1901 Maine Flag

1901 Maine State Flag (1908)
Use Civil and state flag
Adopted 1901–1909
1901 Maine State Flag as commercially available (2018)
Use Civil and state flag
Adopted 1901–1909

The 1901 Maine state flag was flown in Maine during the years 1901 to 1909 and was the first official flag to be used by the state. It was later replaced by a more standard military-style flag in 1909. The flag has recently seen a revival of interest due to local Maine vexillologists and businesses.

Design

There is no set standard design for the 1901 Maine state flag. Each flag maker can have their interpretation of the flag as the legislative document simply states “buff charged with the emblem of the State, a pine tree proper in the center and the polar star (a mullet of five points), in blue in the upper corner.” As long as this criteria is met, the flag should be considered a Maine state flag. Some flags might have stylized pine trees or various shades of “buff” (beige).

Historical usage

Although Maine had a semi-official militia Flag from the 1820s to the 1860s, an official design was first proposed at the time the State House was being enlarged.

On March 6th, 1901, An act to establish a State Flag was read in the State House of Representatives and referred to the Military Affairs Committee. It was read the next day in the State Senate and also referred to Military Affairs. The first draft of this act reads as follows: The State Flag is hereby declared to be blue, charged  with the Arms of the State in the colors and as described in the Resolves of the State of Maine from 1820 to 1828, Volume I, Chapter IV. Resolve for providing a Seal, June 9th, 1820, Description of the Device, &c., of the Seal and Arms of the State of Maine.[1]

The Military Affairs Committee read their report on this act in the House on March 15 and in the Senate on March 19; this report contained a new draft and was read by Frederick Walls of Vinalhaven (born North Searsmont, Me., 1844; died Vinalhaven, March 15, 1921, son of Jacob Walls and Eliza Thompson) with the recommendation, ought to pass. The new draft reads as follows:

The State Flag is hereby declared to be buff charged with the emblem of the State, a pine tree proper in the center and the polar star (a mullet of five points), in blue in the upper corner. The star to be equidistant from the hoist and upper border of the flag, the distance from the two borders to the center of the star equal to about one quarter the hoist. This distance and the size of the star being proportionate to the size of the flag.

This act passed both houses and on March 21st, 1901 was Engrossed – Chapter 233 – State Law.[2]

Only one existing flag from the period 1901–1908 is known to exist. It is a small silk flag made about 1908 by the A. Kimball Co. of New York, likely made for the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition which was held in 1909. There are three known copies of this flag, one in San Francisco, one in Maryland, and one in Maine.

In 1990 and in 1992, David B. Martucci of Washington, Maine proposed legislation brought forward by his representatives in the Maine Legislature to revert to the 1901 flag, arguing that it is (1) a simpler, more representative design; (2) unlike any other US State flag, and (3) more representative of "The Pine Tree State" than the present design. In 1990 the proposal received 0 votes in committee while in 1992 it received just 1.

A new law was later enacted on February 23rd, 1909, modeled on the first draft and after flags used in the Civil War, which revised the original:

“§206. State flag. The flag to be known as the official flag of the State shall be of blue, of the same color as the blue field in the flag of the United States, and of the following dimensions and designs; to wit, the length or height of the staff to be 9 feet, including brass spearhead and ferrule; the fly of said flag to be 5 feet 6 inches, and to be 4 feet 4 inches on the staff; in the center of the flag there shall be embroidered in silk on both sides of the flag the coat of arms of the State, in proportionate size; the edges to be trimmed with knotted fringe of yellow silk, 2 1/2 inches wide; a cord, with tassels, to be attached to the staff at the spearhead, to be 8 feet 6 inches long and composed of white and blue silk strands. A flag made in accordance with the description given in this section shall be kept in the office of the Adjutant General as a model.”[3]

Maine is one of 26 US States that use a blue flag with the State Arms or Seal on them.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Maine State Archives, in folder relating to the adoption of the first State Flag under date of 3/6/1901.
  2. ↑ Maine (16 August 2018). "Acts and Resolves Passed by the ... Legislature of the State of Maine". Stevens & Sayward. Retrieved 16 August 2018 – via Google Books.
  3. ↑ "Title 1, §206: State flag". Legislature.maine.gov. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.