Flag of Oregon

What the Oregon state flag looks like

Oregon's flag is navy blue with gold lettering and gold images, and it has a different design on each side. The ratio is 2:3.

The front carries a gold shield in the center. Above the shield are the words STATE OF OREGON in gold capital letters, and below it is the year 1859. The shield is surrounded by 33 gold stars. On the shield are a mountain range, a river with a covered wagon, a plow, a sheaf of wheat and a pickaxe, and a scene of the Pacific coast with the sun setting over the ocean. An eagle sits above the shield. On the coast scene, a British warship is leaving and an American merchant ship is arriving.

The reverse carries a single gold beaver, the official state animal. This second side is what makes the flag unique among U.S. states.

Oregon flag meaning and symbolism

The year 1859 is the year Oregon joined the Union, and the 33 stars show that it was the 33rd state. The navy blue and gold are the colors of the state; blue and gold are used together on other symbols of the state too.

The shield is taken from the state seal and tells the story of Oregon's economy and settlement: the plow and wheat stand for farming, the pickaxe for mining, the covered wagon for the pioneers on the Oregon Trail, and the ships for trade. The departing British ship and arriving American ship refer to the end of British claims in the region. The beaver was chosen because of the fur trade, which first drew settlers to the area and earned Oregon the nickname the Beaver State. The motto on the state seal, Alis volat propriis, means "she flies with her own wings".

History of the Oregon flag

Oregon was admitted in 1859 but had no official state flag for many decades. The legislature adopted the current flag in 1925, with the shield and lettering on the front. The design was produced by the Portland department store Meier & Frank. The law describes the flag as a two-sided design, with the beaver on the reverse.

In practice, most flags flown outdoors show only the front design, since printing both sides is more costly. The flag is often placed high in surveys of the best-liked U.S. state flags, thanks to its bold colors and the beaver. Compare it with Washington and California on the U.S. state flags page.

Interesting facts about the Oregon flag

• Oregon is the only state with two different designs on its flag, answering a common question about "two flags".
• The 33 stars match Oregon's order of admission to the Union.

For the national flag, see the flag of the United States.