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 legal ratio is 500:833, though in practice flags are often made 3:5 or 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 mountains, an elk, a covered wagon, a plow, a sheaf and a pickaxe, and a view of the Pacific Ocean. An eagle (the crest) sits above the shield. On the ocean view, a British man-of-war is departing and an American steamer 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 state colors of Oregon.

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 are often read as referring to the end of British claims in the region. The beaver is the state animal and is commonly linked to the fur trade and 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 current flag was officially adopted on February 26, 1925, with the shield and lettering on the front. The first officially produced flag is believed to have been made that year by employees of 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 making two different designs costs more. Compare it with Washington and California on the U.S. state flags page.

Interesting facts about the Oregon flag

• Oregon's is the only U.S. state flag with different designs on its two sides (Paraguay is the only country with a two-sided national 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.