Category — History

(Prepared by Ronald L. Fox, John Hartvigsen, David Rindlisbach, Bill Wing and Paul Swenson, with assistance of the Utah State Division of History and the Utah State Archives)

Utah’s first flag was made in March of 1903 by ZCMI seamstress, Agnes Tuedt Frenelius at the direction of the Utah State Society of the Daughters of the Revolution.  The organization received a request from Governor Heber M. Wells, for a flag to be display at the St. Louis World’s Fair.

The word “Utah” was added to the bottom of the flag sometime after 1905.

The flag above was adopted by Legislature as the state flag through SJR 17 by Senate President Henry Gardner on March 9, 1911.

Utah’s flag celebrates its centennial anniversary this year from when the flag was originally adopted in 1911. HCR 2 (Rep. Julie Fisher) reaffirms the statute of 1913 (the last code to describe Utah’s flag) and encourages flag manufacturers to follow current Utah code.  The resolution provides an opportunity for Utah’s school children to learn about the political process while learning about the flag’s history and encourages future generations to honor the flag and those who came before us.  Flags currently in use may continue to be used until no longer in good repair.

The picture above is a copy of the only known photo of the 1913 flag (minimal quality from an old newspaper).  The description and colors were taken from language found in the Senate Journal and the original resolution found in the State Archives.

Below is the current Utah flag. In 1922, the “1847” was mistakenly put just above the “1896” and not on the shield, which does not follow the statute and has been perpetuated to this day.

Utah’s flag celebrates its centennial anniversary this year from when the flag was originally adopted in 1911.  HCR 2 (Rep. Julie Fisher) reaffirms the statute of 1913 (the last code to describe Utah’s flag) and encourages flag manufacturers to follow current Utah code.

The resolution provides an opportunity for Utah’s school children to learn about the political process while learning about the flag’s history and encourages future generations to honor the flag and those who came before us.

Flags currently in use may continue to be used until no longer in good repair.

The graphic above is a representation of the flag based on the 1913 resolution, and the surviving photograph. The description and colors were taken from language found in the Senate Journal and the original resolution found in the State Archives.

The flag is based on the Utah seal approved on April 3, 1896 through H. B. 164 by Rep. Edward Critchlow, as required by the Utah Constitution.  It was based on a design submission by Harry Edwards and Charles M. Jackson.  The flag displays an American bald eagle, a shield and six arrows which represent the six Indian tribes found in the territory at statehood.  Also displayed are the state motto, “INDUSTRY”, the beehive, the state flower the sego lily, (also adopted in 1911), the name “UTAH” and the year the pioneers enter the valley 1847.  The shield is surrounded by two partially shown period US flags on staffs with the date of statehood, 1896 below.  A thin gold ring surrounding the crest and gold fringe on its border finishes the flag.

When the President of the United States appears on camera, we normally see a representation of the Presidential seal attached to his podium and the Presidential flag displayed at his side. Today, these symbols of Presidential power and authority share the same design.

Although there have been several Presidential seals and even more Presidential flags, their various designs have basically run parallel throughout our nation’s history.

Consider the Presidential seal seen above. Not a plaque made to be displayed on a platform, this engraved seal die was cut to make wax impressions that were applied to documents and letters, as true seals. Made perhaps as early as 1845 during the administration of James K. Polk, the seal found use during the presidencies of Polk, Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan and Lincoln. Lincoln replaced it in late 1864 with a seal showing thirty-six stars, the full complement of stars to represent all states: North and South. The “old seal” as it was later called disappeared until located and recognized by a Utah researcher, Ronald Fox. The seal’s design is strikingly similar to the design of a Presidential flag illustrated in a little book entitled Maritime Flags of All Nations published in London in 1848. The design and the eagle’s wings are extended to fill the flag’s rectangular space and a red scroll with the motto E. Pluribus Unum was added; nevertheless, the parallels between seal and flag are obvious.

For both emblems, the American eagle holds the olive branch of peace in the right talon and the arrows of war in its left claw. This clearly symbolizes the U.S. Presidents authority as Commander-in-chief. A civilian head of the armed forces charged to maintain peace with military might when required.

The United States and other nations have official calendars listing Flag Days on which it is appropriate to fly their flags.

In 2011 Colonial Flag will highlight selected Flag Days celebrated in the United States and around the world.  These flag days are Flag Facts and in order to highlight these we have compiled a list of Flag Days celebrated in America as well as important Flag Days in other nations.  To spotlight these special days each month we will announce on our Web site and post articles to our blog (flag-post.com).  Additionally, we will make postings to our Facebook page, and the Colonial Flag Showroom will host special events to lead the celebrations.

Click here to see the compiled list of Flag Days.  While it would be impossible to include all Flag Days, we want to do our best to remember the days that are important to our community!

Contact us if you have you a Flag Day to suggest that we may have missed.  Share with us any observance your group may be planning which includes the display of flags.

Flags add color and excitement to any scene, but additionally they have meaning to those who display them.  They remind us of history and inspire us to action.  Join us at Colonial Flag in the celebration of flags throughout the year!