What Do the Colors of the Ohio State Flag Mean?

Ohio adopted its state flag in 1902. Its unique triangle or pennant shape is called a "burgee." Each element of the flag's design was specifically chosen to represent a part of Ohio's heritage.

Designer

John Eisemann designed Ohio's state flag.

Blue Triangle

The blue triangle in Ohio's flag symbolizes the state's valleys and hills.

Red and White Stripes

The flag's red and white stripes represent Ohio's rivers, canals and roads.

Red "O"

The red "O" inside the blue triangle stands for "Ohio." It is also the shape of a buckeye, paying homage to Ohio's nickname "The Buckeye State."

White Stars

The 13 white stars on the left side of the "O" stand for the original 13 colonies. The cluster of four stars on the right side of the "O" bring the total number of stars to 17, because Ohio was the 17th state admitted to the Union.

References

• The 50 States: Ohio