Ohio's state flag has a history that is just as unique as its design! Mary walks us through the flag's history and all of the symbolic aspects of its design.
Class Discussion Questions:
1) Design a flag for your community. Explain your design.
Read the Script:
Ohio's state flag — it's right there behind me every week, and you'll see it waving proudly all around the state. But the truth is, Ohio was a little late to the party when it comes to a flag — 100 years late to be exact.
Ohio entered the union in 1803, but it wasn't until 1902 that it finally got around to officially adopting a state flag, and the flag was first publicly displayed...in New York. In 1901 Ohio was a state on the rise, with booming cities and a profitable agricultural industry. So, when then governor George Nash heard about the Pan-American Exposition, a large international fair happening in nearby Buffalo, he saw an opportunity for the Buckeye State to steal the spotlight. He set up a commission to construct a big fancy building in honor of Ohio, and out front waved Ohio's newly designed flag. The state even celebrated Ohio Day on July 18th, 1901, at the fair, boasting that six presidents had come from the state of Ohio, including the current president, William McKinley, who, as it turns out, was assassinated a few months later at the same exhibition.
The flag was designed by Cleveland architect, John Eisenmann, who was probably best known for designing the stunning Cleveland Arcade downtown, and just like his architecture, he strived to make the Ohio flag unique. While every state flag is a standard rectangle, Ohio is the only one to have a different shape, called a swallow tailed burgee. Eisenmann designed the flag to represent the many aspects of Ohio. The points of the blue triangle stand for the hills and valleys of the state. The 13 stars on the left side represent the original 13 colonies. The other four stars are symbols of the next four states, including Ohio, which was the 17th state in the union. The stripes represent the roads and waterways of Ohio. Finally, the red and white circles stand for the O in Ohio, and are meant to look like a buckeye. On the flag's 100th birthday, Ohio lawmakers adopted a pledge to the flag: "I salute the flag of the estate of Ohio and pledge to the Buckeye State respect and loyalty."
Because Ohio's state flag is such an important symbol of its history, there are special rules for how to handle it and how it can be displayed. There's even a special way to fold it that was invented by a boy scout in 2005, and made into law. Interestingly, the current American flag was also designed by an Ohioan. Robert Hecht was 17 years old when he designed the flag for a class project. His teacher gave him a B-, but said he could get a better grade if he was able to get Congress to approve his design. And he did!
Learn a little more...with a link!
Website Article: Ohio History Connection, Eisenmann’s Flag | Learn about the man who design our first state flag & where it flew.
PDF: Ohio Statehouse, Fun for Kids, Ohio Activity Coloring Book | Info & pictures to color about the Ohio flag & other state symbols.
Website Articles & Images: Ohio Statehouse, County Flags | Ohio counties have flags, too. Find yours.