Colorado State Flag
Fact-checked • Updated January 15, 2025
Colorado State Flag
Colorado adopted its state flag in 1911, featuring a red letter C filled with a golden disk on blue and white stripes. Andrew Carlisle Carson designed the flag. The Daughters of the American Revolution held a contest to create a state banner, unaware that one already existed.
What Is the Colorado State Flag?
The Colorado state flag is the official banner representing Colorado. Three horizontal stripes of equal width span the flag. The top and bottom stripes are blue. The middle stripe is white.
A circular red C sits atop the stripes. A golden disk fills the center of the C. The C extends across all three stripes.
Government buildings, schools, and public locations across Colorado fly this flag.
Meaning of the Colorado State Flag
The Colorado state flag represents the state's natural features and resources. Each color carries specific meaning tied to Colorado's landscape and economy.
The red C stands for three things: the name Colorado (meaning red in Spanish), the word centennial (Colorado joined the Union in 1876 during America's centennial year), and columbine (the state flower). The red also represents the ruddy earth covering much of Colorado.
The gold disk symbolizes abundant sunshine. Colorado receives nearly 300 days of sun annually. Gold also represents the state's gold mining industry. Blue represents the sky. White represents snowcapped mountains and silver mining.
History of the Colorado State Flag
Colorado adopted its first state flag on April 9, 1907. The design featured the state seal on a blue field. Only one physical flag was ever made. It sat unused in a closet in the Colorado State Capitol Building.
The Denver chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution met on November 14, 1910. They wanted to create a state flag, unaware that one existed. A committee formed and collected designs by the next month. State Senator William H. Sharpley helped push a flag bill through the legislature. The DAR's initial design featured red and white stripes with the state seal. This design proved unpopular.
Andrew Carlisle Carson submitted a new design with blue, white, and blue stripes. A red C with a gold disk sat in the middle. The Colorado Senate passed Senate Bill 118 with no opposition on April 25, 1911. The House of Representatives passed it easily on May 6, 1911. The flag debuted at a Grand Army of the Republic parade on May 30, 1911. The General Assembly officially approved it on June 5, 1911.
The legislature added color specifications on February 28, 1929. The blue and red would match the national flag colors. On March 31, 1964, lawmakers specified the size and positioning of the C and gold disk. The gold disk diameter now equals the width of the center stripe.
Previous Versions of the Colorado State Flag
First State Flag
Featured the state coat of arms with the motto Nil sine numine on a blue field. Only one was made and it was never flown publicly.
Current State Flag
Designed by Andrew Carlisle Carson, officially adopted June 5, 1911, with final specifications set in 1964.
Symbols of the Colorado State Flag
Colorado State Flag Red C
A circular red C extends across all three stripes of the flag. The C measures two-thirds the width of the entire flag.
The C represents three concepts. It stands for Colorado, the Spanish word for red. It represents centennial, marking Colorado's 1876 admission during America's centennial year. It symbolizes columbine, Colorado's state flower. The red color also represents the ruddy earth found throughout the state.
Colorado State Flag Gold Disk
A golden disk fills the center of the red C. The disk diameter equals the width of the center white stripe.
The gold represents abundant sunshine. Colorado receives nearly 300 days of sun each year. Gold also symbolizes the state's gold mining industry, which drove early settlement and economic growth.
Colorado State Flag Blue Stripes
Two blue horizontal stripes appear at the top and bottom of the flag. Each stripe has equal width with the center white stripe.
The blue represents Colorado's sky. The blue matches Old Glory Blue from the United States flag, specified by the legislature in 1929.
Colorado State Flag White Stripe
A white horizontal stripe runs through the center of the flag. The red C and gold disk sit atop this stripe.
The white represents the snowcapped peaks of the Rocky Mountains. It also symbolizes Colorado's silver mining industry, which operated alongside gold mining throughout the state's history.
Colorado State Flag Colors
The Colorado state flag uses four colors: blue, white, red, and gold. The blue and red match the United States flag colors.
Old Glory Blue colors the top and bottom stripes. White forms the center stripe. Old Glory Red colors the letter C. Gold fills the disk inside the C. Colorado statute specifies Cable and Pantone values for blue, white, and red but not for gold.
Colorado State Flag Facts
- Colorado adopted its current state flag on June 5, 1911
- Andrew Carlisle Carson designed the flag
- A previous flag existed from 1907 to 1911 but was never flown
- The flag was standardized for colors in 1929 and proportions in 1964
- The C represents Colorado, centennial, and columbine
- The flag ranked 16th in a 2001 North American vexillological survey
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Sources & References
This article has been researched using authoritative sources to ensure accuracy and reliability. All information has been fact-checked and verified against official government records and historical databases.
Official information on Colorado state symbols and flag history • Accessed: January 15, 2026
Legal statutes regarding state flag design and specifications • Accessed: January 15, 2026
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