Coat of arms of North Dakota

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The Coat of Arms of North Dakota is probably the most obscure symbol of North Dakota. Though nominally created for use by the state government and National Guard units, the arms have seen little use since their creation in 1957. An image of the coat of arms as seen on the flag of the Governor of North Dakota and a short discussion of its use can be found at the North Dakota state government website [1].

[edit] Heraldic description

Section 54-41-01 of the North Dakota Century Code specifies the design (blazon) of the coat of arms thus;

Device: On an Indian arrowhead point to base or a bend vert charged with three mullets of the first, in base a fleur-de-lis of the second.

Crest: On a wreath or and azure, a sheaf of three arrows argent armed and flighted gules behind a stringed bow fessways or with grip of the second (gules).

Motto: Strength from the soil.

[edit] Allusions

The allusions made in the arms are laid down in section 54-41-02 NDCC:

The colors of yellow gold and green are indicative of the great agricultural state of North Dakota and has particular reference to ripening grain and the abundant grazing areas. The Indian arrowhead forms the shield of the coat of arms and symbolizes the "Sioux State." The three stars denote the trinity of government; legislative, executive, and judicial. Each star in the bend is given the heraldic value of thirteen which signifies the thirteen original colonies of the United States, and the cumulative numerical value of the three stars indicates that North Dakota was the thirty-ninth state admitted to the Union. The stars also allude to the history of the territory under three foreign flags. Three stars are borne upon the coat of arms of Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition and also on the coat of arms of Lord Selkirk, head of the first permanent settlement in this state. The fleur-de-lis alludes to la Verendrye, a French explorer who was the first known white man to visit the territory of this state. The blue and gold wreath in the crest reflects the history of the territory as part of the Louisiana purchase. The crest which shall constitute the military crest of the state of North Dakota is a motif taken from the state seal and to the Sioux Indian tribes signifies mighty warriors.

[edit] Limits of use

Section 54-41-03 limits use of the symbol to the following:

• The Governor of North Dakota
• The North Dakota National Guard
• Departments and agencies of the state of North Dakota
• North Dakota veterans organizations
• Officially recognized North Dakota educational institutions, systems, or divisions thereof
• Recognized North Dakota "patriotic organizations"

State Government of North Dakota State Capitol | North Dakota Constitution | Coat of Arms | Flag | Seal
Executive Branch	Governor | Agriculture Commissioner | Attorney General | Auditor | Insurance Commissioner | Lieutenant Governor | Secretary of State | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Tax Commissioner | Treasurer | State Cabinet
Legislative Branch	Legislative Assembly | House of Representatives | Senate
Judicial Branch	Court System | Supreme Court | Court of Appeals | District Court | Municipal Courts
Departments and divisions	Agriculture | Career and Technical Education | Commerce | Corrections and Rehabilitation | Emergency Services | Financial Institutions | Game and Fish | Health | Human Services | Labor | Land | Office of Management and Budget | Oil and Gas | Parks and Recreation | Public Instruction | Securities | Seed | Transportation | Veterans Affairs
Boards and commissions	Board of Higher Education | Industrial Commission | Public Service Commission | Water Commission
Other	Bank of North Dakota | Highway Patrol | State Library | State Mill and Elevator | State Penitentiary | State School for the Blind | State School for the Deaf | University System