Flag of Indiana
The Indiana flag has a gold torch with rays at the center of a deep blue field, surrounded by 19 stars and the word INDIANA. Paul Hadley of Mooresville designed it in 1916, and the state adopted it in 1917.
What the Indiana state flag looks like
The Indiana state flag has a blue field with a gold torch in the center. Rays of gold light spread out from the torch in all directions. Around the torch are 19 stars arranged in three groups: an outer circle of 13 stars, an inner half-circle of 5 stars, and one large star above the torch. The word INDIANA is written in gold capital letters in a curve above the large star, following the shape of the half-circle below it.
State law describes the flag as three feet on the fly by two feet on the hoist, a 3:2 ratio. It uses just two colors, blue and gold (also described as buff), which makes it easy to recognize.
Indiana flag meaning and symbolism
The torch stands for liberty and enlightenment, and the rays shooting out from it show their far-reaching influence. The stars are the part that gets the most questions. The outer circle of 13 stars represents the original thirteen states that formed the Union. The inner half-circle of five stars stands for the five states admitted after the original thirteen and before Indiana: Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Louisiana. The large star above the torch represents Indiana itself, the 19th state, which joined the Union in 1816. The star is drawn larger than the others to mark its importance.
The colors have no officially stated meaning. Blue and gold are a traditional pairing, and the dark blue field sets off the gold torch and stars.
History of the Indiana flag
Indiana had no official state flag until the early 20th century. In 1916, for the state's centennial, the Daughters of the American Revolution held a design contest, and the winner was Paul Hadley, an artist from Mooresville. The General Assembly adopted his design on May 31, 1917.
In 1955 the legislature updated the law to standardize the flag, setting out the arrangement of the stars and the lettering in more detail. The design shown on this page is that version, which remains the official flag today.
If you are comparing flags in the region, see our U.S. state flags overview or the neighboring Illinois flag and Kentucky flag.
Indiana flag colors
#000F5DRGB
0, 15, 93CMYK
100, 84, 0, 64#FFB900RGB
255, 185, 0CMYK
0, 27, 100, 0Indiana flag facts
| Adopted | May 31, 1917 |
|---|---|
| Proportions | 2:3 |
| Designer | Paul Hadley |
| Symbols | five-pointed star, light beam, torch |
| State capital | Indianapolis |
| State motto | Crossroads of America |
| Population | 6,785,528 |
Indiana state flag FAQ
Why does the Indiana flag have 19 stars?
Thirteen stars stand for the original states, five stand for the states admitted before Indiana, and the large star stands for Indiana as the 19th state.
What does the torch on the Indiana flag mean?
The torch represents liberty and enlightenment, and its rays show how far-reaching their influence is.
Who designed the Indiana flag?
Paul Hadley of Mooresville designed the flag in 1916 as the winning entry in a contest held by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The state adopted it in 1917.
When did Indiana change its flag?
Indiana first adopted its flag in 1917 and revised the law in 1955 to standardize the star arrangement and the lettering. The design has not changed in a major way since.
What colors are on the Indiana flag?
The flag uses a dark blue field with gold, also described as buff, for the torch, rays, stars and lettering.
