Ohio State Flags
Ohio is the only one of the 50 states to use a non-rectangular flag. It is unique among the state flags of the Union. Unique in shape but uncomplicated in design, the flag is filled with symbolism.
Who designed the Ohio State Flag?
The Ohio state flag was designed by John Eisenmann in 1902 for the Pan-American Exposition, which was a World's Fair held in Buffalo, New York, United States. Eisenmann was an architect in Cleveland, Ohio. Aside from designing the Ohio state flag, he also pioneered structural steel construction in the United States and is credited with co-designing Cleveland's Arcade, "the first commercial building in the state designated an historic landmark in architecture."
Eisenmann developed a distinctive flag to fly over each corner of the Ohio Building. The wool flags officially represented the Ohio Pan-American Exposition Commission rather than the state.
What is the Design of the Ohio State Flag?
The Ohio state flag's design is defined in the Ohio Revised Code:
The flag of the state shall be burgee-shaped. It shall have three red and two white horizontal stripes that represent the roads and waterways of the state. The union of the flag shall be seventeen five-pointed stars, white in a blue triangular field that represents the state's hills and valleys, the base of which shall be the staff end or vertical edge of the flag, and the apex of which shall be the center of the middle red stripe. The stars shall be grouped around a red disc superimposed upon a white circular "O." The thirteen stars grouped around the "O" represent the original states of the United States and the four stars added to the peak of the triangle symbolize that Ohio was the seventeenth state admitted to the union. The "O" represents the "O" in "Ohio" and suggests the state's nickname, the buckeye state. The proportional dimensions of the flag and of its various parts shall be according to the official design on file in the office of the secretary of state.
The Ohio state flag has a unique swallowtail design which is more correctly called a burgee (pronounced bûr’je) rather than a "flag" or "banner."
What is the Symbolism of the Ohio State Flag?
The blue triangular field represents Ohio’s hills and valleys. It contains seventeen white stars - thirteen stars surrounding the circle are symbols of the original thirteen colonies. Four stars at the apex of the triangle raise the total number of stars to seventeen (Ohio was the 17th state to enter the Union in 1803). The red and white stripes represent the roads and waterways of the state. The white circle with a red center forms an "O" for "Ohio" and is also related to Ohio's nickname (The Buckeye State).
The colors of the state flag are the same as the Red White and Blue of the US Flag which are also the same colors of the Union Jack of the United Kingdom. Using these same colors symbolize that Ohio was an extension of the the original country.
When was the Ohio State Flag Adopted?
For nearly a century after statehood, Ohio had no legally authorized state flag. In 1902, State Representative William S. McKinnon, a member of the Ohio Pan-American Exposition Commission, introduced House Bill 213 designating Eisenmann's design as the official flag. It became law on May 9, making it the 20th U.S. state flag or banner.
Initially, Ohio's flag was seldom used, in part due to the prevailing opinion that the Stars and Stripes should hold a monopoly on patriotic displays. In the century following its adoption, the guidon gained significant popularity, being flown not only by the state but frequently also by its residents and businesses.
Folding the Ohio State Flag?
The procedure was passed by the 125th Ohio General Assembly as House Bill 552 and signed into law by Governor Bob Taft on February 15, 2005. The method requires that two people fold the flag. The procedure is as follows, based on the Ohio revised code:
With the flag unfolded, fold the flag in half lengthwise so that the points of the flag are aligned. Fold the flag in half lengthwise a second time to form a long strip with the red disc facing the ground. Next, fold the pointed end back onto itself to form a rectangle. These steps entail three folds.
Starting on the end formed by the fold of the pointed end back onto itself, fold two inches of the flag onto itself for a flag with a three-foot hoist and a five-foot fly, or another appropriate width of fold for a flag of a different size. Repeat the folds a total of fourteen times, alternating the folds in a fan-like manner.
The result is a total of seventeen folds symbolizing that Ohio was the seventeenth state admitted to the Union. Finally, neatly and snugly wrap the remaining length of flag around the fan-folds to form a compact rectangle.
