Pennsylvania State Flag - About the Pennsylvania Flag, its adoption and history from NETSTATE.COM (original) (raw)

The first Pennsylvania state flag to display the Pennsylvania coat of arms was authorized by the General Assembly in 1799. The state coat of arms was embroidered on a blue field on both sides of the flag.

The State Coat of Arms, containing the emblems of the official state seal, first appeared on paper money issued by the state in 1777 and two years later was adopted for display on the state flag.

During the Civil War, many Pennsylvania regiments carried a modified version of the Stars and Stripes. The Pennsylvania coat of arms was substituted for the field of white stars on Old Glory.

On June 13, 1907, the Pennsylvania General Assembly standardized the design of the flag and required that the field of blue be the same color as the blue of the Flag of the United States. The law requires that the flag

"...shall be of blue, the same color as the blue field in the flag of the United States, and of the following dimensions and design; to wit, The length, or height, of the staff to be nine feet, including brass spear-head and ferrule, the fly of the said flag to be six feet and two inches, and to be four feet and six inches on the staff; in the center of the flag there shall be embroidered in silk the same on both sides of the flag the coat of arms of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in proportionate size; the edge to be trimmed with knotted fringe of yellow silk, two and one-half inches wide; a cord, with tassels, to be attached to the staff at the spear-head, to be eight feet and six inches long, and composed of white and blue strands."

Source: Flags of the Fifty States and Their Incredible Histories: The Complete Guide to America's Most Powerful Symbols by Randy Howe. The Lyons Press; First edition edition (November 1, 2002).
Source: State Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols: A Historical Guide Third Edition, Revised and Expanded by Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer. Greenwood Press; 3 Sub edition (October 30, 2001).
Source: State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers, and Other Symbols by George Earlie Shankle. Reprint Services Corp; Revised edition (June 1971).

Additional Information

Pennsylvania (U.S.): FOTW "Flags of the World" Web Site.

State Flags: Complete list of state flags with links to large pictures and images suitable for coloring.

Flag Terminology: The parts of a flag and terms associated with its design.

Visit Our Flag Shop: Purchase all kinds of flags and banners, lapel pins, 50 state flag sets, decals, patches, college banners at the Flag Shop.

Flags of the Fifty States and their Incredible Histories: A complete guide to America's most powerful symbols by Randy Howe.

How Proudly They Wave: Flags of the Fifty States: This book, by Rita D. Haban, is geared toward younger readers.