Flag of Nevada
The Nevada flag is cobalt blue with a silver five-pointed star in the upper left, framed by two sprays of sagebrush. A gold scroll above reads "Battle Born," and the word NEVADA sits below. The current layout dates to 1991.
What the Nevada state flag looks like
The state flag of Nevada has a solid cobalt blue field. All the symbols are packed into the upper left corner by the hoist, and the rest of the flag is empty blue.
The corner emblem consists of:
- A silver five-pointed star in the center.
- Two crossed sprays of sagebrush, forming a half-wreath around the star.
- A gold scroll above the wreath with the words "Battle Born" in black.
- The word NEVADA in gold capital letters beneath the star.
The statute does not set the proportions, so the flag is made in several ratios, most often 3:2.
Nevada flag meaning and symbolism
The silver star is a reference to Nevada's nickname, the Silver State. Sagebrush is the state flower, a hardy desert plant that grows across the Great Basin.
"Battle Born" is one of the state's mottos. Nevada became a state on October 31, 1864, in the middle of the American Civil War, and the words refer to that wartime statehood.
History of the Nevada flag
Nevada's first flag was created in 1905 by Governor John Sparks and Colonel Harry Day, and a second design by Clara Crisler followed in 1915, with the state seal and 36 stars. The seal's many colors were expensive to produce, which led to a new flag in 1929.
The 1929 flag came from a design contest announced in 1926, won by Louis Shellback III, and was signed into law by Governor Fred B. Balzar. In it the letters of the word "Nevada" circled the star. A law enacted in 1991 placed the word "Nevada" below the star and above the sagebrush sprays, producing the present design. Compare it with the flags of Montana and New Hampshire, or browse all U.S. state flags.
Nevada flag colors
#0033ABRGB
0, 51, 171CMYK
100, 70, 0, 33Nevada flag facts
| Adopted | 1991 |
|---|---|
| Proportions | 2:3 |
| Designer | Louis Shellback III |
| State capital | Carson City |
| State motto | All for Our Country |
| Population | 3,104,614 |
Nevada state flag FAQ
Why does the Nevada flag say Battle Born?
Nevada became a state in 1864, during the Civil War. "Battle Born" is one of the state's mottos and refers to that wartime statehood.
When did Nevada change its flag?
Nevada adopted flags in 1905, 1915 and 1929, and a law enacted in 1991 moved the word "Nevada" to below the star. That version is the one in use today.
What is the old flag of Nevada like?
The 1929 flag was also blue with a silver star and sagebrush, but the letters of "Nevada" circled the star, with the N at the top. Earlier flags from 1905 and 1915 were different designs.
Why is the Nevada state flag blue?
The statute calls for a solid cobalt blue field. The blue of the first 1905 flag was meant to match the blue of the U.S. flag.
What is the plant on the Nevada flag?
It is sagebrush, the state flower. Two sprays of it form a wreath around the star.
