Ohio State Flag

Ohio Flag

Ohio Flag

Adoption date: May 9, 1902

The flag of Ohio, which was officially adopted in 1902, is the only flag that doesn’t have the traditional rectangular shape. The Ohio flag is actually a burgee. A burgee is typically flown by yachts, has a distinguished shape, more like a pennant with two tails. That design is properly called swallow-tailed. 

Ohio’s flag was designed by John Eisenmann in 1901. Ohio was without a state flag for nearly 100 years before it was officially adopted. 

Ohio State Flag Design

flying the Ohio flag
“Flying Ohio Flag” by J. Stephen Conn on Flickr

The design of the Ohio flag has three red and two white horizontal stripes. At its staff end is a blue triangular field with the center of the middle red stripe. There are 17 white stars grouped around a red disc with a white circle around it. 

The 13 stars are depicted for the original 13 colonies and 4 more were added because Ohio was the 17th state admitted to the Union. The ‘O’ represents O for Ohio and also but also suggests Ohio’s famous state nickname, “The Buckeye State.” The triangles represent the hills and valleys and the stripes, roads and waterways. 

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