States101 
Missouri
State Flag
The Missouri flag was formally adopted on September 4, 1913. Since, Missouri has maintained the same flag for the last 111 years.
The Missouri flag was voted 33rd best out of 51 Flags ranked by the North American Vexillological Association.
The 4 main colors in the Missouri flag are #002768, #BE0A2F, #FFFFFF, and #9A4A23. The Missouri flag width is 1.7 times the height. Standard flag size is 3 feet x 5.1 feet.
We also provide high resolution and Scalar Vector Graph (SVG) downloadable images — free of charge. Go to Flag Downloads.
Buy Your Missouri State Flag Now!Missouri Flag
Colors
| #002768 | 36% |
| #BE0A2F | 31.2% |
| #FFFFFF | 26.8% |
| #9A4A23 | 1.5% |
Description
Missouri's state flag consists of three horizontal stripes with red on the top, white in the center and blue on the bottom. A circle is centered on the flag while being surrounded by a band of blue with 24 white five-pointed stars. Contained within the circle, the Missouri coat of arms appears which was designed by Judge Robert William Wells. The center of the seal is composed of a three-part shield held by a grizzly bear on each side. On the right is the United States coat of arms which features a bald eagle whose claws clutch handfuls of arrows and an olive branch. On the left side stands a grizzly bear and a crescent moon. The motto, “United We Stand, Divided We Fall,” surrounds the three parts within the circle. The coat-of-arms also features a yellow scroll at the bottom which reads, “Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto.” That’s Latin for, “Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law.” Below the scroll are the Roman Numerals for 1820, the year Missouri became a member of the United States. Above the shield is a knight’s helmet which has 23 smaller stars and one larger star to represent Missouri.
Meaning
The three horizontal stripes on the flag represent bravery, purity and justice respectively. The colors on the flag indicate a French heritage as Missouri was part of the Louisiana Purchase from France. The 24 stars surrounding the coat of arms represent Missouri’s induction as the 24th state.
The coat of arms centered on the flag denotes many treasured meanings. First, the two grizzly bears are symbols of courage and strength. The grizzly bear within the center on the left represents the strength and bravery of the citizens of the state, while the above crescent moon symbolizes a new state. The moon also serves as a reminder that while Missouri had a small population and little wealth, there was hope it would increase like a crescent moon.
History
Missouri’s flag was designed by Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver in 1908 when she became the chairperson of a Daughter’s of the American Revolution committee to create a state flag. During the Civil War, the Missouri state militia carried a flag bearing the Missouri coat of arms which became central to Oliver’s design. Her design then materialized into a painted paper flag and proposed to the House, who turned it down. Unfortunately, a fire in the Missouri State Capitol destroyed that flag in 1911. So, Oliver sewed a new silk one which was adopted as the official state flag on March 22, 1913. The original flag can be seen today at the Secretary of State’s office in Jefferson City, Missouri.
Contribute: This article was written by users like you! If you can improve or add to this article, please Contact Us with your suggestions. Be sure to mention which state you are referring too!
Download Missouri State Flag
Download Missouri State Flag as a high quality SVG file. Scaler Vector Images (SVGs) look good at any size. This flag can be used as tiny icons (height less than 50px) or you can make the flag huge (height over 2000px) and still look great!
Or, you can Download All State Flags!
We also provide a large black and white Missouri Flag Line Drawings for download. This coloring-book style image are perfect for student activities.
Link To Us
If you use these flags on your own website, please provide a link back to us. Your link ensures others can find these images too. When using our black and white line drawings, a link back to use is required. For all other flags, a link back is optional but greatly appreciated.
Simply copy the code below and insert it on pages where you display the flags. If you are not a developer, please direct your web developer to this page or provide them with the code snippet below.