Missouri Flag

The Missouri state flag was adopted in 1913 as the official flag of Missouri. The Missouri flag was originally designed and fabricated by Marie Elizabeth Watkins Olliver in Jackson, Missouri. The flag has not been changed since the day of its adoption. The background of Missouri’s state flag has a tricolor in the colors red, white and blue. The colors on the state flag of Missouri represent purity, valor, vigilance and justice but they also represent the historical connection of Missouri to the France through belonging to the French Louisiana's Territory. In the center of the Missouri flag the coat of arms of the state of Missouri is circled by a blue band. The blue band displays twenty-four five-pointed stars representing Missouri's entrance into the United States Union as the 24th state. Missouri's coat of arms has in its center a shield that is divided in three parts. On the right larger half of the shield with white background is a bald eagle with an olive branch in one talon representing peace and arrows in the other talon representing war. The eagle is supposed to represent also the power and strength of the United States government.

The left half of the shield is split into two parts. The upper blue part displays a crescent moon that symbolizes Missouri at a point of time that it was inducted into the union as a state with a small population but with a high potential and wealth. The lower red part shows a grizzly bear that represent the strength and bravery of Missouri’s citizens. The shield has a white circle with the words “United we stand, divided we fall”, a motto representing the union of the United States as well as its advantages.

Two grizzly bears holding up the shield also represent the strength and bravery of Missouri’s citizens. Below the shield and the grizzly bears is a banner that holds Missouri’s state motto, “Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto”, which means translated “Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law”. Also displayed is the date of 1820 in Roman numerals, the date that Missouri entered the Union. Right above the shield is a helmet representing Missouri's souvereignity and 23 smaller stars represent the 23 states entering before Missouri into the union. The bigger star representing Missouri as 24th state is surrounded by a cloud that symbolizes the difficulties Missouri’s on its way to being a state.

After all this history a little on how to retire a Missouri flag. The best way to retire a Missouri flag is to have a ceremonial burn, just like for the United States flag. And in case you didn’t know hoe to fold a Missouri flag, it can be folded the same way as the United States flag is folded by the military to end up in a triangle.

For educational purposes and for the fun of our younger citizens, Missouri state flag coloring pages are available and pictures of the Missouri flag can be found in history books, museums and online.