Vermont State Flag
Vermont's flag uses a pastoral coat of arms with pine tree, cow, wheat, and ship.
Vermont State Flag
Official State Flag of Vermont
State Flag of Vermont
How the Vermont State Flag Is Designed
The Vermont state flag is the official state flag of the state of Vermont. A blue rectangular field forms the background. The coat of arms depicts pine trees, a cow, wheat sheaves, and the Green Mountains. Two pine branch supporters flank the shield on each side.
The Vermont General Assembly adopted this design on June 1, 1923. The flag replaced an earlier striped design that caused confusion with the United States flag. Vermont flies this flag at government buildings and public spaces across the state.
What the Vermont Flag Communicates
The Vermont state flag meaning comes from symbols depicting Vermont's forests, farmland, and cultural identity. Each element on the coat of arms reflects aspects of Vermont's identity and economy.
The coat of arms balances freedom of individual citizens with the welfare of the common good. This dual purpose appears in the state motto Freedom and Unity displayed below the shield.
Vermont Flag History and Adoption
Vermont introduced its first official state flag on May 1, 1804. The design mimicked the United States flag with 17 stars and 17 stripes. Vermont expected the U.S. flag would adopt this pattern when the number of states reached seventeen. The word VERMONT was embroidered along the top red stripe.
The U.S. flag never added the extra stripes. This created confusion between Vermont's flag and the national banner. Vermont changed its flag design on October 20, 1837. The new version used 13 stripes like the U.S. flag. A single large star surrounded the coat of arms in the blue canton. The star varied between five points and eight points in different versions.
Vermont militia used flags during the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War I that showed the coat of arms on a blue field. This design matched the governor's flag. Because of ongoing confusion with striped flags, Vermont adopted the governor's flag design as the official state flag on June 1, 1923. The flag has remained unchanged since then, while Vermont's mountain-driven identity continues under the Green Mountain State nickname.
Earlier Versions of the Vermont Flag
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Thirteen stripes with coat of arms inside a star in the canton, varying between 5-pointed and 8-pointed stars.
Blue field with state coat of arms in the center, adopted to avoid confusion with the U.S. flag.
All versions
Key Symbols on the Vermont Flag
Vermont State Flag Coat of Arms
Vermont State Flag Pine Tree
Vermont State Flag Cow
Vermont State Flag Wheat Sheaves
Vermont State Flag Deer Head
Vermont State Flag Mountains
Vermont State Flag Motto
Vermont State Flag Colors
The Vermont state flag uses multiple colors in the coat of arms on a blue background. The shield contains green, red, gold, and white elements, including green mountain symbolism linked to Vermont's sugar maple heritage.
Interesting Facts
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Vermont State Symbols
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