Flag of Nevada
Encyclopedia
The flag
of the state of Nevada consists of a cobalt blue field with a silver star in the upper left hand corner, surrounded by the state name "Nevada." Above this is a golden-yellow scroll with the words "Battle Born," indicating that Nevada became a state during the American Civil War
. Below the star are two sprays of green sagebrush
(the state flower) with yellow flowers.
.
The current flag had its origin in a design contest announced in 1926. The winning design, by Louis Shellback III, was subjected to some revision in the state legislature, where there was disagreement between the two houses over the placement of the word "Nevada" on the flag. A compromise was reached, and in 1929 Governor Fred B. Balzar
signed into law a bill adopting the new flag. In 1989, however, a legislative researcher discovered that the bill as sent to and signed by the Governor did not accurately reflect the 1929 legislative agreement. A law enacted in 1991 directed that the word "Nevada" appear below the star and above the sagebrush sprays, thus producing the current design.
In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association
(NAVA) surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U.S. state, U.S. territorial and Canadian provincial flags. NAVA's members ranked Nevada's flag 55th out of the 72.
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
of the state of Nevada consists of a cobalt blue field with a silver star in the upper left hand corner, surrounded by the state name "Nevada." Above this is a golden-yellow scroll with the words "Battle Born," indicating that Nevada became a state during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Below the star are two sprays of green sagebrush
Sagebrush
Sagebrush is a common name of a number of shrubby plant species in the genus Artemisia native to western North America;Or, the sagebrush steppe ecoregion, having one or more kinds of sagebrush, bunchgrasses and others;...
(the state flower) with yellow flowers.
History
The first flag of Nevada was created by Governor John Sparks and Col. Harry Day in 1905. It was based strongly on Nevada's natural resources of gold and silver. The blue of the flag was based directly on the color of the flag of the United StatesFlag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
.
Fred B. Balzar
Frederick Bennett "Fred" Balzar was an American politician. He was the 15th Governor of Nevada. He was a member of the Republican Party.-Biography:...
signed into law a bill adopting the new flag. In 1989, however, a legislative researcher discovered that the bill as sent to and signed by the Governor did not accurately reflect the 1929 legislative agreement. A law enacted in 1991 directed that the word "Nevada" appear below the star and above the sagebrush sprays, thus producing the current design.
In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association
North American Vexillological Association
The North American Vexillological Association is a membership organization devoted to "vexillology as the scientific study of flags." Flag researchers, designers, collectors, activists, merchants, and other enthusiasts from the United States and Canada meet annually at NAVA meetings in order to...
(NAVA) surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U.S. state, U.S. territorial and Canadian provincial flags. NAVA's members ranked Nevada's flag 55th out of the 72.
See also
- Flags of the Governors of the U.S. States
- State of Nevada
- Symbols of the state of Nevada
- Great Seal of the State of Nevada
- Symbols of the state of Nevada