed: MD, AZ, CA ..

but, born and bred in the Commonwealth of Virginia

Virginia's flag is beautiful in its background info (I say that's George under the spear):



The State Flag of Virginia bears the Great Seal of the Commonwealth on a field of blue. The seal depicts the goddess "Virtus." She is dressed as an Amazon, armed with a spear and sword, and stands over a defeated despot. The seal displays the State Motto,"Sic Semper Tyrannis," which is Latin for, "Thus Always to Tyrants."

THE GREAT SEAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH - The great seal of the Commonwealth was adopted by the Virginia's Constitutional Convention on July 5, 1776. Its design was the work of a committee composed of George Mason, George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, and Robert Carter Nicholas. George Wythe was probably the principal designer taking its theme from ancient Roman mythology.

The original design was never properly cast and a number of variations came into use. Attempting to legislate uniformity, the General Assemblies of 1873 and 1903 passed acts describing the seal in detail. In 1930, a committee was named to prepare an "accurate and faithful description of the great seal of the Commonwealth, as it was intended to be by Mason and Wythe and their associates." The committee set forth the official design in use today, which is essentially the design adopted by the Virginia's Constitutional Convention of 1776.



The obverse side of the great seal depicts the Roman goddess Virtus representing the spirit of the Commonwealth. She is dressed as an Amazon, a sheathed sword in one hand, and a spear in the other, and one foot on the form of Tyranny, who is pictured with a broken chain in his left hand, a scourge in his right, and his fallen crown nearby, implying struggle that has ended in complete victory. Virginia’s motto, Sic Semper Tyrannis (Latin for "Thus Always to Tyrants"), appears at the bottom.



On the reverse side of the seal are the three Roman goddesses, Libertas (Liberty) in the center holding a wand and pileus in her right hand, Aerternitas (Eternity) with a globe and phoenix in her right hand, and Ceres (Fruitfulness) with a cornucopia in her left hand and an ear of wheat in her right. At the top is the word Perservando (Latin for "by Persevering"). A border of Virginia creeper encircles the designs on each side.