Flag of Ohio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
State of Ohio

Name	The Ohio Burgee
Use	Civil and state flag
Proportion	8:13
Adopted	May 9, 1902; 123 years ago (1902-05-09)
Design	Guidon consisting of 5 horizontal stripes alternating between red and white. The chevron is azure containing a white and red "O" and 17 white stars.
Designed by	John Eisenmann

The Ohio Burgee is the official flag of the U.S. state of Ohio. It is a triangular flag, shaped like a swallowtail. This makes it the only non-rectangular U.S. state flag in the United States! Its red, white, and blue colors represent Ohio's natural features. They also show its place as the 17th state to join the Union. A large circle on the flag looks like the letter "O" for Ohio.

An Ohio flag flies above Sawyer Point in Cincinnati.

This is a typical Union guidon from the Civil War. Many Ohio cavalry units used flags like this.

The Ohio Building at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. The flag was first flown here.

This is the original design for the Ohio State Flag by John Eisenmann.

The flag was created in 1901 by John Eisenmann. He designed it for the Pan-American Exposition, a big fair. Ohio officially adopted it as the state flag in 1902. Before this, Ohio did not have an official state flag for almost 100 years. Ohio has an official salute to its flag. There is also a special way to fold it, which involves 17 folds. The Ohio flag has inspired many logos and city flags within the state.

What Does the Ohio Flag Look Like?

The design of the Ohio state flag is described in the Ohio Revised Code, which is a set of state laws.

• The flag is shaped like a burgee, which means it's triangular with a V-cut tail.
• It has three red and two white horizontal stripes. These stripes stand for the roads and waterways in Ohio.
• The blue triangle on the left side is called the "union." It represents Ohio's hills and valleys.
• Inside the blue triangle are 17 white, five-pointed stars.
• Thirteen of these stars are grouped around a red circle placed on a white "O." These 13 stars represent the original states of the United States.
• The other four stars are at the top of the triangle. They show that Ohio was the 17th state to join the Union.
• The "O" stands for "Ohio." It also reminds people of the state's nickname, the Buckeye State.

The flag's circle also represents the "original territory of Ohio" in the Northwest Territory. Ohio's flag is the only non-rectangular U.S. state flag. It is a rare example of a flag that is not a rectangle. Its unique shape means it can be flown or hung in different ways. This is because its design looks the same no matter how you turn it.

How the Ohio Flag Was Created

For almost 100 years after Ohio became a state, it did not have an official flag. The state's military units used flags similar to the Stars and Stripes. They added an eagle and their regiment number.

Early Ideas for a State Flag

By the 1850s, people in Ohio started wanting a state flag. Other states already had them. In 1860, two generals, David L. Wood and Henry B. Carrington, designed a flag. It had the state seal on a white background. They flew it over the Ohio State Arsenal in Columbus. They hoped it would become the state flag.

However, a future U.S. President, James A. Garfield, gave a speech. He said that Ohio soldiers should only fight under the national flag. The generals agreed and put up the Stars and Stripes instead.

Eisenmann's Unique Design

In 1901, an architect from Cleveland named John Eisenmann was asked to design a building for Ohio. This building was for the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Eisenmann also created a special flag to fly over the Ohio Building. These flags were for the Ohio Pan-American Exposition Commission, not the state itself.

On July 18, Governor George K. Nash visited the fair. He was given one of these flags. Eisenmann got a special patent for his design. He called it a "triangular forked or swallow-tailed flag." He said it looked like a "cavalry-guidon."

In 1902, State Representative William S. McKinnon introduced a bill. This bill made Eisenmann's design the official state flag. It became law on May 9, 1902. This made Ohio's flag the 20th U.S. state flag. Eisenmann gave his patent rights to the State of Ohio.

Because Eisenmann's design was so different, people looked to other countries for similar flags. Some compared it to the flag of Cuba or the Philippines. The red and white circle was even compared to the sun on the Japanese flag.

At first, Ohio's flag was not used very often. Many people felt that only the Stars and Stripes should be shown for patriotic reasons. But over time, the flag became very popular. People and businesses in Ohio started flying it often. In 2001, experts ranked Ohio's flag 15th out of 72 U.S. and Canadian flags for its design.

How to Use the Ohio Flag

Saluting the Flag

In 2002, Ohio celebrated 100 years of its state flag. To mark this, the state created an official salute to the flag. It is recited after the Pledge of Allegiance:

I salute the flag of the state of Ohio and pledge to the Buckeye State respect and loyalty.

—Ohio Rev. Code §5.013. "Pledge to the state flag".

Folding the Flag

The flag of Ohio is officially folded in 17 steps.

A special way to fold the Ohio flag was created by Alex Weinstock. He was an Ohio Boy Scout. He created this procedure for his Eagle Scout project. It needs two people to do it. This folding procedure became law in Ohio on February 15, 2005.

The steps are:

• First, unfold the flag.
• Fold it in half lengthwise so the points line up.
• Fold it in half lengthwise again to make a long strip. The red circle should face the ground.
• Fold the pointed end back on itself to form a rectangle. These are the first three folds.
• Starting from the end where you folded the pointed end, fold about two inches of the flag onto itself. Adjust the width if your flag is a different size.
• Repeat these folds 14 more times, folding it like a fan.
• This makes a total of 17 folds. This number symbolizes that Ohio was the 17th state to join the Union.
• Finally, wrap the remaining part of the flag neatly around the fan-folds. This creates a compact rectangle.

Ohio is not the only state with a special folding procedure. However, Ohio's procedure is important because of the flag's unusual shape.

Where You Can See the Flag's Influence

Ohio's flag is often seen at football games. The Ohio State University Marching Band's percussion section, called "JI-Row," carries it. The logo for the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team is based on the state flag. The Cincinnati Bengals football team also has a fan flag inspired by it.

Many cities and counties in Ohio have flags that look like the state flag. For example, the city of Mentor and Adams County have flags. They often replace the circle with their own seal. They also change the pattern of stars in the blue triangle.

Flag of the Governor of Ohio

This is the Flag of the Governor of Ohio. It includes the state coat of arms.

The flag for the Governor of Ohio is different from the state flag. It has the Great Seal of Ohio in the center. This seal is surrounded by 13 white stars. There is also a white star in each of the four corners. The background of the flag is scarlet red. Like the state flag, it has 17 stars in total.

The Ohio Adjutant General's Department started using this design in 1905. It was used to represent the Governor at official events. One of these flags hangs in the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Library. This library honors Rutherford B. Hayes, who was the 32nd Ohio Governor and 19th U.S. President. The design became officially recognized by law in 1945.

The Ohio Revised Code also describes smaller versions of this flag. These are used as the governor's naval flag and for the governor's car.

Images for kids

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  A rectangular Ohio flag flies in front of the Benetka Road Covered Bridge in Ashtabula County.