Flag of Oregon
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Infobox flag The flag of Oregon is a two-sided flag in navy blue and gold with an optional gold fringe. On the front is the escutcheon from the state seal and on the reverse is a gold figure of a beaver, the state animal. Oregon is the only U.S. state to feature different designs on both sides of its flag (the flag of Massachusetts was changed in 1971 to be single-sided).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
HistoryEdit
The first flag used to represent the state was flown during the Panama–Pacific International Exposition in 1915. The front of the banner had a white background with the state seal in the center. The word "OREGON" was placed above the seal and the words "Exposition 1915" were placed below the seal. The backside contained the American flag.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The current flag of Oregon became official on February 26, 1925.<ref name="mw">Template:Cite dictionary</ref> What is believed to be the first flag of Oregon produced was made that year by Meier & Frank, sewn by Marjorie Kennedy and Blanche Cox, employees of the department store.<ref name="first flag">Template:Cite news</ref> That flag was donated to Eastern Oregon University in 1954 by the grandson of former governor Walter M. Pierce.<ref name="first flag" /> In 2010, the flag was restored.<ref name="first flag" />
Early copies of the Oregon state flag sometimes used a multi-colored state seal rather than an all-gold state seal.
DescriptionEdit
The flag field is navy blue with all lettering and symbols in gold, representing the state colors of Oregon.<ref name=obb>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Shearer>Template:Cite book</ref> On the obverse, the legend STATE OF OREGON is written above an escutcheon, which also appears in the Oregon state seal. The shield is surrounded by 33 stars, representing Oregon's admission to the Union as the 33rd state. Below the shield is written 1859, the year in which Oregon became a state.<ref name=obb/>
Oregon's flag is the last remaining state flag in the U.S. in which the obverse and reverse sides have different designs.<ref name=mw/> Paraguay<ref>Oregon, flag of. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved on May 6, 2008.</ref> is the only country that still has a two-sided flag. Two-sided flags were previously more common, but have been reduced due to increased costs of manufacturing a flag with two different designs.<ref name=mw/> On the reverse of the flag is a depiction, also in gold, of a beaver, the state animal of Oregon.<ref name=obb/>
For dress or parade use, the flag may feature a gold fringe. For standard use, no fringe is required.<ref name=obb/> The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 3:5.<ref name=fotw2>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
It is one of nine U.S. state flags to feature an eagle, alongside those of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Wyoming.
- Flags-of-usa-and-oregon.jpg
The flags of the United States and Oregon in Portland, Oregon.
- Oregon Bicentennial 13c 1976 issue.jpg
The Oregon state flag as depicted in the 1976 bicentennial postage stamp series.
- Oregon Guardsmen help distribute medical supplies (49775222251).jpg
Oregon Guardsmen with the state flag.
Proposed changeEdit
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As part of the United States Bicentennial in 1976, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art held a nationwide contest for new flags for American states, cities and other entities. A panel of judges selected 25 of the best designs to be displayed at various exhibitions around the United States. Among the selected designs was a proposed flag for Oregon, designed by Jean-Claude Muller. It consisted of a pattern of nine green triangles against a background of three vertical stripes of blue-white-blue, symbolising the forest, the ocean and the lakes of the state. Although it was hoped that the winning designs might be considered for adoption by their respective entities, no flags from this contest were ever officially adopted.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
In anticipation of the Oregon Sesquicentennial in 2009, The Oregonian organized a statewide contest in 2008 to redesign the state flag.<ref name="flagcontest">Template:Cite news</ref> The newspaper collected and published the entries with the public voting on the winning design. The winning design was created by Randall Gray, a map maker for Clackamas County. In his design, Gray emphasized the beaver found on the current flag's reverse. The star represents Oregon's place in the Union while the green represents the natural wilderness and forests of Oregon.<ref name="flagcontest"/> After the contest had started with votes being cast, there were requests for the Oregonian to add an 11th option, "NONE OF THE ABOVE", meaning, keep the current state flag as it is. In the final tally of votes, "NONE" received the most votes.
Finalists
- Flag of Oregon proposal (Gerald H. Black).svg
Flag A - Designed by Gerald H. Black
- Flag of Oregon proposal (Eddy Lyons).svg
Flag B - Designed by Eddy Lyons
- Flag of Oregon proposal (Douglas Lynch).svg
Flag C - Designed by Douglas Lynch
- Flag of Oregon proposal (Jaymes Walker).svg
Flag D - Designed by Jaymes Walker
- Flag of Oregon proposal (John Mothershead).svg
Flag E - Designed by John Mothershead
- Flag of Oregon proposal (T.J. Borzner).svg
Flag F - Designed by T.J. Borzner
- Flag of Oregon proposal (Randall Gray).svg
Flag G - Designed by Randall Gray
- Flag of Oregon proposal (Lorraine Bushek).svg
Flag H - Designed by Lorraine Bushek
- Flag of Oregon proposal (Karen L. Azinger).svg
Flag I - Designed by Karen L. Azinger
- Flag of Oregon proposal (Thomas Lincoln).svg
Flag J - Designed by Thomas Lincoln
In 2013, a bill was introduced to the Oregon Senate that would have made several changes to the flag design; however, the bill never made it out of committee.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This bill was sponsored by state Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson, on behalf of Gresham resident Matt Norquist, who lobbied for the flag's change.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
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The bill describes the proposed design as follows: Template:Cquote
Unapproved Proposed Municipal Flag for Pendleton Oregon
"The Flag shall bear a blue field with a horizontal white stripe in the center. A blue circle on the left side featuring a gold beaver. Three blue stars are positioned to the right of the circle within the white stripe."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
See alsoEdit
- Seal of Oregon
- List of Oregon state symbols
- Flags whose reverse differs from the obverse
- Flag of Portland, Oregon
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
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