Flag of Iowa
The Iowa flag is a vertical tricolor of blue, white and red, with an eagle carrying streamers in the white stripe. Dixie Cornell Gebhardt designed it in 1917 for Iowa soldiers on the Mexican border, and the state made it official in 1921.
What the Iowa state flag looks like
The Iowa state flag has three vertical stripes: blue at the hoist, white in the center and red at the fly. The center stripe carries a bald eagle with its wings spread, holding in its beak blue streamers that bear the state motto, Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. Below the eagle, the word IOWA is printed in red capital letters.
The three-stripe layout was inspired by the French tricolor, a reminder that Iowa was once part of French Louisiana.
Iowa flag meaning and symbolism
Dixie Cornell Gebhardt assigned a meaning to each color: blue stands for loyalty, justice and truth, white for purity, and red for courage. The same colors appear on the U.S. flag, tying Iowa's banner to the nation.
The three stripes also recall the French flag, since the land that became Iowa was part of the territory bought from France in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The eagle is a national symbol, and its streamers carry the motto, which comes from the state's seal and expresses the independence of its citizens. The motto declares that Iowans value their liberties and will defend their rights.
History of the Iowa flag
Iowa became a state in 1846, but it had no official state flag for decades. In 1917 the state's National Guard units were serving on the Mexican border, and soldiers noticed that other states' units had their own flags while Iowa did not. Dixie Cornell Gebhardt of Knoxville, Iowa, designed a banner for them, and it was presented to the troops that year. She also assigned the meaning of its colors.
The Iowa General Assembly made the design official on March 12, 1921. It has been the state flag ever since. For other states, explore our U.S. state flags page, or see the flag of the United States.
Iowa flag colors
#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0#0A1F62RGB
10, 31, 98CMYK
90, 68, 0, 62#D80025RGB
216, 0, 37CMYK
0, 100, 83, 15Iowa flag facts
| Adopted | March 29, 1921 |
|---|---|
| Proportions | 2:3 |
| Designer | Dixie Cornell Gebhardt |
| State capital | Des Moines |
| Population | 3,190,369 |
Iowa state flag FAQ
What does the Iowa flag symbolize?
Blue stands for loyalty, justice and truth, white for purity, and red for courage. The eagle is a national symbol, and its streamers carry the state motto.
What is the bird on the Iowa flag?
It is a bald eagle, the national bird of the United States. It holds blue streamers in its beak that read the state motto.
What is the motto of Iowa?
The motto is "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." It appears on the streamers carried by the eagle on the flag.
Who designed the Iowa state flag?
Dixie Cornell Gebhardt designed it in 1917. The state officially adopted it in 1921.
Why does the Iowa flag look like the French flag?
The blue, white and red vertical stripes were inspired by the French tricolor, because Iowa was part of the land acquired from France in the Louisiana Purchase.
