Flag of Utah

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Flag of Utah

The flag of Utah was adopted in 1913 and consists of the Utah state seal encircled in a golden circle on a background of navy blue. The motto "industry" represents progress, as does the emblem of the beehive. The date 1847 represents the year Brigham Young led the first Mormons into the state.

1 The seal
2 Early Utah flag
3 Current flag
4 References

[edit] The seal

The design of the seal was adopted in 1850 by the Territory of Utah and modified by the artist Harry Edwards when Utah became a state in 1896. He added a bald eagle and crossed U.S. flags to indicate the protection of the United States and Utah's loyalty to the nation.

[edit] Early Utah flag

The original Utah state flag was adopted by the new state legislature in 1896. This flag consisted of a solid white depiction of the Utah State Seal on a light blue background. This flag remained in service until the state legislature revised the statutes in 1913.

In 1903, the Utah State Society Daughters of the Revolution presented a state flag to Governor Heber M. Wells, The silk flag, embroidered by Agnes Teudt Fernelius, displayed the Utah State Seal. Each member of the USSDR had donated one dollar to pay for the flag.

In October of 1903, it was determined that an error had been made in the State Seal depicted on the flag and it was also determined that the flag that had been presented and accepted by the Governor was not an official state flag but rather would serve as the Governor's regimental flag. An official state flag would have to comply with an act of the state legislature and thereby be approved by the state legislature.

The USSDR took their flag to artist H.L.A. Culmer and asked him to make corrections to the state seal. A new flag was born of this effort and presented to the Governor. The Governor replied that ""It will be my pleasure to display this flag upon every important occasion where the Governor's flag may be required, both at the World's Fair in St. Louis in celebration of the Louisiana Purchase and elsewhere during my incumbency." This flag was used until 1913.

[edit] Current flag

In 1912, the Sons and Daughters of Utah Pioneers commissioned a flag to be presented to the battleship Utah. This flag displayed the Utah State Seal centered on a blue background and circled by a thin gold line. This flag became the official Utah State Flag as we know it today when it was approved by the legislature and Governor William Spry signed the House Joint Resolution in 1913.