Take Pride in Your Washington Flag Display!

Background of the Washington Flag
 

The state seal of Washington, which features a picture of its namesake George Washington, is displayed on a field of dark green, with optional gold fringe. It is the only state flag in the United States that feature a field of green with a picture of an American president. In addition to certifying replica flags for commercial sale and other flag-related criteria, the Secretary of State controls flag protocol pertaining to the state flag.
 

Since its official adoption on March 5, 1923, the flag has served as a representation of Washington. Despite becoming a state in 1889, Washington did not yet have a state flag. The flag was created in 1915 by the Washington chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, who later lobbied the Washington State Legislature to adopt it in the early 1920s. Since the state flag's inception, there have been a few minor changes, such as the usage of standardized colors in 1955 and a modified seal in 1967.
 

History of the Washington Flag
 

Months before being formally admitted as a state of the United States on November 11, 1889, Washington approved its seal during the state constitutional convention on August 21, 1889. Despite the absence of an official flag, the Washington Volunteer Infantry first carried the flag during the Philippine-American War in 1899, when it was flown across the state. The flag featured a gold profile of the state's namesake, George Washington, on blue bunting. Another common design had a purple or green flag with a gold state seal.
 

Representative William J. Hughes of Whatcom County suggested in 1913 that the Governor, Secretary of State, and Adjutant General organize a panel to choose the state flag. The state's governor, Ernest Lister, supported the proposal and invited local organizations and residents to submit ideas. Patriotic organizations like the Sons of the American Revolution and Sons of Veterans opposed the state flag campaign, believing that using a state flag would harm the use of the national flag. The state House of Representatives passed Hughes' bill 69-20, but the state senate did not take it up for a vote.

The Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition
 

The Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition of 1909, a world's fair held in Seattle, marked the start of a movement to adopt an official state flag by the Washington chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). When the national DAR learned that the state of Washington lacked a suitable flag, it formed a design committee under the direction of Emma Chadwick (wife of Washington Supreme Court justice Stephen J. Chadwick) to create a state flag. The national DAR requested that the Washington chapter send a state flag to be displayed in the DAR Memorial Continental Hall in Washington, D.C. Adopted in 1915, the DAR's flag featured the state seal in the middle of a green backdrop. The flag was made in Washington, D.C., for $48 (roughly $1,300 in 2021), and displayed by the national DAR until 1916. The flag was then given back to the Washington chapter for their general meeting in Everett in April 1916, where DAR State Regent Elizabeth Bowden urged the chapter to ask the legislature to accept the flag as an official state symbol.
 

First Unofficial Flag of Washington
 

An unofficial flag of Washington with a green background and the state seal in gold was depicted in a 1917 National Geographic Magazine article on U.S. state flags. This flag was received from "military authority" and resembled the DAR's design. The short-lived Washington State Nautical School's secretary-treasurer Grover C. Gaier created a green flag with the state seal and gold fringe, which became another significant flag proposal in 1920. The USS Vicksburg would fly the flag while traveling to Hawaii and the West Coast in order to symbolize the state nautical school.
 

The First Official State Flag
 

In 1922, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) resumed their advocacy for a state flag after securing the support of the Sons of the American Revolution and other civic groups. During the 1923 legislative session, a bill to adopt the state flag was filed. By February, the Senate had unanimously approved it, and on March 5, the House of Representatives had done the same. The state flag was officially adopted when the bill, which did not require the governor's consent, became law. The statute was put into effect on June 7, 1923, and the DAR raised an unofficial flag on Flag Day. Washington was one of four states without an official state flag at the time it was adopted. On July 23, 1924, the first official state flag was unfurled. It was created by Willis Bloom of the Secretary of State office. Following Governor Roland H. Hartley's inauguration on January 15, 1925, a "State Flag Waltz" was played at the Inaugural Ball to honor the new flag.
 

Updates to the State Flag
 

The state legislature changed the state flag in 1925–1926, replacing the green fringe with a gold one to match the state seal. On June 27, 1927, while the governor was touring Fort Lewis in his official car, the gold-rimmed flag had its public premiere. Governor Hartley accepted a state flag from the DAR in 1929 on behalf of the state to fly in the Washington State Capitol.
 

In 1955, the Secretary of State for Washington released standardized colors for the state flag, including the contemporary hues used in the state seal. At the Secretary of State's request, Dick Nelms redesigned the state seal in 1967 using Gilbert Stuart's well-known picture of George Washington. The redesigned state flag now features the new state seal, which was authorized by the state legislature in April 1967.
 

The 72 American state, American territorial, and Canadian province flags were the subject of a 2001 survey by the North American Vexillological Association, which also polled other flag aficionados. With a score of 4.53 out of 10, members placed the Washington state flag 47th out of the 72 flags examined. The flag of Washington received criticism for its intricate seal, extensive use of typography, and resemblance to other state flags of the United States that featured seals on solid colors.
 

Flag Design
 

The seal of Washington, a picture of George Washington enclosed in a ring with the words "The Seal of the State of Washington 1889," is in the center of a dark green field. A gold fringe is an optional addition to the flag. It is the only U.S. state flag with a green background and the only one with a depiction of a recognized historical figure. With the exception of two alternative flag sizes, 3 ft x 5 ft (0.9 m x 1.5 m) and 4 ft x 6 ft (1.2 m x 1.8 m), the flag has an aspect ratio of 1:1.6 (equal to 5:8). The ratio of the seal's diameter to the flag's length is one to three, with the seal's size proportional to the latter. The seal is 31 inches in diameter and is shown on a 5 ft by 8 ft (1.5 m by 2.4 m) flag.
 

The colors of the flag are in accordance with both the Pantone Matching System and the Standard Color Reference of America. The sponsor of the 1923 bill that established the flag, Senator Guy B. Groff, claimed that the green field of the flag symbolized the "verdant fields" of Western Washington and the gold seal, the "wheat lands" of Eastern Washington.
 

Interesting Facts About the Washington Flag
 

Who designed the state of Washington’s flag?

After Washington joined the Union more than 30 years prior, the state flag was not formally adopted until 1923.
 
The nineteenth-century Washington Territory seal featured a realistic naturalistic scene with a lady in the foreground representing hope and a sea and mountains in the background, all surrounded by fir forests, log homes, and wagons. That design was modified in 1889, the year the state became a nation.
 
Charles Talcott, an Olympia jeweler who was hired to engrave the seal, proposed a subtly beautiful design that featured the name of the state, the year of its admission to the Union, and a bust of George Washington. That seal was authorized on July 4, 1889. The "Evergreen State" flag was chosen in 1915 by Mrs. Stephen J. Chadwick, a Daughters of the American Revolution member, with a green background and a bust of President George Washington in the center. With merely a silver dollar and an ink bottle, Talcott created the seal's rings. A postage stamp was then used to center the picture of George Washington.
 
The inscription 'The Seal of the State of Washington 1889' was lettered by his brother L. Grant Talcott, and even the printing dye was cut by his brother G. N. Talcott. The image of George Washington is set on a blue backdrop and surrounded by a gold ring featuring black letters in the state flag's seal.
 

Washington State Flag Name

A state flag is a scaled-down version of the national flag, or occasionally a brand-new design, that is formally recognized and restricted (theoretically or practically) for use by a nation's government or its agencies by law or custom.  
They are sometimes referred to be government flags as a result. Because it is the only state flag with a green base and a real person's face, the Washington State Flag is referred to be a state flag.
 
Since the seal must be embroidered on both sides, the flag is the most expensive in the country. The Washington Secretary of State should always get two copies of anyone who wants to copy the Washington state flag. If permitted, the secretary will keep one copy of the flag on file and send the other back to the person who made it with the notation "approved."
  

FAQ About Washington State
 

What is Washington state famous for?
 

Washington is known for much more than you might expect, including the Pacific Ocean, breathtaking mountain ranges, and its productive agricultural plains in the east. The state of Washington is well-known for its agricultural prowess, numerous national parks, snow-capped volcanic mountains, and college basketball.
 

What is the best time to visit Washington state?
 

The greatest time for warm, dry days is during the peak season of July to September. The hottest and driest months in Washington are July and August, and it's high season, so even residents of Seattle can enjoy some sunshine. The peak tourist seasons are the summer and early fall (July through September).
 

What is the number 1 attraction in Washington state?
 

Olympic National Park: It spans various habitats and approximately a million acres. Some of the best hiking and backpacking trails in the state may be found on Mt. Olympus, one of the most visited attractions. Also accessible to visitors is the Hoh Rainforest, which contains enormous 500-year-old trees.
 

What food is Washington known for?
 

The state of Washington is renowned for its abundant coffee shops, fresh seafood from the coast, and wineries in the east. But it also has a diversified population of farmers and foragers who cultivate and gather foodstuffs like peated barley, lavender, asparagus, and asparagus.
 

What Washington Flags Do We Offer?
 

We are proud to offer high-quality Washington flags for indoor use, outdoor use and even flag sets! You can be sure to find a flag that fits your needs perfectly!
 

Our Indoor Washington Flags come in two sizes and are made from one of Carrot Top's proprietary fabrics. For your house, office, school, company, or church, these flags produce vibrant inside displays. Strong, fading-resistant colors and strengthened lock stitching help prevent fraying on indoor Washington flags.
 

Outdoor Washington Flags produce lovely displays that showcase your love for the state of Washington in elegance and grace. These sturdy flags are made from two of Carrot Top's distinctive fabrics and come in a variety of sizes so that our customers may choose the one that best matches the height of their flagpole.
 

Washington State flag sets mix our lovely state flags with our eminent and sophisticated flag poles. With the help of our flag sets, you may create a display that best meets your preferences and the available space. Select the flag, flagpole, and pole finish of your choice. You can rely on Carrot-Top Industries to make sure that your display of the Washington State flag is flawless.
 

Our Washington Flags are Made in the USA! 

At Carrot-Top Industries, we take great pride in carrying Made in the USA goods like our Washington flags and American flags. You can directly support the American economy and independence by buying products that are Made in the USA.
 

Contact Our Team Experts Today!

At Carrot-Top, we take great pride in having more than 40 years of grit and expertise behind us. Any of our customer service agents would be happy to help you place an order for a Washington state flag, an American flag, a flagpole, any of our customized goods, or even one of our military flags right now! Get in touch with us right away! Please feel free to read our comprehensive flag buying guide for state and American flags as well.