Flag of Indiana
Adopted May 31, 1917
Design: A gold torch surrounded by an outer circle of thirteen stars, an inner semi circle of five stars, and one star at the top on a field of blue.
The flag of Indiana was designed by Paul Hadley of Mooresville, Indiana, a respected Hoosier artist. and was officially adopted by the state of Indiana on May 31, 1917. It was the state's first official flag and has remained unchanged since then except for the creation of a statute to standardize the production of the flag.
To commemorate the state's 1916 centennial anniversary, the Indiana General Assembly issued a resolution to adopt a state flag. At the request of the General Assembly, a contest was sponsored by the Indiana Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution to design a flag to serve as the official state banner. As an incentive to increase the number of submissions, the contest offered the winner a one hundred dollar cash prize. More than two hundred submissions were received and examined by the Society before a winner was selected. The entry created by Paul Hadley of Mooresville, Indiana was ultimately chosen as the winner of the contest and the cash prize.
On May 31, 1917 the flag was adopted as the state's official banner. The General Assembly made only one change to Hadley's original design, they added the word Indiana, in a crescent shape, over the top of the torch. The state banner was later renamed the state's flag in a new statute passed in 1955 that also standardized the dimensions of the flag.
The flag was defined as the state banner because, according to an act of the state legislature in 1901, the state flag was technically the national flag of the United States. In 1955 the General Assembly changed its classification from state banner to state flag in addition to the American flag.
The flag consists of a gold torch that represents liberty and enlightenment; the rays around the torch represent their far-reaching influence. The nineteen stars represent Indiana's place as the nineteenth state to join the United States. The thirteen stars in the outer loop symbolize the original Thirteen Colonies, the five inner stars represent the next five states added to the Union, and the one large star above the torch represents Indiana.
The current statute that governs the design of the state flag states:
The flags dimensions shall be three feet fly by two feet hoist; or five feet fly by three feet hoist; or any size proportionate to either of those dimensions. The field of the flag shall be blue with nineteen stars and a flaming torch in gold or buff. Thirteen stars shall be arranged in an outer circle, representing the original thirteen states; five stars shall be arranged in a half circle below the torch and inside the outer circle of stars, representing the states admitted prior to Indiana; and the nineteenth star, appreciably larger than the others and representing Indiana shall be placed above the flame of the torch. The outer circle of stars shall be so arranged that one star shall appear directly in the middle at the top of the circle, and the word "Indiana" shall be placed in a half circle over and above the star representing Indiana and midway between it and the star in the center above it. Rays shall be shown radiating from the torch to the three stars on each side of the star in the upper center of the circle.
Several others laws govern the use of the state flag. The flag is required to be flown by all state militias and the Indiana National Guard. It is to be on display at the Indiana Statehouse at all times. The flag must also be displayed at any agency that is funded in part or in full by the state government, including public schools, state universities, and state parks. In all other respects the flag should be treated with the same care and respect as the flag of the United States.
In late 2008, Tribune Broadcasting station WTTV in Indianapolis began to use the flag's design as part of their station's logo.
The following information was excerpted from the Indiana Code, Title 1, Article 2.
Design and dimensions
Sec. 1. A state flag is hereby adopted, and the same shall be of the following design and dimensions, to-wit: Its dimensions shall be three (3) feet fly by two (2) feet hoist; or five (5) feet fly by three (3) feet hoist; or any size proportionate to either of those dimensions. The field of the flag shall be blue with nineteen (19) stars and a flaming torch in gold or buff. Thirteen (13) stars shall be arranged in an outer circle, representing the original thirteen (13) states; five (5) stars shall be arranged in a half circle below the torch and inside the outer circle of stars, representing the states admitted prior to Indiana; and the nineteenth star, appreciably larger than the others and representing Indiana shall be placed above the flame of the torch. The outer circle of stars shall be so arranged that one (1) star shall appear directly in the middle at the top of the circle, and the word "Indiana" shall be placed in a half circle over and above the star representing Indiana and midway between it and the star in the center above it. Rays shall be shown radiating from the torch to the three (3) stars on each side of the star in the upper center of the circle.
Township trustees, boards of school trustees and boards of school commissioners of the various school corporations of this state, and board of county commissioners of the several counties of the state, may procure a state flag for each school and for each courthouse under their respective supervision and cause the same to be placed conspicuously in the principal room or assembly hall and any courtroom of any such building or courthouse.
(Formerly: Acts 1917, c.114, s.1; Acts 1955, c.146, s.1.) As amended by Acts 1979, P.L.1, SEC.1.)
Sec. 2. The banner described in section 1 of this chapter shall be regulation, in addition to the American flag, with all of the militia forces of the state of Indiana, and in all public functions in which the state may or shall officially appear.
(Formerly: Acts 1917, c.114, s.2.) As amended by Acts 1982, P.L.2, SEC.3.)
DISPLAY AND DISTRIBUTION OF STATE FLAG.
Sec. 1. A new and different Indiana state flag shall be displayed at the state capitol building on each and every day whenever practicable and feasible.
(Formerly: Acts 1967, c.162, s.1.) As amended by Acts 1979, P.L.1, SEC.2.)
Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the commissioner of the department of administration to receive and store every flag displayed pursuant to section 1 of this chapter following such display. Upon receipt of a request of a member of the Indiana general assembly, the commissioner shall forward to the individual, group, organization, association, or other entity indicated in the legislator's request one (1) of the state flags displayed according to section 1 of this chapter. The commissioner shall forward such flags in the same order as the requests are received by him.
(Formerly: Acts 1967, c.162, s.2.) As amended by Acts 1982, P.L.2, SEC.4.)
Sec. 3. Each and every member of the Indiana general assembly shall be entitled to request and have sent, during any one (1) period of three hundred (300) days, two (2) of the state flags displayed pursuant to section 1 of this chapter. In the event that any flags are not sent at the request of a legislator before December 31, 1967, or at the end of any subsequent period of three hundred (300) days, they shall be delivered to the lieutenant governor of the state of Indiana by the commissioner of the department of administration to be disposed of at the lieutenant governor's discretion. Provided, however, that any member of the Indiana general assembly may purchase from the department of administration any other state flag which may have been manufactured in state industries at a price not to exceed the actual cost of each of said flags.
(Formerly: Acts 1967, c.162, s.3.) As amended by Acts 1982, P.L.2, SEC.5.)
Sec. 5. Each and every institution supported in whole or in part by state funds shall display the state flag in a prominent place upon its property.
(Formerly: Acts 1971, P.L.2, SEC.1.)
Sec. 6. A state flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed using the same method provided for the retiring and disposing of the flag of the United States under 4 U.S.C. 8(k).
(As added by P.L.163-2003, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.2-2005, SEC.1.)